Can Equine Patients Get Cancer?
By Cassie Younginer, Director of Equine & Sales Operations
Unfortunately, even our 1100 lb best friends are susceptible to cancer. While horses are less frequently diagnosed with cancer compared to humans, dogs, and cats, it is imperative to understand the threat cancer poses to your clients' cherished steed, favorite yard ornament, and adventure buddy.
Odds are when you hear “equine cancer” you think of the grey mare with melanoma. That’s because over 80% of grey horses over the age of 15 have melanoma! However, even more common than melanomas are sarcoids and squamous cell carcinoma. Sarcoids, a typically non-malignant skin tumor, are the most common equine cancer, followed by squamous cell carcinoma. Squamous cell carcinoma can be hard for horses to avoid, as UV light is a predisposing factor.
There is not a “one type fits all” horse at risk for cancer. As previously mentioned, grey horses are the most common patients of equine melanoma, but that does not exclude a 27 year brown old bay gelding from malignant melanoma with systemic metastasis. Sarcoids are believed to be caused by bovine papillomavirus, but genetics, trauma, and geography may also play a role. Squamous cell carcinoma is typically caused by exposure to the sun or smegma. There have been studies that show some breeds do possess a genetic risk factor for squamous cell carcinoma: Haflingers, Begians, Rocky Mountain Horses, Holsteiners, Belgian Warmbloods, and Connemara Ponies. Ultimately, cancer does not discriminate against what breed of horse, discipline, or environment your patient calls home.
It is important to schedule routine checkups for your equine patients to continue to monitor their health and potentially catch cancer before it becomes more of a threat. Lumps and bumps could be the sign of a great roll in a poorly placed ant bed, or the first sign of melanoma. Should your equine patient be diagnosed with cancer, we are here to discuss if Torigen’s individualized cancer vaccine is an applicable treatment option.