"Gray is not a color, it's a disease." - Diana

"Melanomas are one of the most common tumors in aging gray horses, with about an 80% incidence rate occurring in gray horses over the age of 15."

picture from https://www.petmd.com/horse/conditions/cancer/melanoma-horses

Just questions here. No time to pursue answers at the moment.

Could Iodine prevent melanomas?

Does the gray hair prevent gray horses from absorbing enough near and/or far infra-red light to keep the horse’s exclusion zone (EZ) water content high enough? I use heat lamps on my legs and feet to help with neuropathy. The black horses get so hot in the sun, but not the gray ones.

Can fenbendazole cure some melanomas? Has anyone tried it? It seems like a zero-risk treatment.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-30158-6

https://healnavigator.com/treatments/fenbendazole-cancer-protocol/

What is Melanoma in Horses?

Melanomas are one of the most common tumors in aging gray horses, with about an 80% incidence rate occurring in gray horses over the age of 15.

Melanomas are a tumor of the melanocyte, the pigment producing cell that gives skin and hair its color. Breeds that may be predisposed to melanoma include Lipizzaners, Arabians, and Percherons.

The most common locations for melanomas to occur include: Under the tail, Vulva, Penis, Parotid gland region (behind the jaw), Lips, Eyelids, Internal organ systems (such as abdominal or nervous system) can also be affected

Symptoms of Melanoma in Horses

Melanomas typically appear as firm, black, raised nodules on the skin. They generally start as a solitary mass and progress to multiple nodules. With time, melanomas will enlarge and invade local tissue and metastasize (spread) and affect distant sites. Clinical signs that can be associated with melanomas will depend on the tissue and location they are located. They most commonly affect a horse's ability to pass feces, urinate, or eat.

If a horse has an internal melanoma, these can lead to significant health concerns such as ataxia and colic. In advanced cases, horses may exhibit significant weight loss.

https://www.petmd.com/horse/conditions/cancer/melanoma-horses

Please comment if you have or had a gray horse with or without with melanoma. I am especially curious about the iodine content of your horse’s diet. Were you using kelp or any of the Source products? Or iodine from EquinePlus feeds, like the high dose iodine that cured my horse’s sarcoid? Thanks for your input.