Surgical Treatment and Relative Frequency of Skin Tumors in Domestic Equids: A Retrospective Study

The purposes of the present study were to report the relative frequency, to compare skin neoplastic diseases diagnosed in horses, donkeys, and mules in a referral hospital population, and to evaluate the outcome of surgical intervention in the treatment of the skin neoplastic diseases in the domestic equids. Seventy-two domestic equids including 32 horses, 30 mules, and 10 donkeys were included in this retrospective study. Data were obtained from medical sheets. The relative frequency of skin tumors was determined. The abnormal skin neoplastic/hyperplastic masses were removed with a radical surgical excision. The diagnosis was based on signalment, history, gross clinical examination, and confirmed by histopathological examination. The outcomes of surgical intervention were evaluated. The occurrence of skin tumors was higher in males than females and higher in intact males than geldings. Sarcoids were the most common skin tumor of horses and mules. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) was the second most common skin tumor in horses, whereas, papilloma/fibropapiloma was the second most common skin tumor in mules. Both sarcoids and SCCs were the most common skin tumors in donkeys. The inguinal region was the main anatomic location for the occurrence of skin tumors in males especially in intact, equids. Sarcoids were mainly diagnosed on the skin of the male external genital system in intact horses. In male mules, all diagnosed sarcoids were located on the skin of the external genital system. Histopathological examination is necessary for accurate diagnosis of the skin neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions in the equids. The skin of the male external genital system is the main predilection site for the occurrence of skin tumors in domestic equids. It seems that conventional surgery as a practical technique offers a higher rate of success in the treatment of skin tumors in domestic equids.