Authors:
Goetz TE. Ogilvie GK. Keegan KG. Johnson PJ.
Institution
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, College of Veterinary
Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana 61801.
Title
Cimetidine for treatment of melanomas in three horses [see comments].
Source
Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 196(3):449-52,
1990 Feb 1.
MeSH Subject Headings
Animal
Case Report
*Cimetidine/tu [Therapeutic Use]
*Horse Diseases/dt [Drug Therapy]
Horses
Male
Melanoma/dt [Drug Therapy]
*Melanoma/ve [Veterinary]
Skin Neoplasms/dt [Drug Therapy]
*Skin Neoplasms/ve [Veterinary]
Abstract
Cimetidine, an H2 histamine antagonist, was used in the clinical management of progressive, multifocal melanomatosis in 3 adult gray horses. Prior to treatment, the tumors had increased rapidly in size and number in 2 horses (duration of 6 and 27 months, respectively) and slowly in the third horse (duration of 48 months). All 3 horses were treated with cimetidine (2.5 mg/kg of body weight, PO, q 8 h) for 2 months to 1 year. During treatment, the number and size of the melanomas decreased substantially (50 to 90%). The progression of the disease was halted in 2 horses and controlled in the third horse, which is still being treated with cimetidine (1.6 mg/kg, PO, q 24 h). The horses in which treatment was terminated have not been treated for 31 and 41 months, respectively, during which time the melanomas have not increased in number or size.
