We first met Lily just three short weeks ago in a loose pen at our local horse auction, with her 2024 and 2023 babies both trying to nurse and staying close. The pen was called the "wild pen" by the auction staff, as it was full of stallions, mares and foals, all riled up and anxious. Several of the horses had sustained injuries, including one gray whose entire face was covered in blood due to crashing head first into a fence at the auction. Lily had multiple injuries to her face and legs.

We were able to win the bid on Lily and her 2024 filly, who we named Ivy, but were outbid on her 2023 palomino filly. We hope she went to a good home at the price she was won.

We immediately noticed a scab on her eye, which caused us concern but we hoped was from her injuries. However, once the injuries were cleaned up and started healing, it became obvious that the growth was something to be concerned about. Pink skinned horses often suffer from squamous cell carcinoma, which is an aggressive malignant cancer that must be dealt with sooner rather than later. Often, horses who have a tumor near their eye will lose their entire eye.

Lily's growth was confirmed to be cancer by her vet, who also confirmed that she's in foal for a late spring 2025 baby! She needs surgical removal and chemotherapy. Unfortunately, because she's in foal, chemotherapy must wait, but our vets are willing to remove the tumor as soon as possible to avoid further growth. It currently appears that the tumor does not affect the eye, but if we wait too long, it could grow which would cause her to lose her eye, which we all want to avoid.

Can you help us raise the estimated $3000 we will need to schedule her surgery and follow up care, to give Lily and her new baby every chance at an amazing life?

Lily's Cancer Surgery & Treatment