Cancer and Age Spots? (3 questions I need answered!)

[An 80s Pony]

Question 1. First off, some people say they're the same thing and some don't - I simply don't get it! I really want to know the difference between them! If you feel like leaving a reply, a picture would be appreciated; if getting one is possible.

Question 2. Also, I want to know if Age Spots and/or Cancer is contagious enough to spread to other ponies! I'm always super duper paranoid that the slightest thing could happened to my ponies and one of them being a contagious disease brought on by a pony!

Question 3. Lastly, I want to know if Age Spots and/or Cancer can spread WITHIN the infected pony itself and get worse.

[Thunderwing]

It is my understanding that they are the same thing, however... I think 'age spots' could be several different things, too. Pony cancer is generally "VDS" or Vinyl Deterioration Spots. It is basically the plastic breaking down, hence why some ponies are more prone to the problem than others. It is aggravated by humidity and temperature. It is NOT contagious. (Unlike pin dot mould, or mildew, which can spread in the right conditions).

[hathorcat]

Yes they are the same thing - or at least when we refer to age marks other people would call the same thing cancer. Its just that over time some people dont like the use of the word cancer and therefore age marks works as an accurate description. So the answer to your first question is that there is no difference.

No they are not contagious - it cant spread to other ponies. They are caused by the actual plastic molecules themselves breaking down over time. That cant be spread through the air or ponies touching. However, yes it can spread within the plastic and the pony; if one part of the plastic has started to break down its certainly possible that another part is going to develop the same problem - however changing the circumstances which perhaps started or contributed to the speed of break down may stop the breakdown from accelerating over time.

[lauranthalasa]

how do you tell the difference between age spots and mildew/mold?

[hathorcat]

Age spots/cancer are normally shown as a dark central brown dot surrounded by a fading brown area or they appear as an almost brown bruise beneath the plastic. Normally one or two or three dots/bruises spread over the pony.

Mould/mildew seldom appears on the outside of the pony; you may occasionally come across it inside a pony which has been exposed to water/humid/damp conditions. If it did appear on the outside, its going to look like most moulds lots of little dots clustered together and spread over an area - any colour from light tan to dark brown.