3 year old with sarcoid on ear/ bridle path

[Emmi08]

I know there are lots of sarcoid threads and I've read most of them, but this one relates to my specific dilemma and I'm looking for thoughts but no nasty comments please as this is a difficult situation.

My homebred 3 year old hasn't made the height we had hoped and isn't big enough for me to ride. I am also very busy with work and don't have the time to put to him, so ordinarily it would be a straightforward sale.

However, he has a sarcoid (confirmed by vet) on the base of his ear just in front of the bridle path. It is about the size of a 10p piece, it is red and bleeds some days needing cleaning up to deter flies. The bridle sits just behind it with a sheepskin cover on but the minute he puts his head down it goes onto it and so I worry about it rubbing if he were to be backed.

This pony has had several run-ins with the vet in his life including the removal of a malignant melanoma on his shoulder at only a few weeks old (it was sent away to Liverpool and confirmed as such). He also had a fairly large superficial graze to his hock as a foal, gashed his neck when the microchip went in and a few months ago tore his fetlock open which has healed but remained swollen. Needless to say he absolutely hates the vet...for this reason (and for the amount of money we have spent on vet bills given he is not insured) I decided to try the homeopathic route via a specialist homeopathic vet. That treatment is halfway through and so far nothing has changed.

The question then is what to do if the homeopathic treatment doesn't work? Some say advertise him for sale as he is, cheaply, as possibly unrideable, but I am worried about him falling into irresponsible hands in the future as I can't vet future homes. Another option is to put him through the pain of treatment, either laser/liverpool cream/ BCG or whatever Liverpool come back with, and I will say I am very reluctant to do this as its in a very sensitive area and he is likely to become head shy. It would also cost I would imagine up to £1,000. And even after treatment, it may come back, and would he be any more saleable after treatment? Then again, it could never reoccur and he could live a long and happy life, but that is by no means guaranteed.

Of course the other option is to say that he has no future as a 3 year old as a companion and can't be ridden and shouldn't be put through further treatment so he should be put to sleep. I am conscious there are so many healthy horses out there in need of homes. I am also 80% sure he has another sarcoid coming up on the inside of his leg (yet to have this seen by vet).

Any thoughts appreciated as I just don't know what to do and he is so young.

Thanks

 

[shergar]

I know there are lots of sarcoid threads and I've read most of them, but this one relates to my specific dilemma and I'm looking for thoughts but no nasty comments please as this is a difficult situation.

My homebred 3 year old hasn't made the height we had hoped and isn't big enough for me to ride. I am also very busy with work and don't have the time to put to him, so ordinarily it would be a straightforward sale.

However, he has a sarcoid (confirmed by vet) on the base of his ear just in front of the bridle path. It is about the size of a 10p piece, it is red and bleeds some days needing cleaning up to deter flies. The bridle sits just behind it with a sheepskin cover on but the minute he puts his head down it goes onto it and so I worry about it rubbing if he were to be backed.

This pony has had several run-ins with the vet in his life including the removal of a malignant melanoma on his shoulder at only a few weeks old (it was sent away to Liverpool and confirmed as such). He also had a fairly large superficial graze to his hock as a foal, gashed his neck when the microchip went in and a few months ago tore his fetlock open which has healed but remained swollen. Needless to say he absolutely hates the vet...for this reason (and for the amount of money we have spent on vet bills given he is not insured) I decided to try the homeopathic route via a specialist homeopathic vet. That treatment is halfway through and so far nothing has changed.

The question then is what to do if the homeopathic treatment doesn't work? Some say advertise him for sale as he is, cheaply, as possibly unrideable, but I am worried about him falling into irresponsible hands in the future as I can't vet future homes. Another option is to put him through the pain of treatment, either laser/liverpool cream/ BCG or whatever Liverpool come back with, and I will say I am very reluctant to do this as its in a very sensitive area and he is likely to become head shy. It would also cost I would imagine up to £1,000. And even after treatment, it may come back, and would he be any more saleable after treatment? Then again, it could never reoccur and he could live a long and happy life, but that is by no means guaranteed.

Of course the other option is to say that he has no future as a 3 year old as a companion and can't be ridden and shouldn't be put through further treatment so he should be put to sleep. I am conscious there are so many healthy horses out there in need of homes. I am also 80% sure he has another sarcoid coming up on the inside of his leg (yet to have this seen by vet).

Any thoughts appreciated as I just don't know what to do and he is so young.

Thanks

Have you seen THE TURMERIC USER GROUP on FACEBOOK the site was started by a vet Doug English,lots of people feed it to horses with Sarcoids and have good results.This may be an easy option for you as the pony is nervous of the vet. Well worth a look .

 

[Emmi08]

Thanks Shergar I am on that group and I am already feeding him the turmeric with oil and pepper.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

I have just had a sarcoid removed (excised) from my horses face by the vet at home. It sounds similar to yours, as it was bleeding. It has cost me less than £300, the biopsy confirmed that it was indeed a sarcoid and we are crossing our fingers that it doesn't regrow.

The mare was IV sedated and the sarcoid removed under local anaesthetic. I would do the same with yours, asking the vet for Sedalin to administer at home before the vet arrived, in order to prevent the horse from getting too wound up by the sight of the vet.

 

[YasandCrystal]

I would try the turmeric regime. It has worked for my ISH who had an aggressive fibroblastic sarcoid. No sign of it or any others appearing. I have her on Global Herbs turmeric and micronised linseed all the time. Turmeric is anti-carcinogenic so good for all melanomas.

 

[Emmi08]

I have just had a sarcoid removed (excised) from my horses face by the vet at home. It sounds similar to yours, as it was bleeding. It has cost me less than £300, the biopsy confirmed that it was indeed a sarcoid and we are crossing our fingers that it doesn't regrow.

The mare was IV sedated and the sarcoid removed under local anaesthetic. I would do the same with yours, asking the vet for Sedalin to administer at home before the vet arrived, in order to prevent the horse from getting too wound up by the sight of the vet.

Pearlasinger that is encouraging and sounds cheap too. Was it laser surgery or a normal blade? Is the wound post-surgery bad and is the horse in pain?

 

[Emmi08]

I would try the turmeric regime. It has worked for my ISH who had an aggressive fibroblastic sarcoid. No sign of it or any others appearing. I have her on Global Herbs turmeric and micronised linseed all the time. Turmeric is anti-carcinogenic so good for all melanomas.

How long were you on the turmeric for before seeing results? He has been on it for 3 weeks so far.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

My chestnut mare has a suspected sarcoid removed from above her eye. As recommended by prof K, the wound was not stitched. It was done under sedation and local anaesthetic like PAS's horse and the cost was about the same. CM wasn't bothered by the wound, even though it was open. I did put a fly mask on, to keep the flies off it. It healed really well.

 

[Emmi08]

My chestnut mare has a suspected sarcoid removed from above her eye. As recommended by prof K, the wound was not stitched. It was done under sedation and local anaesthetic like PAS's horse and the cost was about the same. CM wasn't bothered by the wound, even though it was open. I did put a fly mask on, to keep the flies off it. It healed really well.

Thanks Faracat for your reply pictures look fantastic. How long after the surgery were the photographs taken? Was it laser surgery or normal? Thank you

 

[Meowy Catkin]

With a scalpel. Pic one was literally just after the vet cut it away, you can see that she's sedated from her droopy eyelids - bless her. Pic two was taken a couple of days later during a fly mask check (as she was wearing it 24/7, I liked to remove it to check her and then replace it at last twice a day). I did wash the dribbles off, but I had been advised to just leave everything alone for 3 to 4 days, so I did.

 

[AnShanDan]

Difficult to say what you should do without knowing what potential uses the youngster has?

If he is likely to be able to perform at a reasonable level, and he has no other health/conformation/temprement issues, then I'd be trying to get the sarcoid treated somehow.

Then you may end up with a perfectly ridable horse, which could be backed/ridden away by someone and become sellable, albeit at a reduced price due to previous problems, none of which (I think) are enough to write off a young horse.

Can't see anyone wanting to have him as a companion with an active sarcoid in such a tricky place for headcollar etc. It is so hard when you have bred them, and I can really sympathise.

 

[Emmi08]

Difficult to say what you should do without knowing what potential uses the youngster has?

If he is likely to be able to perform at a reasonable level, and he has no other health/conformation/temprement issues, then I'd be trying to get the sarcoid treated somehow.

Then you may end up with a perfectly ridable horse, which could be backed/ridden away by someone and become sellable, albeit at a reduced price due to previous problems, none of which (I think) are enough to write off a young horse.

Can't see anyone wanting to have him as a companion with an active sarcoid in such a tricky place for headcollar etc. It is so hard when you have bred them, and I can really sympathise.

Thanks for your reply.

He is out of our (now sold) Welsh D (Nebo Black Magic lines) mare who is a lovely PC all rounder and by Future Illusion (Fleetwater Opposition) eventing lines. So yes in theory he could perform at a reasonable level and bring someone lots of fun. Temperament wise he is a cheeky 3 year old who pushes the boundaries but nothing more sinister than that. No other health issues - other than the fetlock remaining slightly swollen but no lameness/heat.

I think I am erring towards the surgery route as it will be over with very quickly rather than repeated uncomfortable and expensive Liverpool cream. I will have my vet send the photo off to Liverpool and see what they say as my next step I think.

 

[AllTheBees]

My boy had large sarcoid at base of his ear (front). Four applications of Liverpool cream, two days apart (sedated each time - which was the major cost) and 6 months later it has dropped off and healing very nicely. Total cost approx £500. Although unsightly between treatment and healing, he didn't seem at all bothered by it. Although I always undid the cheek piece to put his bridle on to avoid bothering it.