Difference between sarcoid and milk wart?

Milk warts are caused by a virus and as soon as the horse is immune to the virus they will go. In my experience, they usually occur on the muzzle as little white warts in youngsters under three and disappear within a year.

Sarcoids are potentially malignant and are not warts at all. There are many different types - flat grey disks, round balls, "occult" round shadows in the coat, things that look just like a wart with a neck but aren't, etc. Lots of them cause little problem to healthy horses unless they are in areas where the tack rubs, they rub themselves (between the back legs, for example) or around the eyes. If they turn nasty they can spread and become very aggressive, especially in a horse with a compromised immune system.

"Warts" in a horse over 3 years old and "warts" anywhere on the body but the muzzle are much more likely to be sarcoids.
 
Milk warts are caused by a virus and as soon as the horse is immune to the virus they will go. In my experience, they usually occur on the muzzle as little white warts in youngsters under three and disappear within a year.
Ime, they also tend to look like tiny cauliflowers.
 
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