Do sarcoids put you off completely??

[anna22]

Basically, would you consider a horse with a sarcoid. I have been offered a young ex-racer, very good to handle, goes everywhere in a snaffle, clean legs etc... but he has a tiny sarcoid just on the inside of his inguinal region, but well away from his sheath.
He's 4 rising 5, and it's the only one.
I know the risk of spread etc etc but how much of a big deal is it? I am 'planning' on bringing him on for me, so not really worried about re-sale but I guess you can never say never. Vet has looked at it and it is too small to band, but is a candidate for the liverpool cream (not pleasant stuff but does work).
So, any thoughts welcomed!

 

[Goldenstar]

If its one and small I would have it lasered if at all possible.
I do buy horses with small sarcoids but I factor a hefty amount to pay for treatment into the buying desision.
It's a gamble because it can go very wrong .
I have one ATM an ID he's cost £2000 in sarcoid treatments but he's a star horse who looks after my OH so well So it's worth every penny.
I would never take one on with them in a bad place like girth area eyes etc.

 

[Prince33Sp4rkle]

nope.
wouldnt have one if it had them in girth area or anywhere likely to sit under tack/rug pressure points but that aside 1/2/3 small ones wouldnt bother me. but then ive only ever had good experiences and have used thuja tincture and they have all dropped off!

 

[mtj]

The RVC recently gave a talk on sarcoids and melanomas. The advice I came away with was very much type and location.

Head and tack areas are not good. Flat sarcoids unlikely to cause a problem, but nodular, if disturbed (showed photos of failed banding gone bad) can turn very nasty, very quickly.

Be aware that treating a sarcoid in the sheath sort of area may involve a general anaesthesia and associated risks that will not be covered by your insurance. My horse had this done 5/6 years ago by cryro surgery which has a 50% non recurrence rate. So far so good.

 

[Twinkley Lights]

Yes I walked away from a nice pony but many on here do buy and take a risk based on factoring in price as Goldenstar said. I just couldn't take the heartache if things turned very nasty.

 

[crabbymare]

Nope I have bought with sarcoids before and used thuja drops in the feed which cleared them up.

 

[Holidays_are_coming]

My mare had a flat sarcoid on her shoulder when I brought her the vet thought it was a rug rub so the insurance paid to have it lasered off and touch wood in 5 years I haven't seen another on her but im always careful with lumps and bumps

 

[Riverblade]

My ex-racer came with a few and i used hilton herbs sarcex 2 years ago and toughwood havnt come back!

 

[MissSBird]

Yes they would I'm afraid. Having seen the stress sarcoids can cause on horse and owner I just don't think I could put myself through it. Most of the time, there is always another horse on the market somewhere.

Any horse can get sarcoids of course, but for me it's a risk I just wouldn't take.

 

[millitiger]

Wouldn't put me off totally as depends how many/ where they are/ if treatment has been tried and failed etc.

I've known lots and lots of horses have sarcoids successfully removed so it wouldn't unduly bother me.

 

[angelish]

I wouldn't even consider buying one with sarcoids , I know two friends that are both coming to the end of battles with them and are seriously considering pts
One is going to be pts at the weekend the other has had more than 10 removed so far and if they come back she will be pts too

I do know a pony that had one removed last year (laser) and although it was a nasty big hole and took a while to clear up it hasn't come back and has caused no further problems but I still wouldn't take the chance tbh

 

[foxy1]

I would buy a horse with sarcoids, as long as they were not under tack areas or around the eyes, but I would expect a reduction on the price.

 

[MandyMoo]

personally it depends where it is and if it is treatable - if it was one, and it was small, and a vet had had a look and said it was most likely treatable then yes - I'd be fine with it. BUT if they had more than one, and they were in places that were untreatable (i.e. me and mum refused to buy a horse after we noticed sarcoids near the eye region which the vet said wouldn't be laser-able or treatable with a cream due to its positioning)

 

[whizzer]

I'd personally avoid. My horse had horrendous sarcoids on his sheath,belly & inside hind legs. Can't remember the type but they were ulcerated,bled freely at the slightest excuse & he frequently trod on the belly & sheath ones whilst lying down & yanked them off. I tried many things including thuja but nothing really worked until I finally did the Liverpool treatment. Because I hadn't started treatment when I first noticed them(when they were just tiny ' freckles' & I had no idea what I'd be dealing with my insurance company needed some persuasion to pay a small amount of the bill. After 2 courses of Liverpool cream they were gone but I still worry,10 yrs later,about every little lump or bump that comes up. Also the Liverpool treatment whilst effective wasn't pleasant to put the horse through. I know many people who do get them sorted quickly & easily but they are something I'd avoid in future.

 

[anna22]

This has one, approx 2cm diameter on his abdomen just inside his stifle. It is a little nodular, but no ulcerations etc.
The owner has offered to treat it if I take him on loan, with a view to buying him if it all clears up well and he passes at vetting.
It's interesting to hear everyone's view, I know there is huge division between horsey people about them... If it could be left and wouldn't spread it probably wouldn't bother me, but it's the fact that they can spread.

 

[foxy1]

It's a gamble, the question is, is the horse worth a gamble?

 

[horse.love92]

Personally I never would . I had a horse before with sarcoids and it was too much of a worry . I had the vet out a lot putting bands on them and telling me the risks ... Never again !

 

[measles]

I had a horse vetted today in Ireland and walked away as a ring sarcoid was found. I know that this would lead to an insurance exclusion for my clients when I sold her on and that would put most off. A real shame, but it is the reality.

 

[anna22]

Well I informed the owner of the cost implications involved and she has decided to "persevere" with him and see how the sarcoid goes... so never mind!
Thanks for all the input guys, will continue to browse about the horse ads shouldn't really be looking but hey ho

 

[poiuytrewq]

I think they would put me off. Simply because I have had horse health problems one after another the last few years so I'd not buy anything knowingly with a problem of any kind.

 

[madmav]

Horse I share has sarcoids under his front leg, they are not a bother to him. New one growing, yuck. He is now 23 and has survived strangles, colic. Also been quite a beast at one-day eventing, dressage, just a brilliant hack. So, no, don't dismiss if the horse looks like he'll be the real deal for you, and if they aren't in a place where tack will rub. We all have our problems, after all - no-one would buy me with my varicose veins. But I do still function!

 

[Queenbee]

Basically, would you consider a horse with a sarcoid. I have been offered a young ex-racer, very good to handle, goes everywhere in a snaffle, clean legs etc... but he has a tiny sarcoid just on the inside of his inguinal region, but well away from his sheath.
He's 4 rising 5, and it's the only one.
I know the risk of spread etc etc but how much of a big deal is it? I am 'planning' on bringing him on for me, so not really worried about re-sale but I guess you can never say never. Vet has looked at it and it is too small to band, but is a candidate for the liverpool cream (not pleasant stuff but does work).
So, any thoughts welcomed!

I was watching one of the episodes of 'At Home With Carl Hester' a while back... He has quite a few with sarcoids... If its good enough for him

But actually I agree with another poster... Size, type and location are very important when deciding.