possible sarcoid :(

[MissMincePie&Brandy]

I think I've spotted a possible sarcoid on my young lad

I've read the Liverpool University information by Derek Knottenbelt, which is excellent and very informative.

My lad is 6 and a half. I bought him in November, and he didn't have any sign of any sarcoids then - I examined him looking for things like sarcoids before I bought him, and my vet didn't see any either.

The suspected sarcoid is on his sheath and the size of a 5 pence piece. There is no hair, and it's grey, slightly raised and scaly. It has the appearance of a scab, but it is not a scab, nor is it ringworm.

He also has a very small pimple, which I thought was a wart on his hind quarters, which I noticed about 2 months ago - I wonder if that is a sarcoid too?

I can take a photo this evening and put it on here.

At the moment, both the suspected sarcoid on the sheath, and the pimple on the hindquarters are small and hardly noticable, and I wouldn't worry about them being there forever if they didn't change.
The advice from Derek Knottenbelt is to get your vet to look asap, but I'm slightly concerned that my local vet may not be experienced enough with sarcoids and suggest an inapropriate treatment, which might cause one or both to suddenly start erupting and growing?

I'd like to hear your experience with this sort of thing, and any advice please.

 

[beccachick91]

Hi

I'm not vet, but since I bought my horse 6 years ago she has had sarcoids come up and disapear in various places. She has one sarcoid on her belly at the minute and two melanomas on her tail (she is a grey so prone to such things). My vet told me not to touch them unless they cause some sort of problem. I put net tex fly repellant on the sarcoid on her belly to stop the flies from irritating it. Sarcoids can turn nasty but until they do my vet told me to just monitor it.
My advice would be to keep an eye on it, my vet told me that many vets want to remove them just for the sake of it, but if they are not causing any problem there's no point. I honestly wouldn't worry about it, I panicked when my mares first came up but 6 years later I havnt had one problem!

 

[melle]

My mare has two similar things near her teats and one the inside of her hind leg. I panicked at first but was advised to just monitor. If they grow get them looked at - if not leave them alone. Her's have not changed in the year since I first noticed them so I don't worry about them too much anymore.

 

[MurphysMinder]

I would ask your vet to have a look, and send pictures of the sarcoids to Prof Knottenbelt, I think that is what he tends to suggest. I think most vets are aware of his expertise in the subject and are happy to refer to him.