Sarcoid: what do you think the options are?

[TheHairyOne]

So our old grey lad (now 19) has had a couple over the years. One at the elbow successfully treated with liverpool cream never to return, one flat one high on the back of a back leg and one on the front of his fetlock.

Vets advice on the fetlock was to leave well alone unless something had to be done, and sadly think its at that stage now as we are starting to see a hairless line which suggests the skins done as much stretching as its going to. Its taken 10 years to reach this stage and doesnt bother him in the slightest.

Vets comimg wednesday, but h&h people have seen a lot over the years!

 

[meleeka]

They might just make an incision to free it from the skin and band it, although I’m not sure because of the location. They might want to laser it but that’s an inconvenient place to heal because of the movement every time he walks.

 

[Melody Grey]

Is it definitely a sarcoid? With the size, location and being covered in hair I’d be wondering if its another type of tumour (not a vet So
I might be about to learn something here!!)

 

[irishdraft]

Is it definitely a sarcoid? With the size, location and being covered in hair I’d be wondering if its another type of tumour (not a vet So
I might be about to learn something here!!)

I must admit I've seen a lot of sarcoids but never anything like that. Interesting

 

[Melody Grey]

I must admit I've seen a lot of sarcoids but never anything like that. Interesting

That was my thought too. My first thought was whether it’s something related to joint fluid or a bone tumour? My current horse had a nodular sarcoid under the skin in his armpit, although no where near this size so it’s possible I guess?

 

[ycbm]

I don't understand why that wasn't removed a long time ago. I would also question whether that's a sarcoid, they would normally ulcerate long before reaching that size and it's in a very unusual place for one.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

I'd also question what it is. I've had a few lumps sent to the lab for histology and none - that's right NONE - were what the vet suspected. 'Melanomas' and 'sarcoids' turned out to actually be keratomas and a weird fungal thing.

 

[TheHairyOne]

Can only go with the diagnosis and advice we have had at this point! No biopsy though it has to be said. Ive not seen anuthing else like it on anything.

Its definately not bone related. It moves under the skin (or did before it got this big) and I suspect if it was joint fluidy we'd not have had a sound horse for 10 years - well sound in this leg for the most part anyway.

I dont think the vet expected him to reach this age tbh (and neither did we) - which partially explains the leave well alone. He has many issue and this has been about the least of them.

Still, cant be left anymore so I guess we will see what the outcome is! Will update wednesday and if anyone else wants to take some guesses they are welcome to.

 

[ycbm]

I'm guessing benign cyst, but I'm prepared to be wrong and find it's the biggest ball type sarcoid I've ever seen!
.

 

[PapaverFollis]

That's so odd. I wouldn't expect a cancerous growth like a sarcoid or melanoma to be so perfectly spherical? Could be wrong though. I would guess a cyst of some sort too.

 

[brighteyes]

I'd be amazed if that was a sarcoid - I have heard of them in that location but as some sort of opportunistic growth on an injury and highly irregular in all respects. They are rarely, if ever, covered in hair.

 

[irishdraft]

That's so odd. I wouldn't expect a cancerous growth like a sarcoid or melanoma to be so perfectly spherical? Could be wrong though. I would guess a cyst of some sort too.

I have a gelding who when he was about 4 started having sarcoids pop up . I took him to the vet to have them banded, one was in the bottom of his sheath , when the vet applied the band the sarcoid popped out of the skin and was a perfect ball of white collagen type material . This grew at least one more time as a perfect ball but the vet did say it was a sarcoid. So I think it's possible for op horse to be a sarcoid but strange it's covered in hair .

 

[PapaverFollis]

I have a gelding who when he was about 4 started having sarcoids pop up . I took him to the vet to have them banded, one was in the bottom of his sheath , when the vet applied the band the sarcoid popped out of the skin and was a perfect ball of white collagen type material . This grew at least one more time as a perfect ball but the vet did say it was a sarcoid. So I think it's possible for op horse to be a sarcoid but strange it's covered in hair .

I went of too Google after posting that and meant to pop back and correct myself! But forgot. Yes to spherical sarcoids. But as you say none of the pictures seemed to have them covered in hair.

 

[PatchyBabyHorse]

I had a section d with one like this on his tummy. Perfectly round and covered in hair. When the vet came to remove it, he was squeezing and feeling the ‘neck’ of it, gave a little pull and the skin broke and a fleshy golf ball came shooting into his hand. Called ‘blunt dissection’ ??‍?
I’ll try and find a picture.

His was quite wobbly and dangly though. That one looks to be a) in a very strange place, and b) very firm for a nodular sarcoid.

 

[Meowy Catkin]

but the vet did say it was a sarcoid.

Was it sent to the lab?

 

[brighteyes]

Was it sent to the lab?

Not biopsied, as in left well alone?

 

[irishdraft]

Was it sent to the lab?

No it wasn't I took his word for it

 

[Meowy Catkin]

Not biopsied, as in left well alone?

Some lumps they don't like to biopsy. The lumps I had sent to the lab were removed whole with a wide margin to make sure that the whole thing was got.

No it wasn't I took his word for it

So it was an educated guess.

I'm pretty sceptical of the accuracy of this due to my experiences with lab results.

 

[PapaverFollis]

I don't understand why the vet didn't remove when it was much smaller? Surely healing would be easier and even more important to remove while small in such a mobile area. Mine had a cyst (sent to lab after removal, vet suspected melanoma although I thought it was a cyst and was right...) removed from her stifle area for exactly that reason. It was only small but he had to take so much skin to get a good margin. If it had been any bigger healing would have been much harder.

 

[irishdraft]

Some lumps they don't like to biopsy. The lumps I had sent to the lab were removed whole with a wide margin to make sure that the whole thing was got.



So it was an educated guess.

I'm pretty sceptical of the accuracy of this due to my experiences with lab results.

So what do you think it was then ?

 

[Meowy Catkin]

So what do you think it was then ?

No idea.

My point was that it is impossible to accurately diagnose without a lab looking at the cells under a microscope.

I hope you don't think that I was having a go at you because I did not intend to come across that way and I apologise for not making that clear, it's a interesting subject for me that I like to discuss. I've just had a really 'lumpy' horse sadly and as time goes on it begins to sink in just how much we (owners and vets) don't know or guess at because samples aren't sent to the lab regularly enough.

It does make wonder what all those 'sarcoids' actually were that disappear due to turmeric or toothpaste? Maybe not a sarcoid? Maybe something that would have disappeared given time with no treatment? How can anyone say with any certainty?

 

[oldie48]

I've posted this before but this is a sarcoid that my vet popped out of Rose, just in front of her teats, only the dark part was showing. Yuk, they are vile aren't they?

 

[ycbm]

Ooh, let's share popped out sarcoid pictures. Good one o48!

 

[TheHairyOne]

So nothing exciting to report on this! Senior (well practice owner) vet out today and his opinion was to leave it as well and that it almost certainly is a sarcoid. Its apparently like 3 bits with the center being quite soft. Weird

Said he has had one before on a knee and another where out lad has one. One went ok, one didnt and he said dont go looking for trouble.

Sorry to disappoint!