sarcoids and vettings

[barkinghorse]

Just wondered if you would by a horse that had a sarcoid on it's belly, that didn't interfere with anything.
Pony is being vetted tomorrow and have noticed today that he has what looks like a sarcoid coming on his belly.
He is being sold as a family pony for the kids to plod about on, so would you continue with the vetting after the vet had pointed it out to you?
It might not be, but am looking at the worst being a sarcoid.

 

[ginnyspinner]

Went to see a horse which I believe had a sarcoid on its neck, fab horse, but I couldn't take the chance of it being a nasty and all the heartache that may bring. Did not get it vetted, just discounted it - there are plenty of horses out there without buying potential trouble. Just my opinion - others will disagree.

 

[mlm]

i went to see a sj that had a sarcoid. i would not buy him as insurance would not of covered it. and i was worried about the risk of more of them. and i think it would effect re-sale but our sj trainer disagreed and said that if the can do the job IE: sj. dressage etc then you should not be put off.

 

[GreedyGuts]

I'd give it a miss. I agree that there are so many horses without probs that buying one with a preexisting problem isn't worth it. Sarcoids can be something and nothing, but once a horse has had them there's a good chance they'll get them again, and I wouldn't take the risk. Insurance is definately a consideration too as they can be hugely expensive to treat.

 

[Chills]

Personally I would say that if the horse passes the vet and is fit for the purpose it would be sold for, do not let the sarcoid put you off. It is a personal choice and you must make it for yourself. I bought a horse last year who had a sarcoid, yes it has been a pain having to have it treated - which I only did so as it changed size and shape. It is not necessarily hugely expensive - To treat one large and three small flat ones on his chest, cost a couple of hundred - the expensive bit is that the vet has to put the cream on (if cream is prescribed), but if you could take the horse to reduce call out would make it cheaper.
It is a difficult one, but the way I see it is that all horses are at risk of something, be it joint problems, skin conditiions, respiratory problems - and anything can strike at any time.
As I say it can only be a personal choice and I would only say that I would go ahead if that is the only thing you can find wrong. From my experience vets have differing opinions and a lot will actually pass a vetting with a sarcoid, the vet will merely mention it to you to warn of potential costs etc.

 

[MillionDollar]

I was going to buy a broodmare that was absolutely perfect in everyway until i was told she had a sarcoid on her chest, it just wasn't worth the risk or headache.

HOWEVER, if this pony is perfect for what you want and not too expensive, i would discuss it with your vet and have a think. Most sarcoids can be treated sucessfully i think (Tia uses Camrosa with 100% success rate, search Sarcoids in the Vet section on here).

 

[FMM]

I would not purchase a horse that I knew had sarcoids. However, if I had a horse which developed sarcoids, it would not be the end of the world (unless I wanted to sell it for lots of money!!)

 

[izzyxxx]

i am going to be the black sheep and have a completely different out look. My mare is used as a family pony and all we do is hack round the country side and go to the localcharity show we had her 5stage vetted and she past (didn't have any sarcoids showing) 1 month down the line and there it was a sarcoid on her chest being a first time horse owner i paniked a bit but the vet came out gave me some of that blood root stuff and it was ok she has got a couplemore coming upon her chest know but they don't botter her or cause her any pain and if they don't get any bigger its normally best to leave them even if she had a sarcoid when we went to look at her i would still have brought her cause the possitives out way that one thing i wouldn't be without her and have had her for 3 years with no problems!!!! weigh up the prosand cons get a vet to take a look and see what they think! xxx

 

[KatB]

Sarcoids are very common now unfortunately. If there would multiples, i would probably pass, but if there was just the one, wouldnt bother me. Depends what type of sarcoid it was though

 

[RachaelV]

I bought my mare knowing she had a warty sarcoid on her shoulder. She is 100% in every way, jumps, hacks out, loads, never been unsound,has no vices bla bla bla....good job people dont discount us cos we have warts. thats just my opinion.....tell me if you think i dont have a valid point

 

[goeslikestink]

it wont pass a vetting as scacoids are unpredictable

 

[vicijp]

Sarcoids either bother you or they dont.
During a vetting, the vets job is to point it out and advise on it - not fail the horse on them.
If it bothers you then walk away, if it doesnt get it vetted and tell the vet beforehand that you dont give a monkeys about it.
Personally, sarcoids do not worry me unless they are in a bad area. Even then I would consider the horse if the horse was perfect in every other way (ie, can you get one as nice at the price).
I sold a mare that had previously had 2 sarcoids removed succesfully. The buyer was told from the start (came to me from Yorkshire so quite a way). There was a bit of scarring, but not really noticeable. They didnt bother her and when the horse came to be vetted the vet asked me where they were and that was all that was said about them.
Dont waste the sellers time if you are thinking about them from the outset.

 

[MagicMelon]

It wouldn't bother me. The only time it would put me off is if it affected the horse (ie. was in a dodgy place where it may rub on tack etc.). I've had a horse in the past who had sarcoids and it made no difference to him. Also have a horse now who has 1 sarcoid. Again, it doesn't effect the horses performance at all.

 

[Partoow]

The main problem with sarcoids is their position. They are the result of a cattle virus which, for some reason the horse does not recognise and therefore does not fight like a normal virus. When they 'ulserate',become wet and raw looking the virus can be spread via flies.
I have a horse and have just had a sarcoid removed from his stomach, he has no others anywhere else and we used a new treatment using a sepecific type of laser and drug injection into the site.
The practice that i use has a PhD student studying them which is where i found out about them.
Melanomas are the more difficult to deal with and tend to be a more 'attached' tumour. Sarcoids are less 'attached' and are tumours that are in the top part of the dermis, hence their treatment is a little easier if they are in uncomplicated areas.
So on this evidence and from what you are saying regarding position i would not discount a good horse or pony for a sarcoid.I would for melanomas not go ahead with purchase because what you see can just be the 'tip of the iceberg'

 

[GreedyGuts]

I agree that a single sarcoid in an innocuous place is not in itself a problem, but if a horse has or has had one the chances are they will get another, and you can't predict the location of this. If they are adjacent to the eye they are incredibly difficult and potentially hugely expensive to treat, and in some horses they really kick off and you end up with loads of invasive tumours that require serial treatments. Ok, this is the worse case scenario, but for me there are enough things that can go wrong with horses, and having them vetted is about minimising this risk.

 

[Blizzard]

My bay has a sarcoid on his chest, it doesnt bother him in any way but will be getting treated with Liverpool cream, simply because when he is playing with the shetland in the field the shetland always seems to catch it, being that height!

The black in my siggy used to have a sarcoid on his sheath, and another on his fetlock, both were treted successfuly with liverpool cream a long time ago and have never returned.

My boys sarcoid is the single wart type, the grape types that hang and are extremely sore are very nasty, and those might put me off a horse ,simply because i knew a horse who had them all over his chest, armpits and belly, he would come back covered in blood after a ride, and he had every treatment going to no avail.