Sarcoids. Experiences please.

[Trifein]

Whilst brushing Gem today I brushed over an odd looking inflamed wart. Curious and worried I asked my friend whose horse suffers severe sarcoids. She said it most likely is a sarcoid and looks like a "Mixed" one.
It is causing him quite a bit of bother, he dislikes it being touched or the area around it.
It's about 3" away from his sheath on his tummy.

I have Googled info about sarcoids and the one he had defiantly looks mixed. Looks exactly like this (The one at the very bottom of the eye http://ars.els-cdn.com/content/image/1-s2.0-S153475160500106X-gr31.jpg)

I have phoned the vet and can hopefully get squeezed in tomorrow.
Can someone please give me some experiences? I'm extremely worried.

What treatments do they use for Sarcoids and are they fairly successful?

Anyone with mixed sarcoid experience or just general sarcoid experience please come forward!

 

[leflynn]

3 different sarcoids on one horse with 3 different treatments....

1. Large rapid growing sarciod above left eye of horse. Unable to leave it as he was unable to open it fully before treatment Unable to use BCG or cream treatment due to location so he went to liverpool leahurst after consultation with Prof Knottenbelt for iriduim wire treatment (they put radioactive wires through the sarcoid, leave for a period of days, then remove and the radioactiveness kills the sarcoid/cells).

2. 3 very small sarcoids under right eye (slow growers Leahurst unable to treat at the time of no 1). treated by a course of self applied (due to lack of funds) liverpool cream.

3. I think these were occult (can't remember). They were under his chinny chin chin! They barely grew at all and one day I noticed they had just gone - but this conincided with the resolution of the first treatment of the first sarcoid so not sure if they just went of their own accord or went as his body had fought off them.

Please don't panic, your vet will be able to help and there are plenty of treatments out there for sarcoids

 

[debsey1]

I posted this thread back in June

Toby (my horse now) had a stressful 2 1/2 years with his previous owner due to going to one livery yard to another and then breaking out in sarcoids. His previous owner wrote to me to explain:

After moving to yet another yard and less than 3 months of being there, Toby broke out in lumps all round and warty and others were soft and fleshy growths. The vet confirmed their worse fear - they were sarcoids and lots of them growing at an alarming rate. Toby became quite unwell. The prognosis was not good.

There are 6 different types of sarcoid and Toby had 3 of them! My vet contacted Professor Derek Knottenbelt of Leeds University, who is the leading researcher into sarcoids. Under professor Knottenbelt who diagnosed each of the 3 types, prescribed the treatment plan. The treatment was using chemotherapy in form of a cream. This literally burnt the tumours and flesh and he had to have it applied regularly over 3 months. He was very unwell and had huge craters of burnt flesh all over him which had to heal, it was a long, slow process. The areas had to be kept clean to keep scar tissue to a mininum.

During this time the yard we were at became very hostile and were unbelievably cruel to me. No one would speak to me they would shout at me telling me I was unfit to own a horse as I had put all theirs at risk of sarcoids and had moved us out of the main stable block to what was an old wood shed on our own. Toby was not allowed to see or mix with the other horses even though our vet said not to isolate him. I dreaded going there each day. (At this point in the letter I was in tears)

Soon enough, they gave us our marching orders. I then had to find yet another home for Toby. I had lost all my confidence I had and left feeling that wherever we went people would point fingers as the previous yrad and its occupants were well known in the circles.

(Long story short) The previous owner found a temporary field from a farmer for a few weeks before selling him to a dealer (she couldn't cope any longer). A dealer who I will not mention and this is where I stepped in and became Toby's new owner.

We have been together for 18 months now and his sarcoids have healed beautifully you wouldn't even know he had them He is still a youngish boy at 14 years and we do everything together.

So the moral of this tale is:- people who read this and have a horse with sarcoids don't despair, it can be treated. I think in Toby's case I am starting to think that maybe stress from moving to one liver yard after another brought on his sarcoids. He is so much better and a lovely lovely boy


THE END

 

[Trifein]

3 different sarcoids on one horse with 3 different treatments....

1. Large rapid growing sarciod above left eye of horse. Unable to leave it as he was unable to open it fully before treatment Unable to use BCG or cream treatment due to location so he went to liverpool leahurst after consultation with Prof Knottenbelt for iriduim wire treatment (they put radioactive wires through the sarcoid, leave for a period of days, then remove and the radioactiveness kills the sarcoid/cells).

2. 3 very small sarcoids under right eye (slow growers Leahurst unable to treat at the time of no 1). treated by a course of self applied (due to lack of funds) liverpool cream.

3. I think these were occult (can't remember). They were under his chinny chin chin! They barely grew at all and one day I noticed they had just gone - but this conincided with the resolution of the first treatment of the first sarcoid so not sure if they just went of their own accord or went as his body had fought off them.

Please don't panic, your vet will be able to help and there are plenty of treatments out there for sarcoids

Thank you!
Problem is I don't have him insured as he isn't ridden and hasn't been sick or sorry and is usually in very good health. I'm prepared to stash out some of my savings but if it is just something sheerly cosmetic I won't be fussed but I'm just frightend something may be going on deeper in there

I also came across a scab about 0.5" big on another part of his tummy. I'm thinking maybe that could of been another Scaroid that may of fell of itself?
The scab feels like his chestnut.

We'll see what the vet has to say

 

[R.A.H]

I've had a bad experience with sarcoids, but my horse had 20 plus sarcoids. The worst one was in his ear. Liverpool cream wasn't an option on his. Prof knottenbelt said the only option would be laser surgery but he didn't think it would be successful and that his ear would look hideous. But we went through with the surgery. He had it done under standing sedation and all went well, but 12 months on it has grown started to grow back. Prof knottenbelt was confident that his other sarcoids could be treated successfully but said that there would be no point in treating them till ear is better. His other sarcoids are around sheath and armpits and don't effect him, but the one on his ear was growing at a rapid rate and
It has been removed 3 times in total. But don't let my experience scare you because a lot of people have success with treating them and different sarcoids respond to different treatments. Please don't do as some people say and put all sorts of lotions and potions on it. Here's a few photos of my horses ear.

This is how it started

After first surgery starting to grow back

After a few weeks grew to this size

After laser surgery

I have more photos if you want to see them. Hope I helped.

 

[Trifein]

I posted this thread back in June

Toby (my horse now) had a stressful 2 1/2 years with his previous owner due to going to one livery yard to another and then breaking out in sarcoids. His previous owner wrote to me to explain:

After moving to yet another yard and less than 3 months of being there, Toby broke out in lumps all round and warty and others were soft and fleshy growths. The vet confirmed their worse fear - they were sarcoids and lots of them growing at an alarming rate. Toby became quite unwell. The prognosis was not good.

There are 6 different types of sarcoid and Toby had 3 of them! My vet contacted Professor Derek Knottenbelt of Leeds University, who is the leading researcher into sarcoids. Under professor Knottenbelt who diagnosed each of the 3 types, prescribed the treatment plan. The treatment was using chemotherapy in form of a cream. This literally burnt the tumours and flesh and he had to have it applied regularly over 3 months. He was very unwell and had huge craters of burnt flesh all over him which had to heal, it was a long, slow process. The areas had to be kept clean to keep scar tissue to a mininum.

During this time the yard we were at became very hostile and were unbelievably cruel to me. No one would speak to me they would shout at me telling me I was unfit to own a horse as I had put all theirs at risk of sarcoids and had moved us out of the main stable block to what was an old wood shed on our own. Toby was not allowed to see or mix with the other horses even though our vet said not to isolate him. I dreaded going there each day. (At this point in the letter I was in tears)

Soon enough, they gave us our marching orders. I then had to find yet another home for Toby. I had lost all my confidence I had and left feeling that wherever we went people would point fingers as the previous yrad and its occupants were well known in the circles.

(Long story short) The previous owner found a temporary field from a farmer for a few weeks before selling him to a dealer (she couldn't cope any longer). A dealer who I will not mention and this is where I stepped in and became Toby's new owner.

We have been together for 18 months now and his sarcoids have healed beautifully you wouldn't even know he had them He is still a youngish boy at 14 years and we do everything together.

So the moral of this tale is:- people who read this and have a horse with sarcoids don't despair, it can be treated. I think in Toby's case I am starting to think that maybe stress from moving to one liver yard after another brought on his sarcoids. He is so much better and a lovely lovely boy


THE END

Can they be caused by stress?!
Pony just came back from long term loan home about 2 weeks ago.
Hm, possible factor?

Lovely to hear your horse recovered and I'm glad he's doing well

 

[Trifein]

I've had a bad experience with sarcoids, but my horse had 20 plus sarcoids. The worst one was in his ear. Liverpool cream wasn't an option on his. Prof knottenbelt said the only option would be laser surgery but he didn't think it would be successful and that his ear would look hideous. But we went through with the surgery. He had it done under standing sedation and all went well, but 12 months on it has grown started to grow back. Prof knottenbelt was confident that his other sarcoids could be treated successfully but said that there would be no point in treating them till ear is better. His other sarcoids are around sheath and armpits and don't effect him, but the one on his ear was growing at a rapid rate and
It has been removed 3 times in total. But don't let my experience scare you because a lot of people have success with treating them and different sarcoids respond to different treatments. Please don't do as some people say and put all sorts of lotions and potions on it. Here's a few photos of my horses ear.



I have more photos if you want to see them. Hope I helped.

Oh bless him! I'm so sorry to hear about that
Would it be possible for you to PM me some more photos?

I wouldn't dare put anything on it as of yet until my vet has confirmed and gives us a treatment.
Although my friend who I mentioned in the top of the post occasionally uses Hibiscrub on her mares Scaroids when they get sore/inflamed and it brings them down a fair bit. But thats what works for her I suppose

 

[chestnut cob]

My new horse has a little occult sarcoid on his sheath. It started as just a patch of bare skin and started to thicken and scale about a month after I bought him. Had it assessed by Leahurst (via my vet) immediately and treated with Liverpool Cream. It's currently a big crusty scab that's beginning to peel off. He wasn't bothered at all by the treatment and doesn't care about the area being touched. It was quite swollen after the first treatment, for about 24 hours, but otherwise you'd barely know anything had gone on.

Vet told me to expect it to fully drop off about 8 weeks after treatment.

 

[Sunflowers]

The renowned expert in the field is Derek Knottenbelt at Liverpool Vet school, and I was told he advised to get rid of them with the most effective method you can use, as quickly as possible, as they are caused by a virus that can spread (not from horse-to-horse, thankfully, but potentially will grow in more sites.)

We used Mr Knottenbelt's "liverpool" cream, applied by Vet, to get rid. A horrid process, but 2 years on we are still waiting to see if they return.

Google Knottenbelt's articles/papers, they are extremely informative.

 

[Trifein]

The renowned expert in the field is Derek Knottenbelt at Liverpool Vet school, and I was told he advised to get rid of them with the most effective method you can use, as quickly as possible, as they are caused by a virus that can spread (not from horse-to-horse, thankfully, but potentially will grow in more sites.)

We used Mr Knottenbelt's "liverpool" cream, applied by Vet, to get rid. A horrid process, but 2 years on we are still waiting to see if they return.

Google Knottenbelt's articles/papers, they are extremely informative.

Thanks for the info! I'll have a search now.

My new horse has a little occult sarcoid on his sheath. It started as just a patch of bare skin and started to thicken and scale about a month after I bought him. Had it assessed by Leahurst (via my vet) immediately and treated with Liverpool Cream. It's currently a big crusty scab that's beginning to peel off. He wasn't bothered at all by the treatment and doesn't care about the area being touched. It was quite swollen after the first treatment, for about 24 hours, but otherwise you'd barely know anything had gone on.

Vet told me to expect it to fully drop off about 8 weeks after treatment.

I've heard good reports about Liverpool Cream and the treatment as a whole

 

[micki]

I have known a couple of horses that have had sarcoids. One had it treated with liverpool cream and it is still clear and the other was treated with bloodroot cream and that one is also still clear. Both horses were treated at the same time about 2 years ago. The one that had liverpool cream had a bad reaction to it and his owner has said that if he does get any more then she will try the bloodroot cream as she really doesn't want to risk him reacting again, he came out in really big sore lumps all over his body that took a few weeks to clear.

 

[Trifein]

I have known a couple of horses that have had sarcoids. One had it treated with liverpool cream and it is still clear and the other was treated with bloodroot cream and that one is also still clear. Both horses were treated at the same time about 2 years ago. The one that had liverpool cream had a bad reaction to it and his owner has said that if he does get any more then she will try the bloodroot cream as she really doesn't want to risk him reacting again, he came out in really big sore lumps all over his body that took a few weeks to clear.

Oh my!
I guess Liverpool Cream doesn't agree with some horses then?

 

[pip6]

Good friend (who unfortunately lives 200 miles away), her young (8) mare had sarcoids on inner thigh of hid leg. Did liverpool cream, went away, year on have come back. Owner says she wont cream her again as horse was n agony during treatment & wont have her suffer like that again. No doubt, depending on how fast they regrow she will have to make a decision.

I've had a horse with 5 groups of sarcoids, suddenly came up when she was 9. Went homeopathic route (vet qualified homeopath), all went in few months, have not returned 4 years later. Lady I know was having problems with loan pony who had had sarcoids for couple of years in girth area which rubbed sometimes. Recommended said vet, sarcoids gone, not returned (2 years). Where I keep horses, one came with sarcoid cluster (active) near eye. Treated by this vet, they soon began to look dead, shrivlled, & have been dropping off leaving clear skin. Only 2 little lumps to go (from about 10).

Not saying homeopathy cure all, especially for the most aggressive oones, but am saying under supervision of qualified vet homeopath is a very effective treatment.

 

[pinklilly]

Just as I started to bring my horse into work at the end of April ( I'd just moved house and it was about a week or so after I'd moved him ) he developed 2 sarcoids on his girth and 2 elsewhere. They actually appeared as insect bites to start with so waited as no change had the vet out who took photo's and sent them off to Liverpool. He was treated with Liverpool cream and his due his check up shortly, I do think the 2 on the girth are going are going to need retreating as they are smaller but still present. So likely to be early can next year when he can resume work. Some pics here :


https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150834133580159.471936.786005158&type=3&l=dd3fdfc055

 

[asommerville]

firstly confirm with thet vet. mine had 2 one on girth, one on sheath. i tried xxtera cream which removed one, the vet wanted to cut the other off which i would prefer not to do. so i researched it, bought a tub of global herbs sarc ex (£30) and thuja cream (£11.99) and after 2 months and 2 tubs of sarc ex and one cream.its gone. horse didnt appear to be sore when.applying cream (unlike with xxtera cream) and now just has a wee pink bit of skin. cost was £72 compared to £200 from vet!!

 

[Baggybreeches]

firstly confirm with thet vet. mine had 2 one on girth, one on sheath. i tried xxtera cream which removed one, the vet wanted to cut the other off which i would prefer not to do. so i researched it, bought a tub of global herbs sarc ex (£30) and thuja cream (£11.99) and after 2 months and 2 tubs of sarc ex and one cream.its gone. horse didnt appear to be sore when.applying cream (unlike with xxtera cream) and now just has a wee pink bit of skin. cost was £72 compared to £200 from vet!!

We have used thuja and Sarc X to good effect on a horse that had been treated with Liverpool cream the liverpool cream appeared to reactivate any dormant sarcoids and made them more aggressive.
Also worth a try is Crest toothpaste, I have heard of people treating sarcoids with this in the early stages and it worked for them.

 

[Domirati]

My old horse had 4 removed with liquid nitrogen when he was 6. I've just lost him at 29 and 1 had just started to grow back. We had no trouble with them while he was alive. One was 4" across under his girth and he was able to use a normal girth, I don't think they use this treatment now. Had another horse with one last summer which got infected and bled a lot. It was treated with the Liverpool cream which got rid of it. Cost £700 though.