Sarcoids in 3 yr olds?

[domane]

The big mystery of precisely what causes sarcoids is still relatively unsolved, but having done some reading, there does seem to be a common theme of them appearing at around 3 years of age, growing and then shrinking - all in about a year. I wonder if the immune system has some kind of dip and flourish around this time in adolescent horses. I have a 3yo boy who's sarcoid flared upon arrival (OK, I didn't notice it when viewing and purchasing, he wasn't vetted so there you go, but looking back on photos it was definitely there but less prominent). As he had been in the same home since birth, I wondered whether it was the stress of the move to me that set off the flare-up. He won't touch Sarc-ex so I am applying Thuja cream and although the sarcoid has grown (I think it's the nodular type) it seems to have "peaked" and is now shrinking again. At one time it was very red and angry but now it is a very pale pink so I'm hopeful that it is going to recede, wither and go away. I do wonder if I had just left it alone, whether the same thing would have happened anyway... you never know whether you're helping or not, do you?

Has anyone else had 3 or 4yr olds that developed them and they went away of their own accord with little or no intervention?

 

[ArabianGold]

I have a 15 year old TB mare, she had one prior to buying her and it has left a scar on her neck, often it will flare up with no particular reason and then reduce back after a few days.

I try everytime to pin point what it could be that got it going again and always fail. Last time it came out she was a bit under the weather and lame so maybe because she was low it started I dont know.

Although my mare has the scar on her neck and I have to be careful with the flies around it in summer it causes her no problems (apart from the fact she windsucks too and I can't use a collar much to the annoyance of my yard owner when fences are getting pulled down) she still looks lovely when it has reduced and healed up and I wouldnt want her any other way.. Sarcoid and all..

I dont think you will ever be able to put it down to something in particular.

Best of luck trying and if you do come up with a reason please let me know...

All the best

 

[rascal]

My hubbys shire cross had them when we bought her at 7 months old we didnt see them under her fluffy foal coat and she was unhandled so we wouldnt have noticed anyway. They were frozen. She then had another at around 6 years that was treated with some cream from the vet.

 

[Captainmouse]

strange you should mention this. my 3 yo has two 'warts' appear this year, vet not sure if warts or sarcoids. he didn't have then when I bought at 6 months.

I to have been applying thuja.

 

[PercyBrown]

had quite a lot of dealings with these now I would definately put a band on it, it will swell and look worse for a while then die slowly and drop off ,dont seem to reappear in younger horses very often.

 

[Passtheshampoo]

My Irish Draught got about a dozen when she was 3. Is homebred so don't think it was stress as such but perhaps low immunity with having a growing spurt and getting through a winter. I decided to go down the Liverpool Cream route as wanted to claim on insurance. If I'd have left it until renewal they wouldn't have paid out for treatment. The ones teated all went and touchwood haven't returned. The only one I didn't have treated was right under her tummy on girth line. It's the grey scaly type and it hasn't caused a problem and is now half the size it was. I do give her a course of Thuja tablets or echinacea once a year just to ward off anything but who knows if it helps or not.

 

[jrp204]

Our boy had a 'fly bite' as a 3yr old, as it didn't disappear we had the vet out and it was treated by liverpool, we haven't had any reoccurances since. I don't think i would be prepared to risk leaving it to see if it would go on its own.

 

[millitiger]

My then 2yro got a sarcoid and we tried a few of the applications mentioned above which made it much worse.

I then got the Liverpool cream and banded it and it fell off after approx 6 weeks leaving a tiny, very neat scar.

3 years on he has no sign of any others (touch wood frantically!) but if he does get another, I will immediately use the Liverpool cream again and not mess about with other treatments.

 

[karen_c]

My then 2yro got a sarcoid and we tried a few of the applications mentioned above which made it much worse.

I then got the Liverpool cream and banded it and it fell off after approx 6 weeks leaving a tiny, very neat scar.

3 years on he has no sign of any others (touch wood frantically!) but if he does get another, I will immediately use the Liverpool cream again and not mess about with other treatments.

Thank you for posting this, my boy is about to start treatment with the Liverpool cream and this is really reassuring to read

 

[Spyda]

Thank you for posting this, my boy is about to start treatment with the Liverpool cream and this is really reassuring to read

Just want to add that I've had numerous horses treated with the Liverpool cream over the years (and all types of sarcoid) and have ALWAYS had superb results. It's always worked and worked within weeks. If you're starting a course of their treatment I'm pretty sure you're getting the best treatment possible.

 

[Andalusianlover]

I bought a foal in Utero, at 2 yrs of age I sent him away to be produced for a couple of county shows. He was put in a stable next to the resident stallion and a couple of days later he jumped/climbed out over the stable door. When he came back to me I noticed some small warts/sarcoids growing around his sheath and along his tummy line. They grew to about raisin size, slightly bigger on his sheath, stayed for about a year and then dropped off without any treatment. I put it down to stress although I suppose I'll never know!

 

[GingerTrotter]

Thank you for posting this, my boy is about to start treatment with the Liverpool cream and this is really reassuring to read

I agree! My horse had 2 when i got him, they were very small and I had no idea what they were and was unconcerned. After a year he grew another one and the original 2 got bigger.
The vet recommended the Liverpool cream treatment, it took 3 lots of treatments (his sarcoids were deep rooted) several months apart and a few different strengths of cream (and nearly a whole year) but now the sarcoids are all gone and there are only a little scar in each of the places.
Its a messy treatment, one of his swelled alot and looked horrible but if you persevere it is sooooo worth it!
It is now nearly 2 years on and he has shown no signs of them coming back and they vet examinations say the same. I'm so glad I took the plunge and treated them aggressively.

 

[smiffyimp]

My boy was 3. He had a sign that he may get them when he was vetted as a 2yo - but i wasnt bothered. Personally I got them blasted with Liverpool treatment on both occasions, and would again if I had my time over. I also put him on Sarc-ex. He's 7 now and no signs. They do seem to appear a lot in young horses - there must be something in it. Pity your chap doesnt like the sarc-ex as I do believe it helps - maybe doesnt cure, but def helps.