Sarcoids - to buy or not to buy

[BallyJ]

Hi all,

I'm sure this thread has been done 1000 times!

I had a vetting done on a horse and he found 3 flat sarcoids on the back leg and 3 pin head sized 'lumps' on her fronts - the horse is 100% sound in all other ways.

I really like it too - but I can't get the sarcoids out of my head - what would you do?

 

[BallyJ]

Ps - the vet said the sarcoids on the hinds can only be seen in very good lighting if you put your head underneath the horse

 

[ycbm]

I would not touch a horse with multiples if I was an owner with no experience of them. Any stress can bring out more or turn them nasty. I'm about to post about how my horses feet are also affected by the bovine papilloma virus which causes them.

 

[meleeka]

I would probably still buy with a reduction in price. I wouldn’t pay market value. Mine had a two. The one on his sheath was marble sized and then another was found just in front of his girthline which obviously needed treating. Luckily for me I ended up buying him for £1! It cost me around £500 to treat them so he was a good investment.

 

[ihatework]

It's very difficult to advise as it depends on a variety of factors.
Personally, I wouldn't completely rule out a horse with sarcoids but it would wholly depend on the horse, price, type & location of sarcoids and intended job.

I've recently bought something with the long term view to sell on. It has 2 nodular sarcoids. It's a gamble for me, but I liked the horse a lot - there will be a market for him as a hunter at worst (and that market won't be excessively picky on sarcoids), he was cheap and (whispers) he might be one I want to keep a bit longer anyway

 

[mandyroberts]

only buy at very reduced price (nominal sum) and then only if you feel you can cope and afford it if things go wrong - it may never happen but you dont know

 

[OldieButGoodie]

I went to see a really lovely horse with purportedly one sarcoid which had been treated. At vetting the vet found multiple sarcoids and said at the site of the treated one she found a lump so wasn't convinced the treatment had been fully successful. I had to call it a day at that point!

 

[DD]

no don't buy

 

[Peter7917]

If the horse is everything you want in every other way then buy it. However I would expect a massive reduction in the price.

To me a sarcoid makes a £3k horse, an £800 one.

 

[Mr Punch]

It's really a gamble if you buy. They are so unpredictable and depending what treatment you go for can be very expensive to treat.

I found two on my youngster at the beginning of this summer. An occult sarcoid starting on the inside of his back leg and another just starting on his muzzle. I chose to get them treated straight away by Professor K and it cost me £1k just for those.

I've heard people say they've had success using turmeric etc but as they are a form of cancer i'm a bit dubious about this, however I've not witnessed it myself so nothing to go by.

They can stay small forever or can just explode and turn very nasty. It's more worrying if there are more than one!

There is no guarantee as well once treated they won't come back etc. I'm praying they don't on my youngster as i'd struggle to afford the treatment again. I have him on the supplement sarc-ex. Vet told me not to bother with it but I still give it in his feeds.

If you do buy i'd want a huge discount and use the money you save to get them seen to. This is personal preference though.

So I would say depends how much you like the horse and whether you're willing to take the risk!

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

Hi all,

I'm sure this thread has been done 1000 times!

I had a vetting done on a horse and he found 3 flat sarcoids on the back leg and 3 pin head sized 'lumps' on her fronts - the horse is 100% sound in all other ways.

I really like it too - but I can't get the sarcoids out of my head - what would you do?

My new mare developed sarcoids after I purchase and one before - all treated, some a few times, now none visible even with vet checked so sarcoid free.

First mare 1989 also got them - banded all gone. As long as horse 100% what I want and vet says ok I would buy