Sarcoids - would you buy a horse with them??

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Pinkatc

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As the title suggests I am interested in looking at a horse with sarcoids, before I go and potentially fall in love should I maybe not bother? I've not had any dealings with sarcoids before. Is that a definite fail on vetting? Any thoughts gratefully received...
 
I once had a horse vetted and sarcoids were found... only small ones but a few of them in different places. I couldn't go through with the purchase as they wouldn't have been covered on my insurance. Sarcoids are so unpredictable and can be painful and I have known horses to be put down because of them so no, I wouldn't buy one who I know has them.

Why do it? - there are plenty of healthy horses out there.
 
I personally wouldn't touch a horse with sarcoids but then I have two horses with sweet itch and I know a lot of people won't buy a horse with sweet itch.

Both of my friend's horses have sarcoids, one got to the age of twenty before the big sarcoid caused a problem and her other horse had a small one lasered off as it was by the girth.
 
Hi

It depends where they are and if they affect the horse .

there are plenty of horses out there that have them and never have to have anything done to them as they cause no trouble.


I bought a 3 yr old that had a little cluster aroung her navel, other than being unsightly they never bothered her.

I used Global herbs Sarcex as was recomended by a friend and the sarcoids began to grow down (the GH stuff was working I presume as was causing tthe body to reject the sarcoid.) Although I was told they would get worse before they got better I couldn't be patient and leave them to fall off as now they were very visible and people would comment so I took her to the vets and had them cut off. £100 and a couple of stitches and they were gone!!

She is now 5yrs and has not had them grow back up to now .... touch wood.

I also know of another horse that has one behind its elbow..... it is 15 and has had it all its life and has never had a problem at all.

If the horse is nice and suitable for what you want the vet would be able to advise if the sarcoids will be an issue or not. I wouldnt rule out a horse just because of them..... there are much worse problems and ailments a horse could have.
 
Well you have to weigh up the pros & cons of the horse and how bad the sarcoids are, and their position - they are a bit of an unknown quantity as no-one really knows how or if they will develop further. I bought a NF that had them as a 4yr old on her inner back legs and they had recently been banded. I did buy her and initially the site of the removal irritated her and started to bleed. I sprayed a wound dressing (the sort that forms a protective coating) to keep the flies off mainly and within a day or two you would hardly know there'd been any broken skin. That was over three years ago and so far no sign of anymore, so obviously I'm glad I bought her as she is a lovely pony. Not covered on insurance so you have to decide if you are prepared to take the 'hit' if veterinary treatment is required in the future. If they are in an awkward position, where tack would rub or around the eyes then I probably wouldn't buy as they are likely to cause problems.
 
I used to have a horse who had sarcoids. They were only at the top of her back leg. They never bothered her. I got the vet out to look and he wasn't concerned. He was going to tie them off so they would of fallen off but once he pulled one it fell off on it's own. Although this treatment works they are still likely to come back again.
I think it depends on where they are though, obviously if they were near the saddle area it would probably cause a problem.
I sold her on with no problem, the vet didn't fail her on them. Probably depends on the vet though but the one I used wasn't bothered and neither were the new owners.
 
No way. I had a lovely TB who had one or two small ones under his belly which developed into some monsters and spread up to his groin. He had to have one removed from his willy by GA, and several courses of Liverpool cream over a couple of years. One would go, heal up and then another would appear. Earlier this year I and vet decided to stop and that he would be pts after some nice spring grass and sunshine. Sadly I failed him, as I went out to the field one morning to discover him bleeding from the unhealed sarcoid area - it had grown into the artery and ruptured and he had a haemorrhage. It was horrible and it has made me swear that even if I think it's the perfect horse I would never go near one again.

I know there are different, less aggressive types, but I wouldn't risk it again.
 
Having had the heartbreak of having two horses PTS within the last 18 months (not due to sarcoids) and having to retire another at the age of 9, I think the healthiest horse can suddenenly break or become very ill.
I have just bought a mare with sarcoids, IMO worth the risk, she is exactly what I was looking for.
I bought a 5 year old last year that flew a 5 stage vetting, he has developd several sarcoids over the last few months, you just never know.

So yes I would.
 
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