Sarcoids..???

[SatansLittleHelper]

My friend's "cheap" cob is turning out to have several issues bless him. He has WLD which is being treated and he's slowly but surely coming right. Farrier is pleased with his progress snd cob looks infinitely more comfortable. He seems to have mild sweet itch which is being dealt with but now has developed these small lesions. I don't remember seeing them before but the one on the inside of his thigh was bleeding, then I noticed something on the back end of his sheath (same side).
They look suspiciously like sarcoids to me..??

 

[ycbm]

Very likely. I'd certainly want rid of the one that looks like it's sitting on a vein. And it's not good that they are bleeding. I think a vet is in order.
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[SatansLittleHelper]

Should have said that the vet will be coming out. The one on his sheath is dry with no bleeding (maybe the camera flash doesn't help) but the one inside his thigh was bleeding though not now....it looks raw though as you can see in the pic. Both are smaller than a 5 pence piece and look different if that helps.

 

[Dreamer2020]

Hi OP yes they look like sarcoids to me. Definitely one for the vet x

 

[meleeka]

Yes they do look like sarcoid. They also look like the flies have been eating them so I’d definitely make sure he’s smothered in fly repellent in the meantime.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Yes, we have him now covered in NAF DEET super power fly cream and friendbis buying him a new fly rug tomorrow.
Is there anything she csn physically put on them to repel the flies without irritating the sarcoids..??
And obviously very will be out but realistically is there anything that can really be done..??
As flies are attacking them are my boys at risk of developing them..?? I know some say they can be transferred by flies.

 

[JanetGeorge]

Yes, we have him now covered in NAF DEET super power fly cream and friendbis buying him a new fly rug tomorrow.
Is there anything she csn physically put on them to repel the flies without irritating the sarcoids..??
And obviously very will be out but realistically is there anything that can really be done..??
As flies are attacking them are my boys at risk of developing them..?? I know some say they can be transferred by flies.

Pending vet treatment, I would cover the sarcoids (and yes, I agree 100%) with a good wound treatment spray, and use fly repellent close to them. If your horses are within 50 yards of this horse, the risk is quite high. Otherwise, they should be safe(ish.) But there are no guarantees. Some horses ARE more susceptible to the damn things than others. A BIT lie strangles and equine flu - the flies ARE territorial.

 

[meleeka]

Yes, we have him now covered in NAF DEET super power fly cream and friendbis buying him a new fly rug tomorrow.
Is there anything she csn physically put on them to repel the flies without irritating the sarcoids..??
And obviously very will be out but realistically is there anything that can really be done..??
As flies are attacking them are my boys at risk of developing them..?? I know some say they can be transferred by flies.

I’ve always used yellow Summer Fly Cream.

 

[ycbm]

And obviously vet will be out but realistically is there anything that can really be done..??
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They can be removed, and if your horse is near them I would want that done, or he could be next.

As flies are attacking them are my boys at risk of developing them..?? I know some say they can be transferred by flies.

I don't think it's 'some say', SLH. I think it's established fact that they are caused by bovine papilloma virus spread by flies.


.

 

[oldie48]

Sorry have to agree, looks like sarcoids. I bought Rose with an occult sarcoid on her inner thigh, not near a vein though and it was just a round grey scaly patch. It got a bit more bumpy and I noticed last summer that it became sore and had a little blood on it it and was definitely attracting the flies., not as "angry" as yours looks though. I covered it in sudocreme and it settled down again. I've been feeding turmeric since I bought her 20 months ago and I have no idea if it has any effect but the sarcoid is now just a grey smooth hairless patch. It was discussed with vet at vetting and he advised a watching brief but he has had to "pop" a fibroblastic sarcoid that suddenly appeared in front of her teats, thankfully that has not regrown to date. I'd also get your vet to check it. I can't help thinking that they can become more active if the horse is a bit stressed or run down, a bit like we get cold sores reappearing when we are below par.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

YCBM, thanks...I have read conflicting info on whether they are contagious or not. It seems that BPV is contagious but it much depends on genetic predisposition as to whether this develops sarcoids..??

Oldie48, interesting that you say about him being run down. He has white line disease (though this is improving massively), mild sweet itch and was a very shut down boy when he arrived

Before it had occurred to me that it may be a sarcoid I had sprayed it with terramycin spray and slapped fly cream on.....could that have aggravated it at all..???
Unfortunately he is in with my boys as they live out together 24/7

 

[Goldenstar]

You can plaster them with summer fly cream to keep the flys off .
until the vet sees them bad luck .

 

[AShetlandBitMeOnce]

My boy has many - I mix 50/50 salt and flour and add some water to a thick paste and put a layer on the sarcoid at either end of the day. Keeps the flies off lovely and forms a crust over the top when it dries, not painful and completely natural. I find that fly sprays can sting and don't last a full day.
I have also has a couple of his fall off having used this, whether there is a correlation or this is just good luck I do not know.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Thanks guys. It's just rotten luck. My friend is trying her utmost to do right by this boy but it's never ending
He's such a sweet chap too bless him and has really started to come out of his shell. I really hope we can get this under control ????

 

[shergar]

Look at THE SARCOID CENTER on facebook they have great results using a herbal supplement and a herbal cream . Is the sweet itch mane and tail ,if it is just the mane might be neck thread worms often mistaken for sweet itch .

 

[ycbm]

YCBM, thanks...I have read conflicting info on whether they are contagious or not. It seems that BPV is contagious but it much depends on genetic predisposition as to whether this develops sarcoids..??

As far as I know there is no genetic test for susceptibility, so although it's known some breeds get them more than others, nobody has any way of knowing their own horse can't catch them from another horse.

It looks to me like pretty much any horse can get them. I've seen them personally on two full TBs, a full Connemara , several draft x tb, a QH x ID, a coloured Irish crossbreed, an appaloosa x standardbred, a German warmblood, a full Arab, a full appaloosa, an ID x Belgian warmblood, a mongrel.

I always remove them because (among other reasons) I don't want mine or neighbours' horses that don't have them to get them if there is anything I can do to prevent it.
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[brighteyes]

Another thing to add to the mix - If they emerge during a period of ill health or compromised immunity, I have read they can spontaneously resolve, especially in young horses, and then never return. I assume he is young? If they haven't had them before age 7, I believe they are unlikely to develop them ever. He might, once he is back to full speed with his immune system, overcome them himself. You either leave well alone and observe, stepping in when things need it, or act ASAP. Either course of action should involve a vet.

I do hope he comes good.

 

[MagicMelon]

Of course get the vet to check them. I know what Im about to say will horrify many in the anti-turmeric brigade but going purely from personal experience - Ive had 2 horses with a sarcoid each that got irritated by flies (so looked a bit like these). Vets suggested liverpool cream. I decided to try 2 weeks of putting turmeric mixed with sudocrem on them first. You know what, both those sarcoids healed up very quickly and shrunk to the point I can only just feel one still on one horse and on the other its totally flat. Neither have ever caused issues again and thank god I tried it as saved a fortune on Liverpool cream which is also pretty nasty stuff. My mare was treated with liverpool cream on one on her face as a youngster (prior to me getting her), it worked but she was left with a big black scar.

 

[brighteyes]

I've had 2 horses with a sarcoid each ...

Out of interest, how old were they?

 

[Polos Mum]

I am sure there are 100's of types of scarcoid - which is why there are 100's of potential treatments some of which people swear by and others hate !

But i personally saw a very large one on the chest shrink to nothing more than a flat hairless area with high fluoride toothpaste (prescription grade if you can). I was very sceptical and scoffed at even trying but I can't argue with what I saw.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Thanks everyone, friend has booked the vet.
He's not a youngster, he's 13.
Preferred course of action is to keep the bugs away but leave alone for the time being but it depends what the vet says really
Poor lad has had some pretty rubbish luck

 

[tristar]

i would put on some of that aluminium spray for wounds, get some quick it great stuff like bandage, to keep off the flies, i used it on a bleeding one and others to stop flies, my horses have now all gone

the horse was nine when he got them, and 12 now

 

[JanetGeorge]

Thanks everyone, friend has booked the vet.
He's not a youngster, he's 13.
Preferred course of action is to keep the bugs away but leave alone for the time being but it depends what the vet says really
Poor lad has had some pretty rubbish luck

lol it could improve. This old WBboy came to me for not much more than meat money, in 2006. He'd had a HUGE sarcoid removed surgically - and returned to his yard - they didn't know they had a carrier of Strangles. So he came to me with a VERY bad case - symptoms noticeable on arrival so he was isolated immediately. That worked - even with the horse he had travelled with, who'd been exposed just as much - and was old - but had a great immune system. Not one of my 80+ horses caught Strangles - or sarcoids. He did 11 years as huntsman's horse - never got sarcoids again (or Strangles). He is now 25 and looks ALMOST as good as he did way back then (2006)

m.

 

[frostie652]

Do either of the posters who are recommending he be kept away from his companions unless they catch them from him have any evidence this is even possible? I sadly have had some experience of sarcoids and as far as I was aware its an urban myth that they can be 'caught' from another horse..

 

[Tiddlypom]

as far as I was aware its an urban myth that they can be 'caught' from another horse..

Err, well if it’s an urban myth my vet has fallen for it...

 

[ycbm]

Do either of the posters who are recommending he be kept away from his companions unless they catch them from him have any evidence this is even possible? I sadly have had some experience of sarcoids and as far as I was aware its an urban myth that they can be 'caught' from another horse..

Well they seem sure it's caused by a virus and the virus must be caught from somewhere. They occur more often where there is thin skin and less hair ... where flies bite. It's a cow virus so the first ever transmission was unlikely to be mare to foal. When not on a wound, they usually start as a circle around a single point, like a fly bite. They often form on open wounds that you would expect flies to land on.

If it looks like a duck, I'll treat it as a duck until someone proves otherwise. It's a major reason why I take them off if I find them. I don't think they are an issue for transmission unless they are ulcerating, but better safe than sorry.
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[SatansLittleHelper]

Thanks for all of the replies. I've read them to my friend and so far she has booked vet (Thursday afternoon) snd covered the areas with the Summer Fly Cream suggested on here. Once the vet has seen him I guess there will be a better plan of action in place.
Poor sod is going to be pretty much worthless at this rate ??
He's a nice type too, stocky trad with nice short back, built like a tank, 14.2/3, ride and drive, shit ton of mane, tail and feather. Easy in every way.
Fingers crossed that the punt she took on him will pay off in the long run ??

 

[exracehorse]

Do either of the posters who are recommending he be kept away from his companions unless they catch them from him have any evidence this is even possible? I sadly have had some experience of sarcoids and as far as I was aware its an urban myth that they can be 'caught' from another horse..

I also sadly have a lot of sarcoid experience. One of mine has sarcoids on his chest And inner stiffle. His companion has none. Nor have the other two on the other side of the electric fencing.

 

[SatansLittleHelper]

Update:
Vet has been today and yes, they are both sarcoids. He will be going for laser surgery in approx 3 weeks to remove them

 

[ycbm]

Update:
Vet has been today and yes, they are both sarcoids. He will be going for laser surgery in approx 3 weeks to remove them

Good move.
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