madhector
Well-Known Member
How do you tell?
warts OR Sarcoids...?!
- Thread starter madhector
- Start date
Box_Of_Frogs
Well-Known Member
My vets say if it LOOKS like a sarcoid, treat it as if it IS a sarcoid, but some vets say the exact opposite. Most commonly, younger horses get warts - often loads of them - because their immune system isn't fully developed. They usually disappear on their own after a few months. However, any dodgy patch of skin could be a sarcoid or a wart. The best advice I could offer is to google Prof Knottenbelt's (Liverpool Uni) definitive article on sarcoids. It comes with a load of photos to help owners get some sort of a feel for the problem their horse has. It also covers options for treatment and myths/facts. His warning that the only predictable thing about sarcoids is their UNpredictability is salutory.
After reading it, if it was me I'd get the vet out to have a look. Do be careful trying to treat dodgy areas yourself. Any cream/gel/lotion that contains tea tree oil or aloe vera should NOT be used if it is a sarcoid. These substances - and any other that say the same thing on the packaging - promote skin cell growth. If it is a sarcoid, which is a skin cancer, the last thing you want to do is to do anything to help it grow further or faster.
After reading it, if it was me I'd get the vet out to have a look. Do be careful trying to treat dodgy areas yourself. Any cream/gel/lotion that contains tea tree oil or aloe vera should NOT be used if it is a sarcoid. These substances - and any other that say the same thing on the packaging - promote skin cell growth. If it is a sarcoid, which is a skin cancer, the last thing you want to do is to do anything to help it grow further or faster.
yeeharider
Well-Known Member
sorry but I have had great results using aloe vera gel on sarcoids on several horses over past 15 years so do not understand how you can just dismiss this as a treatment they are all different
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
Rightly or wrongly, even the suspicion of a sarcoid fills me with dread. Seen one or two serious cases and would handle (as Frogs says) with care.
Not condemning aloe vera and other stuff but I'm not so brave as to fly in the face of Professor Knottenbelt's advice! He has studied the things and I am sure that some cases go on to overwhelm the horse whereas others are overcome by the horse's immune system. I think it is knowing where you stand as far as the horse's defences go which is the key. How you determine that however...
Not condemning aloe vera and other stuff but I'm not so brave as to fly in the face of Professor Knottenbelt's advice! He has studied the things and I am sure that some cases go on to overwhelm the horse whereas others are overcome by the horse's immune system. I think it is knowing where you stand as far as the horse's defences go which is the key. How you determine that however...
Box_Of_Frogs
Well-Known Member
YHR - true sarcoids are skin cancers. Crudely put, cancer occurs where the cells grow out of control and keep growing. ANY product that says it encourages skin growth would be dangerous on a TRUE sarcoid since it could encourage cancer cells at the site to grow even more rapidly. Yes, of course every case is different. Dunno about you, but I would NOT risk it. The burning question, which you perhaps missed in my earlier reply, is whether or not "dodgy" patches are sarcoids or warty growths. Even vets can't be sure of this unless a biospy is taken. Sadly, any surgical intervention with a TRUE sarcoids can trigger a growth spurt. Many times, dodgy patches that are NOT sarcoids will have been treated by caring owners with apparently brilliant results. In a large proportion of such instances, the dodgy patches were warty growths that would have cleared on their own and the same results would have been achieved by either doing nothing or by lavishing extra care and tlc.
True sarcoids are cancers: they need to be treated with great respect - mess with them at your peril.
PS: Prof Knottenbelt is a world expert on sarcoids, ragwort poisoning and a host of other diseases that affect horses.
True sarcoids are cancers: they need to be treated with great respect - mess with them at your peril.
PS: Prof Knottenbelt is a world expert on sarcoids, ragwort poisoning and a host of other diseases that affect horses.
millitiger
Well-Known Member
i messed with my boy's sarcoid and put aloe vera on and it very quickly grew and got worse.
so, i got the vet and got Liverpool cream applied and although it took 2 courses the sarcoid has now gone.
i only wish i had gone down the Liverpool route first when it was the size of a pea instead of trying to sort it myself and making it worse.
if he ever develops another sarcoid i will be straight onto the vet and sorting it the proper way.
so, i got the vet and got Liverpool cream applied and although it took 2 courses the sarcoid has now gone.
i only wish i had gone down the Liverpool route first when it was the size of a pea instead of trying to sort it myself and making it worse.
if he ever develops another sarcoid i will be straight onto the vet and sorting it the proper way.
brighteyes
Pooh-Bah
It is high time we had more posts like this, than the 'miracle cure' ones.
I highly doubt that any treatment other than that which the vet's carry out is truly effective as a standalone. I strongly suspect they were spontanoeus resolutions as a result of the horse's immune system taking over - or not sarcoids in the first place.
I agree, mess with them at your peril, and one look at this should prove it!
I highly doubt that any treatment other than that which the vet's carry out is truly effective as a standalone. I strongly suspect they were spontanoeus resolutions as a result of the horse's immune system taking over - or not sarcoids in the first place.
I agree, mess with them at your peril, and one look at this should prove it!
sugarlump121
Well-Known Member
I had the Liverpool cream twice for a past horse of mine and each time it got rid of probably 60% of them but 1 of them came back more aggressive and was treated a second time with cream on top, injected inside and banded... it still returned and seemed to stop growing when it was prob as big as the 'quote' box above (in width).
My 2 year old has a wart/ sarcoid on his sheath, not happy!
My 2 year old has a wart/ sarcoid on his sheath, not happy!
zsmm4
Well-Known Member
I expect it would be a wart on a 2 yr old TBH.
Last year my 4 yr old had lots of warts on his boys bits. I was worried about this, thinking it was penile cancer.But, over several months they have disappeared. Turned out to be warts. Its a young horse thing, especially if they have been undernurished or not wormed---like mine was with hia first owner.
Last year my 4 yr old had lots of warts on his boys bits. I was worried about this, thinking it was penile cancer.But, over several months they have disappeared. Turned out to be warts. Its a young horse thing, especially if they have been undernurished or not wormed---like mine was with hia first owner.
zsmm4
Well-Known Member
I should have added, if I suspect sarcoids then I leave well alone. They can just go on their own or look up dr Knottenbelts site. lots of info on there.
Rouletterose
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
YHR - true sarcoids are skin cancers. Crudely put, cancer occurs where the cells grow out of control and keep growing. ANY product that says it encourages skin growth would be dangerous on a TRUE sarcoid since it could encourage cancer cells at the site to grow even more rapidly. Yes, of course every case is different. Dunno about you, but I would NOT risk it. The burning question, which you perhaps missed in my earlier reply, is whether or not "dodgy" patches are sarcoids or warty growths. Even vets can't be sure of this unless a biospy is taken. Sadly, any surgical intervention with a TRUE sarcoids can trigger a growth spurt. Many times, dodgy patches that are NOT sarcoids will have been treated by caring owners with apparently brilliant results. In a large proportion of such instances, the dodgy patches were warty growths that would have cleared on their own and the same results would have been achieved by either doing nothing or by lavishing extra care and tlc.
True sarcoids are cancers: they need to be treated with great respect - mess with them at your peril.
PS: Prof Knottenbelt is a world expert on sarcoids, ragwort poisoning and a host of other diseases that affect horses.
[/ QUOTE ]
DITTO DITTO DITTO, anything, any product at all containing tea tree oil should never be used on horses with sarcoids, no matter which type or how small.
Leave them alone unless absolutely essential and only put anything on that has been prescribed by your vet.
YHR - true sarcoids are skin cancers. Crudely put, cancer occurs where the cells grow out of control and keep growing. ANY product that says it encourages skin growth would be dangerous on a TRUE sarcoid since it could encourage cancer cells at the site to grow even more rapidly. Yes, of course every case is different. Dunno about you, but I would NOT risk it. The burning question, which you perhaps missed in my earlier reply, is whether or not "dodgy" patches are sarcoids or warty growths. Even vets can't be sure of this unless a biospy is taken. Sadly, any surgical intervention with a TRUE sarcoids can trigger a growth spurt. Many times, dodgy patches that are NOT sarcoids will have been treated by caring owners with apparently brilliant results. In a large proportion of such instances, the dodgy patches were warty growths that would have cleared on their own and the same results would have been achieved by either doing nothing or by lavishing extra care and tlc.
True sarcoids are cancers: they need to be treated with great respect - mess with them at your peril.
PS: Prof Knottenbelt is a world expert on sarcoids, ragwort poisoning and a host of other diseases that affect horses.
[/ QUOTE ]
DITTO DITTO DITTO, anything, any product at all containing tea tree oil should never be used on horses with sarcoids, no matter which type or how small.
Leave them alone unless absolutely essential and only put anything on that has been prescribed by your vet.
arwenplusone
Well-Known Member
^^^^^^
I also totally agree with the above
There are no 'miracle cures' for sarcoids.
If you put anything on them that encourages cell growth you are asking for trouble.
MH - if you are concerned, get your vet to take some pictures of them and send them to Prof Knottenbelt at Liverpool. He will tell you!
I also totally agree with the above
There are no 'miracle cures' for sarcoids.
If you put anything on them that encourages cell growth you are asking for trouble.
MH - if you are concerned, get your vet to take some pictures of them and send them to Prof Knottenbelt at Liverpool. He will tell you!