Sarcoids - sarcoid skin lumps - are the
most common type of skin tumour in horses. They are not cancerous but do cause a
lot of problems in many horses. No one knows what causes them but it may be that
they are started off by fly-bites and that there is so form of viral involvement
when they are first formed. It is certainly true that weakness in the immune
system makes Sarcoids worse. You may find that they increase in size after
vaccination or other shocks to the system. Quite often the reason a given horse
has Sarcoids is some underlying deficiency or concurrent disease.
Horse Sarcoids take many forms: flat bumpy areas
of skin like Ringworm, crusty lumps like warts or smooth nodular growths. They
are most commonly found underneath the belly, inside the thighs, behind the
elbows and under the girth and also on the head and neck.
One of Sarcoids most worrying
characteristics is the way that they spread out and grow back after being
surgically removed.
Removal of Horse Sarcoids (aka Equine Sarcoids) is best decided by your vet. Special
creams are available which burn away the affected tissue. Lumps can be frozen
off and sometimes BCG vaccines are used to inject into the lump so that the body
rejects it more effectively. One of the best ways of helping your horses body
get rid of the problem is by boosting the immune system. We have found however
that Echinacea products do not work very well in this regard.
Free veterinary advice helpline: 01243 773363 (UK)
Free veterinary advice helpline: 0044 1243 773363 (International)
Mobile veterinary advice line: 07734 240 709 (UK)
All numbers available 9am - 5.30pm UK time.
Out of hours try mobile number.
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