Education

SARCOIDS

With the warm autumn weather we are experiencing this year – horse coats are being shed in the handfuls and it is often whilst grooming out we find things that were not there before the winter! I’m talking about sarcoids.

Below are some examples of sarcoids seen by clinicians at our practice, you can appreciate their appearance is quite varied.

Sarcoids are often described as ‘skin cancer’ in horses and affect horse populations of all breed, colour and gender throughout the world. They have with increasing awareness amongst the horse owning population become the bain of many a vet and owner.

Why?
Because they are often difficult to treat and in situations of sale, are considered to affect the value of the horse. Certainly insurance companies will place an exclusion on policies where sarcoids are present or have been known to have been, even if treated.

Most people wish to know – how do they affect my horse?
Sarcoids are without exception limited to the skin – their location and appearance varies immensely and hence so does their effect on the horse. A flat hairless sarcoid on the neck appears little more than a blemish whereas an ulcerated, bleeding and proud sarcoid on the elbow will be unacceptable in appearance, may interfere with tack and be irritating to the horse through fly worry. From a ‘well being’ perspective – the jury is out, some believe that following successful treatment of sarcoids that horses performance will improve (or at least return to previous levels) and others report no effect, even when many sarcoids are present. There is no evidence of ‘spread’ to internal organs, not to be confused with ‘sarcoidosis’ that is an internal disease of horses.

Are they transmissible between horses?
The exact cause of the sarcoid development is not known, certainly a viral basis has been explored but there is no conclusive data to support this theory. At present there is no justification to consider sarcoids as ‘contagious’ between horses. However on an individual horse the spread of sarcoids is certainly well recognised.
Effective fly control and wound management are even more important in horses with sarcoids.

Should all sarcoids be treated?
Many owners will report that the sarcoid on their horse has been there ‘for years’ and has never been a problem so why bother with treatment?  And this approach can be justified in a small number of cases, however current thinking demonstrates that early treatment of sarcoids when small in size and number is preferable to minimising their potential spread and success of treatment, especially in younger horses. There are other considerations such as purpose of your horse and the likely impact a sarcoid condition may have on their performance.

What does treatment consist of?
Sarcoids are generally considered difficult to treat, and even where treatment has been successful – this doesn’t ensure they won’t return.
As with any condition there are many approaches to treatment, and the treatment of choice is often dictated by type and location of the sarcoid(s). The likelihood of success reduces with subsequent treatments and they are definitely not to be ‘tinkered’ with by home remedies as disturbance regularly results in worsening of the condition.
Every sarcoid case is assessed individually and treatment planned by the vet and often in consultation with the Sarcoid Department at Liverpool University.

In summary, sarcoids are a unique skin condition in horses that continue to challenge the clinicians that deal with their treatment, and those involved in ongoing research into their cause and behaviour.

A horse with sarcoids should not be considered ‘unhealthy or unsuitable’ when considering sale or purchase, however it is always wise to seek a professional opinion when considering your options.

Further information can be obtained by calling the clinic and also visiting the website of the University of Liverpool’s sarcoid department – at www.liv.ac.uk/sarcoids/