Treating Sarcoids

I need some info and your experiences in treating equine sarcoids. Dexter has one growing on his hind leg (cannon). I first noticed it this past spring when I was using a shedding blade on him. I thought it was a chunk of crusted mud and scraped it off... only to see that it wasn't mud and it bled like crazy. Since I disturbed it, it has been growing faster and it is painful if I touch it (it will also bleed if I manipulate it too much). The vet told me to keep an eye on it and watch how it grows and changes and we will address it this fall if it gets worse. Well, it's getting worse and I'm starting to freak out a little :(

What I've been reading so far is that most treatments will just aggravate it and cause it to regrow and spread. What the heck are you supposed to do then?

I've read good success stories on the UDBB with different treatments. Let me see if I can find the post...

You may find this interesting:

http://www.horseforum.com/horse-health/sarcoids-toothpaste-experiment-93048/

I cannot vouch for it of course but could be worth an inexpensive try. Maybe it is just hooey but maybe there is something to it.

ah geez - Miss Abby had one, in the crack of her Seamus :-)
...I had Exterra paste, didn't work, it blisters and looks like Bleeding heart, really fun putting that on a horses butt...even a gentle lass like Abby was....scary when you reseach it, one site says it's cancer, one says it's not, it's a benign tumour...

Read through all of BFHG's links and have a place to start at least... I think

Hanover - The toothpaste route seems to have worked for some horses. I'm sure all horses respond differently but it is worth a try.

EM - what was the cost of the Exterra? Was it by prescription? Reading through that info, it had mixed reviews because it also attacks the surrounding tissue (making it ugly like you said). Others had success with Aldara. It's mainly used for genital warts . Technically, I could go to my GP and ask for a prescription and just use it on Dex. Atleast then it won't cost me an arm and a leg... Don't know if I really want to ask her though...

Thanks for your replies, keep them coming if you have any suggestions.

eons ago we had a 2 yr old QH with sarcoids, our vet froze them off with some procedure they used back then, but they came back and seemed to multiply the more we did them. Since he was a young horse and actively growing the vet said sarcoids also grow more on youngsters. Finally he said since they were not in places to bother the horse to just leave them alone and they stabilized and dried up to looking like scabs/warts. Twist has some and same thing, they've been there for years, are not growing or changing and are in places that they dont bother her so best treatment is just to leave them alone.

Quote :

Finally he said since they were not in places to bother the horse to just leave them alone and they stabilized and dried up to looking like scabs/warts. Twist has some and same thing, they've been there for years, are not growing or changing and are in places that they dont bother her so best treatment is just to leave them alone.

That's the problem. Since is accidentally ripped it off it's been growing way too fast for my liking. I'd like to get it under control before it starts to look like some of the pictures I've seen searching the topic today. Plus, it is high on his cannon and soon will be inter fearing with his knee.

Wondering how it is going? Have you tried the toothpaste treatment?

I'm also curious. Beauty has one in her ear. I picked it off a few months ago and didn't think anything of it, just thought it was a bug bite or something, but its back.

well poo - I missed this, sorry! The Exterra was almost $200 for a little jar, and it was through Rx, I think it had to come from the US.

Sorry just seeing the replies. I haven't tried the treatment yet since there are still flies out. Will wait until they are gone incase it gets oozy in the process. I will update when I start.

I could kick myself now for not getting before pictures but I had no camera at the time. The toothpaste has nearly cleared the entire sarcoid up :bigsmiley.png: I can honestly say that I didn't think it would and I am really surprised. I only treated it once a day for about a week then left it alone for 3 weeks. Large chunks of it were falling off after 2-3 days. It seemed to dry up and a few layers would fall off in like a shell and underneath it would be gross and oozy (with what looked like puss, yuk). each time the "shell" came off it was smaller underneath. You can see in the picture where the margins of the thing was when I started. The hair is even growing back already. It was about 2" in diameter to start and protruded about an inch. It's now maybe 1/2" in diamater and barely a bump. Just hoping it doesn't decided to return... we'll see.

I guess I do have a picture before but it's not very good...can't see the actual size of how much it protruded. It was ugly.

Head of applying sulpher? (I am pretty sure) ... research that a bit... might be an option.

WooHoo!
I was thinking of writing to you.......this is good to hear. Let's hope it stays clear now.

Can I ask what toothpaste you used?

TC - I haven't come across anything involving Sulphur yet. Maybe it's another element you're thinking of?

I just used plain old Crest toothpaste. Think it was .99 on sale It's the flouride in it that is believed to attack the virus. I will keep treating it to see if goes away completely and will also have the vet look at it in the spring when he comes for vaccinations and teeth and see what he thinks.

That is good news!!!
I found my part jar of Exterra - I don't know if it's any good or not...I haven't even gotten around to opening it, but if you want it, it's yours...just let me know!

Just wondering how this all turned out. Anyone else treat sarcoids with toothpaste?

Still no sign of it's return The pic on the right was taken this past Sunday

This is good to hear and thanks for the picture too. Just to be sure......was it strictly only toothpaste that you used?

Just used the Toothpaste every day for about a week. Then left it alone for a couple weeks. Once the majority of the sarcoid has dried up and fallen off I did spray it with a bit of diluted Tea Tree Oil because it was an open sore at that point and I didn't want it getting infected. Probably used the TTO half a dozen times at the most.

Thanks for the details. My boy has "something" under his lower jaw. It's hard to get a good look at it but if I do determine it is a sarcoid, I am going to go the same route as you.