Equine Sarcoids

Equine Sarcoids

 Equine sarcoid are a common form of skin cancer with 2-8% of all horses being affected. All members of the horse family are affected – horses, ponies, mules and donkeys. Sarcoids can occur anywhere on the skin, although there are some parts of the body that are more likely to develop sarcoid than others. Some sarcoid can remain stable to long periods but also can suddenly enlarge without warning. Damage or trauma to a sarcoid can trigger more aggressive behaviour from the tumour and must be avoided. Sarcoids are difficult to treat, tend to reoccur, and spread across the body from site-to-site. Some sarcoids are small, and remain stable for many months or years, however we know that sarcoids can extensively and aggressively infiltrate between muscles layers.

So why do we worry about sarcoids?

-       The cancers may become ulcerated and infected.

-       Horses can become systemically unwell from sarcoids – which can include low blood proteins, and low red blood cells.

-       Sarcoid cancers can limit the working or performance life of a horse.

-       Sarcoids can reduce the saleability of a horses, and they are a common cause of loss of commercial value.

-       Sarcoids in particular locations can cause severe functional problems such as reduce movement of joints or eye. They also can reduce the ability for the horse to wear gear or rugs.

Sarcoids can occur anywhere on the body, but there are some areas where the disease is more common:

-       Where the skin is thin or has less hair.

-       Where there is more sweating

-       At wound sites where the skin has been broken

-       Sarcoids never develop in internal organs and do not spread to these organs even if the skin lesions are aggressive.

So what do we do about sarcoids?

-       Some sarcoids require a biopsy to confirm the cancers presence if there is no definitive external signs

-       There are different types of topical creams that can be used depending on the type of sarcoid

-       Local chemotherapy agents

-       Surgical debridement/debulkment

The most important message has to be stop and think before you apply anything to a sarcoid. Sarcoids are a type of cancer and should be treated with respect. Would you treat your own Skin Cancer?