Sarcoids

After a long winter, spring is finally coming! It is often at this time of year that I start to see a number of new sarcoid cases. So here are some dos and don’ts when it comes to sarcoids:

Sarcoids are a type of tumour that is found on the skin and they are specific to equines only. They don’t spread to other organs of the body, but they can spread to other parts of the skin and may become much larger. They can come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and can be found on any part of the body. If you find any lump on your horse’s skin, you should seek veterinary advice. Sarcoids are not warts, they are tumours, and therefore veterinary attention is always required. Very occasionally sarcoids can spontaneously resolve, but this is very rare (0.8% of cases) and it is impossible to know which cases will or will not resolve.

So my first piece of advice is – if you find a lump on your horse’s skin – call the vet!

My second piece of advice is - don’t try to treat it yourself! Over the years I have witnessed ill-advised applications of all sorts of lotions and potions including camarosa cream, Bazuka gel and even toothpaste! These preparations not only will not do any good, more importantly they may do harm. Once again, it is important to remember that sarcoids are tumours. If you aggravate a tumour by applying inappropriate topical preparations there is a strong possibility that you may actually cause that tumour to spread. Alternative therapies such as herbs and homeopathy are not likely to help either and they may potentially cause harm by delaying sensible treatment.

There are many possible different types of veterinary treatment available for sarcoids and treatment selection depends on the type, size and location of the sarcoid(s). Once we have examined your horse and the sarcoids, we will advise that photographs of each lesion are obtained. We then forward these photos to the leading expert in sarcoids, Derek Knottenbelt. An individual treatment protocol is then specifically designed for your horse and most treatments will be able to be administered by a veterinary surgeon only. The treatment of sarcoids can be costly and lengthy and there is a possibility that repetition may be required or that the sarcoids may return. In all cases however, the earlier treatment is embarked on the better – i.e. before the sarcoids become larger or spread to other areas of the body.

To summarise, sarcoids are a frustrating and difficult condition of horses for owners and veterinary surgeons alike, but if you find what you think might be a sarcoid on your horse – call us!

Nikki Brown BVetMed MRCVS

This is an example of the high image quality that we can now achieve at Peasebrook. Radiographic and ultrasonographic imaging of the equine spine is crucial to our diagnosis and treatment of back pain. Impingement of dorsal spinous processes or "kissing spines" is a common finding, sometimes requiring surgery which, these days, we usually do with the patient standing rather than under general anesthesia. Degenerative changes to the articular facet joints of the vertebrae can explain persistent back pain and poor flexibility. Ultrasound guided medication of these joints can produce dramatic improvement. Any horse that shows signs of back pain should be examined for lameness, have the saddle checked by a qualified saddle fitter and receive appropriate physical therapy. If the problem can't be resolved then diagnostic imaging should be the next step.

The "Real" Peasebrook Team !!!

After what looked like a promising start to the weather this summer it all looks as if it may be a bit of a wash out again!! That hasn’t held us back at Peasebrook though, here we’ve been getting to grips with some of the latest technology to help us improve our service to you.

Over the past 6 months we have aquired both a Lasercyte and VetTest machine allowing us to run 90% of our bloods inhouse. This enables us to provide same day results which means your horse can be treated more efficiently.

Many of you will also be familiar with our digital x-ray machine which gives excellent quality diagnostic images, however in the two years of us having this the technology has greatly progressed. This has led to us recently installing a new more powerful generator and processor ensuring that we deliver the best possible diagnostic imaging to both you and your horse.

To add to out state of the art surgical facilities we have added the ‘ISTAT’ machine. This is a blood gas analyser, which aids the anaesthetist in the monitoring of the horse during general anaesthesia. This can also be used on horses requiring fluid therapy, to measure their electrolytes, ensuring they are receiving the best possible treatment.

To enable us to carry out on site 5 stage vettings and to improve our rehablilitation facilities, we have recently installed a ‘Charles Britton’ Pro-Track arena, which is already proving to be invaluable when it comes to lameness investigations.

New Blog

Hi, and welcome to the new Peasebrook Equine Clinic blog!
We will be updating this on a regular basis and keeping you up-to-date with the latest news and developments from Peasebrook.

We will also use the blog to alert you to our new promotions!