How to Treat Equine Sarcoids by Autologous Implantation

Sarcoid skin tumors are the most common nodular skin tumors in the horse. They are typically nonmetastatic but can be locally aggressive and ulcerated. They may account for up to 90% of equine dermatological neoplasms. Approximately 40% of affected horses have more than one lesion and up to 50% of horses may have recurring lesions after surgical excision. Two of six subtypes of bovine papillomavirus (BPV) have been associated with the advent of sarcoid disease in the equine species. PCR techniques have found BPV genetic sequencing from both DNA and RNA in equine sarcoid tumors. Because of this bovine viral etiology, it is of no surprise to find that sarcoid syndrome is more prevalent in horses that work with or around the bovine species. Because of the wide prevalence of sarcoid disease (especially in working cow horses), the viral etiology, the subsequent possibility of insect vector enhancement, the difficulty in surgical excision, the inconvenient location of many of the lesions (underneath areas of tack application that may impede surgical healing), and the unsatisfactory response to medical treatment, the administration of an autologous implantation technique is advocated in this paper. 2. Materials and Methods