Horse Sarcoid Treatment: Excuse Me, Did You Say TOOTHPASTE?!

Guinea Pig Lopeh, when she first came to me 6 months ago.

I’m going to be a guinea pig. Or rather, Lopeh, my little Quarter Horse mare, is going to be a guinea pig.

Lopeh has what I am pretty sure is a sarcoid on her jaw and I’m going to experiment with a remedy I heard about years ago that someone said absolutely positively cured sarcoids. Crest Toothpaste, applied externally, right on the sarcoid.

Yeah, I know. Sounds pretty weird. But I’m into home remedies, and this one is obviously quite harmless, so I’m game to try it.

I’ve never had a horse with sarcoids before so I’ve been researching them a bit online. Here’s a bit of what I found, but I make no claims that this is all accurate information.

One Type of Sarcoid

  • Equine sarcoids are slow growing, locally invasive masses.
  • A virus similar to the papilloma virus in cattle is suspected as the cause, but this is not definitive.
  • Sarcoids CAN run in equine families, so there may be a genetic predisposition involved.
  • Sarcoids usually occur in younger horses (7 or younger).
  • Sarcoids often occur in areas that have been injured or irritated.
  • Sarcoids are often linked to a weakened immune system.
  • Definitive diagnosis must be done by analyzing the sarcoid tissue under a microscope.
  • There are several types of sarcoids, identified according to gross and microscopic appearance. Some sarcoids may look like warts; these solid roundish lumps are called the verrucous type and are distinguished from the fibroblastic type and the flat type. The fibroblastic type looks like proud flesh (granulation tissue) and frequently the tumor mass will have an ulcer on top of it. The flat-type sarcoids are ring-shaped, are not significantly raised, and tend to be scaly and crusty. A combination or transition type exists composed of the verrucous and fibroblastic types.
  • Treatment of sarcoids varies widely and includes surgical excision, cryotherapy, laser excision, immunotherapy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Crest Toothpaste is not mentioned, but hey, why not try it since no one method thus far employed has been consistently more successful in treating equine sarcoids than the others.

I think it’s high time someone did try this Crest home remedy thing, and I am more than happy to offer up Lopeh as the test case. Her sarcoid — or what I think is a sarcoid — is in a spot where a halter or bridle certainly could have rubbed or irritated her jaw, so its location alone makes it highly suspect.

Lopeh and Her Sarcoid

Also, Lopeh came to me after 3 or 4 years of living virtually wild in a breeding herd on a large ranch where she birthed at least 3 foals during that time. She was extremely stressed out and fearful emotionally, had two babies by her side and had been nursing constantly for those years,  so I know her immune system was terribly weakened.

In the six months I’ve had her, Lopeh has mellowed out dramatically. I have also been working hard on strengthening her immune system by feeding her lots of Super Blue Green Algae, focusing on probiotics and anti-oxidants.

But now I think it is time to add one more ingredient to her health regimen. Crest Toothpaste, extermally, for her sarcoid.

I will start in the next day or two (as soon as I can go buy some) and will report back in a few weeks or months.

NOTE:   It is now January 1st, 2012, and I have had so much interest in this topic that I have set it up on my Facebook fan page so folks can more easily chat back and forth about what they’re using and what’s working there. If you would like to do that, ust go HERE to check it out! And thanks, everybody, for your posts and your ideas!

 

34 Responses so far »

  1. 1

    Kelly said,

    Hello,

    How is it going with the toothpaste? I am very interested to know your results.

    Kelly

    • 2

      Kelly – The toothpaste started drying up the sarcoid within two weeks. Then Lopeh went to a trainer, where she is now, and I will see her tomorrow and take a look at it. Since sarcoids are apparently sometimes treated with a flouridation treatment, it’s my theory that toothpaste might work because it contains flouride. We will have to follow up on this in the future, however, because Lopeh leaves the trainer to go to her new home tomorrow, when I pick her up. I will be blogging about this shortly, but it is a great move for her!

    • 5

      Ron said,

      We have used a product called Sarcoid Salve and have been extremely successful. I used it on my Warmblood Gelding who had a 4″x6″ sarcoid around his sheath. We used the product as directed and saw results in a few days. The entire sarcoid was gone in several months and has not re appeared in over 3 years.

      • 6

        Thanks Ron! I am definitely going to keep this in mind. Lopeh’s sarcoid really responded well to the toothpaste — I’m sure it was because of the flouride — but it is great to have a product available that is specific to this syndrome. Thanks for your comment. Leta

  2. 7

    Kara said,

    I treated an occult sarcoid with crest toothpaste, along with thuja cream and immune supplements and it has not grown back.

    • 8

      Excellent! Thanks so much for posting this. The toothpaste was working well for me too — really drying up the sarcoid where it could be flaked off with your fingernail. But then I sold the little mare (which I had always planned to do when I rescued her, and found her the perfect home) so I may never know how it turned out in the end. I really appreciate your post. Leta

  3. 9

    secranna@optusnet.com.au said,

    I have treated my horses sarcoid with skin cancer cream (script only)recommended for this type. Perfect for 2 months and then it started to grow back. What’s happened with the toothpaste.

  4. 10

    secranna@optusnet.com.au* said,

    Does the toothpaste treatment last.

    • 11

      Thanks for asking, and I’m going to try to find out. I actually eventually placed this mare with the New Mexico Wild Horse Project a few months ago so I don’t know the answer to your question. (But, by the way, she is a working horse there, riding the fencelines and checking on the mustangs almost daily, and loves it! She needed and wanted a serious job, and was bred and built for it, so she has finally found her perfect and forever fit. The project managers love her!)

  5. 12

    James Turk said,

    There’s a great article this month in the 2011 Breeder’s Edition copy of Today’s Horse regarding an awesome Sarcoid Tumor salve developed from the old Viadent toothpaste. Here’s the link at sarco41.com

    We wish you the best with your horse and ENJOY New Mexico. Hope you weren’t here for the freezing cold weather last week.

    • 13

      Thanks, James, for posting and for the great tip! You know I eventually placed this wonderful mare with The New Mexico Wild Horse Project, where she helps monitor the herds and ride fences, so I don’t have an update on her sarcoid. But last I knew it was responding well. I love New Mexico, and yeah, I was here for that cold. It was minus 23 out here in the Galisteo Basin, colder than almost anyone who lives around here could remember! Thanks again.

  6. 14

    Wendy Craig said,

    im getting to my wits end with my mini shetland, he has alot of sarcoids and for the last few months hes on a herbal treatment from forest pharmacy, which does seem to be making them smaller, but he has one weeping and gets alot of fly attention, im using summer fly cream to try and keep the damn flys away, but would welcome any response as im scared he gets the area infected and then would need put to sleep. hes a old wee lad and and just want to give him some relief…

    • 15

      It sounds like you are not in the U.S., or I could recommend a new fly spray I’ve found this summer that is absolutely fool-proof for keeping the flies away. But what you are doing is good, with the fly cream. I’ve used udder balms (for cows) before to smear on wounds really thickly so that the flies can’t penetrate the layer of gunk. Those are usually very heavy and sticky, and somewhat medicinal, so they are good for this. As to your little guy’s sarcoids. Some believe (my homeopathic equine vet inlcuded) that they can be the result of vaccines. So if he’s old and has had vaccines all his life, that certainly could have contributed. It sounds like he’s old enough that he probably never needs another vaccination (his immune system is probably as full of antibodies as it will ever be), so I would stop them altogether. Then you might try a general clearing/cleansing of his system with the homeopathic remedy, Thuja 30c. I’d dose him twice a day, about 12 hours apart, for 3 days. And you might try the toothpaste! I placed that horse before the sarcoid was entirely gone, but we were making good progress. If you’d like to email me privately at worthington@herbsandanimals.com, I can give you more detail about how to give the Thuja, etc. You might also like to read this blog I wrote about vaccinations, just to give you a little more context for what I have said above: https://herbsandanimals.wordpress.com/2010/01/27/how-do-vaccines-really-work/ (you may have to paste that into your browser — or click on the health and healing topic over in the right-hand menu on my blog and then look for the blog entitled “How Do Vaccines Really Dork?” Good luck with your little guy, and thanks for posting.

  7. 16

    rick foster said,

    Hi,I have a two year old Sullfok Punch. She had a sarcoid the size of a quarter. My vet said he could do one of several treatments, but they tend to come back. So he told me to watch it and see what happens. But the problem was that it was on her leg and she kept rubbing it –so it was a raw sore. I put the toothpaste on twice a day. I globed it on very heavy. I did this for the duration of the tube which was around two months. It is now completely gone and the hair is almost totally back to the point of where you cannot tell where it was. My vet simply shook his head and was happy for me.

    • 17

      abby said,

      Hey that is a good idea!!!

    • 18

      Haha!!! That is so great! I find medical practitioners who are not at all familiar with alternative approaches always have this reaction – kind of shaking their head and saying, “Well, whatever works.” I am so glad you wrote this and hope it will encourage others to try the same. I would also say that there are definitely immune factors where sarcoids are concerned, so a general homeopathic clearing with Thuja can do wonders (using a 30C potency twice a day for 3 days is usually a good regimen, and is simply a gentle cleanser of toxins so the body’s immune system can kick into gear more effectively). Thanks again for your report, Rick!

    • 19

      Ron Stalman said,

      Rick – We have been successful with Sarcoid Salve an all natural products that removes the sarcoid as well as the associated virus. http://www.balancedecosolutions.com I used it on our Dutch Warmblood it removed the sarcoid in 3 months and has been sarcoid free for over 4 years. I have also heard people using Sarcoid Salve in combination with Blood Klzn form Silverlining Herbs.

      Ron

      • 20

        Ron, thank you so much for the sarcoid recommendation. SO many people deal with this problem, so everything folks have written in with will be so helpful and valuable. And I know firsthand how fabulous SilverLining Herbs are! GREAT company, GREAT products! Thanks for posting.

    • 21

      Karina said,

      I’m getting a tube of crest today to try it out! My boy is 20, and has four or five wart type plus an area of scaly sarcoid in the sheath region. When his coat changes they get active and either one or two get bigger or a new one appears. I have been trying homeopathic drops and I get two or three to pop off with the session of treatment. I know the blend includes Thuja, so going to arm ourselves with a bottle of Thuja 30c and tube of toothpaste and see how we go. They will really think I’m mad in his yard now!!

      • 22

        Sounds like a great approach. There is another product someone posted in another comment in this thread (can’t remember its name right now). I would also suggest stopping all vaccinations if the barn will allow that. Your horse is old enough that he should have more than enough protection if he’s had regular vaccinations all his life. Please let us know how it works! And thanks for posting. Leta

  8. 23

    Judy Thornton said,

    Hi i’m from Australia and I have just bought a horse with a small sarcoid near his hoof. Apparently, vegemite is supposed to work…i will let you know if it works. Or I will try the toothpaste…if that doesn’t work I will try the Sarcoid Salve which sounds like will definately work if all else fails.
    Thanks!!

  9. 26

    Mon said,

    Hi Judy! I’m from Oz too and have a gelding with a sarcoid.. How’s the vegimite going? 🙂

  10. 27

    Sharyn McIntyre said,

    I am absolutely at my wits end here. Our miniature donkey has a huge sarcoid on the right side of his face. We paid $1000 to have it surgically removed and it came right back…We used Bloodroot which was very uncomfortable and didn’t seem to do any good, and we also used the Balanced Eco Sarcoid cream for 6 months…and it just gets bigger and bigger and bigger. it is now the size of a BASEBALL hanging off his face and I feel so sorry for him. He’s such a sweetheart and it doesn’t seem to slow him down or bother him, but it BOTHERS ME BIG TIME. HELP!! I am beyond frustrated!

  11. 28

    universalpositions02 said,

    nice blog about horses and natural plan soother, i like your blog, visit here
    Stomachsoother

  12. 29

    Ron Stalman said,

    Here are some interesting facts on treating sarcoids using toothpaste –

    http://www.balancedecosolutions.com/does-toothpaste-work-in-treating-sarcoids/

    Its not the fluoride that everyone thinks…

  13. 30

    Ron Stalman said,

    Here is some interesting facts on using toothpaste in the treatment of sarcoids. http://www.balancedecosolutions.com/does-toothpaste-work-in-treating-sarcoids/.

    Its not the fluoride everybody thinks…

  14. 31

    Jan morris said,

    Hi I am in devon in the UK. I have got a ex racehorse who came to me with a couple of small sarcoids on his hind legs and a large long scar type one with a hanging one in on the flesh top of fore leg.( Would be our arm pit) . Going to start trying this to day. Will see how it goes.
    Thanks

    • 32

      Hi Jan – Thanks for posting, and good luck with this. Some people seem to have very good luck, and some not so great. Apparently the virus that causes sarcoids, Papilloma, must also be addressed; plus some say the flouride in toothpaste isn’t the key, but Sanguinaria canadensis instead. Let us know what happens. I do know it can take quite a while, so stick with it!

  15. 33

    Johanna Dunn said,

    I had good luck with the homeopathic thuja 30x. Feed for 7 days, 3 pills 2x daily with 12 hours between doses. After a week 1 of 3 fell off. I also hear a cream of thuja also works well, tho I havnt tried it yet. I also read good things about “stinky stuff” which I worked out is neem oil.

    • 34

      That’s fantastic! I think there are many posts in the thread on this blog now that people can find that may be of help. And your use of Thuja homeopathically is a great one. And 30x is not a very high potency, so using twice daily as you did, for seven days, sounds perfectly appropriate. If the potency is much stronger, one would not want to use it that long, but your regimen sounds perfect! Thanks so much for posting. I continue to get questions and input about this subject all the time—-long after the initial blog I put up two or three years ago. It is definitely a “hot topic!” Leta


Comment RSS · TrackBack URI

Leave a comment