Of Sarcoids and Snowstorms

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Even though we have been up to our eyeballs in ice dams, snow piles and deep freezes, all things horse must go on! In the last week for example, the snow has not relented, but Ruby's sarcoid had to go! Bill called Dr. Schmidt and out to the farm he came. These pictures are not for the faint of heart, so I have interspersed some lovely snow pictures Bill took this week to balance out the gore. A little blood, followed by a little beauty. This first picture is the sarcoid before getting the heave ho. See ya later, weird sarcoid blob!


This is incredible, isn't it?


Dr. Schmidt also removed a sarcoid on Charlie a while ago, and it has not come back. His was on his face. Ruby's was on her upper leg. Sarcoids are not attractive, that's for sure. Ruby's head looks pretty droopy in this picture. I am sure she gave Dr. Schmidt no trouble at all. Bill has so many horses with excellent barn manners.


I am pretty sure this picture was taken on Monday. We all woke up to a most gorgeous blanket of snow. All of the trees had snow piled on each branch. It looked so lovely.



Oh dear. I could never be in the medical field. Even these pictures make me a little queasy. But this is fascinating at the same time. Dr. Schmidt treats all kinds of animals. He is the one who treated Lilly for her Lyme disease. And he just did a Coggins test on her.


Oh Ruby, what a good and pretty girl you are! And now, you will be even prettier.


That tiny house on the right is where the chickens live! I hope they are saying warm in there!!


That looks quite tidy, doesn't it? Ruby's skin looks so purply!!!


Here is the road to the trail that we have been on so many times. It looks like a new world in the winter snow and the morning light. This is why I love the change of seasons. Now I'm not saying I couldn't live in Miami (!), but I think I'd really miss days like this if I did.

One more day til the weekend!!!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sarcoids can bleed a lot when removed or treated - but they have very little if any nervous tissue so removal doesn't usually hurt the horse much. Dawn had a large, and growing, sarcoid on her neck just over her jugular vein in a location that was not operable - we had to use Xtera (I think that's the name) cream to treat it and it got all bloody and nasty and just went away. It's never recurred since, which is good news.

Sending Ruby best wishes for quick healing.

Nuzzling Muzzles said...

Bombay had a lot of sarcoids when he was younger. At first I had them excised, but more of them just grew back in nearby locations. Then I tried Xterra, and it got rid of them for good. He hasn't had any further growths.

Frizzle said...

Poor sweet purpley-skinned Ruby! That scar looks quite Frankenstein-ish, but at least she will have some hair to camoflouge it.
My little Husky puppy had surgery yesterday and the vet had his tech snap a few pics during the surgery so I could see them afterwards; it was a bit hard to see my little girl all bloody and cut open, but it was also very intersting.

juliette said...

Your snowstorm photos are really lovely. The sarcoid photos - not so lovely, but so glad Ruby is rid of that icky thing.

Kristen Eleni Shellenbarger said...

Oh brave Ruby! I would have passed out watching that. I dont fare well with blood..especially if it was on Laz, ohhhhhhhhh.
That picture of the snowed tree tops is amazing!!!!! One of my all time faves!! WOW...

Kritter Keeper at Farm Tails said...

ugghhh, i am like you, i could never be a vet. but his work looks perfect and so nice and neat. ruby is so pretty, she reminds me of my jessie!

Post a Comment

Leave your thoughts here about my bay state brumby!