Can geldings get yeast/thrush in their sheath area?

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MochaDun

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I thought the pony had a bit of rain scald to his outer area after it being plastered with mud as their field is a liquidy bog. Tiny scabs which came off easily. However he's got something that isn't like the smegma you usually get higher in/up - someone at yard wondered if yeast or thrush as he was on 5 days worth of antibiotics 5 weeks ago for infection in his leg. Is that possible? It only seems to be worse when he goes out when ground is very wet again and he comes in with a muddy belly/bits. On the drier/frozen ground days it's not so bad and also if he's had to be in his stable for a day, ie, for the farrier. I'm gently cleaning when needed (he's asking me to itch it for him and sponging that area gently helps) but not wanting to interfere there too much and overdo it. Someone else suggested gently syringing up the sides with saline to flush it all out but not sure. Think I will ring the vet tomorrow to try and find out what they think but if anyone's experienced anything similar I would be grateful to know. We are awash with mud fever on the yard in recent weeks and got 2 other horses with odd itchy skin or legs - the one with stomping legs no doubt is mites and another had a shortlived funny skin thing which has cleared though which was diet releated we think so just being cautious/wary and also my main concern is that he is not uncomfortable/harbouring something.
 
Leg mites can travel to the sheath area. Stinky has had this before - really rubbing his willy and I spray the outer area with Frontline, inner thighs, belly in front of his sheath and the sides - putting my hand over the entrance so nothing gets in the sheath itself which normally stops him rubbing within 2 days. I repeat 10 days later. He also gets mild SI in this area and I use sudocream mixed with sulphur very effectively. If not, he fills his sheath with mud or sand from the school and it gets really clogged up and gunky.

I have to regularly rinse out his sheath, every week in summer and every two - three weeks in winter or he smells and there is black gunk on his legs. I just use water and my hand, he also gets beans and I have to clean out the willy pockets every few weeks to stop build up.

Luckily he enjoys all the attention in this area.

My vet said some geldings are dirty and smelly compared to others, nothing wrong, just need a bit of tlc but to stick to water to clean it. In summer I stick the hose up his sheath and in winter I have an old washing up bottle which has been really well rinsed out and use warm water - I would not like cold water up my bits in this weather:D
 
My horse is a mega-smegma producer and it does get smelly. My vet advised GENTLY washing with plain water, after taking the excesss away with a tissue ( use latex gloves!!)no cleansing or washing products at all. Then putting some plain natural live yoghurt around the sheath and inside where you can. A bit like what's recommended for humans! If he's been on antibiotics too they can destroy the body's natural good bugs and yoghurt can help to replace some I believe. Your vet can do a bacterial culture test and then you will know exactly what the problem is.
 
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