Castration - please put my mind to rest.

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BigYellowHorse

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I had my little colt castrated on Thursday, ive been checking on him regularly and it's still dripping blood but looking like it's slowing down (isn't there an amount of drips you should count in a certain amount of time?)

I washed his legs this morning and I dont think the rain has helped as its diluted the blood and made it disperse more. But they're a covered in a bit of blood less than last night - they were just red and swelling wise it doesn't look too bad.

I had a pony castrated last year I don't remeber his bleeding as much but the wounds loooked nastier as it looked like tissue was coming out of them a bit, these look far better.

I do have vets number on stand by just in case but it looks like its clotting and the drips are getting less but just need a bit of reassuring as im not hugely experienced as far as what is to be in the range of normal expectations of post castration.

Poor chap it looks just so painful for him!
 
When my boy was done my vet said not to worry at all about drips for a couple of days, just if it was really fast drips or a steady stream. If its slowing down sure he'll be fine :)
 
Did he have any stitches?

I had a 2 yr old done, as he was more mature so needed a couple of internal sutures. He dripped and dripped for over a week, tail and legs were gross.
However the stitches caused pooling which then released slowly. Vets are usually brill and a chat over the phone with the vet who did the procedure should put your mind at rest.
 
Assuming by thursday you mean yesterday and not a week ago then that's normal. So long as you can count the drips it should be fine.
 
It just looks awful! I dont have him at home at the moment and the people who own the field must wonder what on earth im doing letting him wander round with blooded legs. (I meant to warn them last time i spoke to them about his little procedure but tototally forgot!)
 
Nope no stitches .. the testicles were very small too - the vet made a slight joke about how small they were! He was in the land of carrots and lush grass at that point so self esteem still intact!

Yes I mean yesterday- sorry im having a day that feels like a Saturday but really its a friday.
 
Some clear up in 24 hours or less, others seep for a couple of days. As long as it doesn't look like a tap has been left on, and there isn't lots of swelling, then I should think he is okay.
Keep an eye out for swelling, or excessive material hanging out of the wound. If he is still leaking a lot of blood on Saturday maybe give the vet a call.
 
Having never seen a horse be gelded before till last month I couldn't believe the amount of blood and then they left it open?!?! It dripped for 3ish days and was then completely closed by a week.
 
The blood should be replaced with straw/honey-coloured serum in a couple of days, then stop altogether by 5 -7 days. The drips are actually a good sign, if it stops too soon you could be in for infection. If you keep him moving, even do a gentle lunge/free lunge a couple of times a day it is better for keeping the swelling down. It should all be over in a week. Poor boys; the price they pay............
 
As others have said a few drops is nothing to worry about, the fact it's draining is a good thing and will help keep it clean, with open castrations you do get the odd clot coming away, but as others have said it usually becomes a pinky serum and then stops after a few days to a week. I had my 14yr old stallion done 7 weeks ago now and he's still got a small scab as it got a bit gunky and he was on anti'b's, but all the swelling has gone now and no drips of any colour as the vet left a small hole for drainage, and he's back out with his girls so he's happy now, but it did drip and ooze for about 3 weeks as it was a pretty bloody op and the vet had to go back in as a little bleeder started up when his leg was moved - he also had huuuuge nuts!!!:p The younger they are the quicker they heal so I'd expect yours to be totally fine in 6 weeks and you'd never know anything had happened. Having him out 24/7 is enough exercise and allows them to go at their own pace and will keep the fluid from building up in the area, it's when it gets hot and yellow or green pussy type fluid you need to worry or they go off their food or appear lame behind, or there is a lot of fresh blood on his legs for more than a few days.
 
I had two done on the same day, both dripped a bit the first day and then dried up, but then one of them started bleeding again so he had an extra course of antibiotics, but despite the bleeding he was bright and alert
I agree it looks awful, the one that bled a lot now has a very grimy yucky tail.
 
Keep an eye on him, if you feel its getting worse ring your vet, I should think he would be fine, I had my 6 yr old gelded and he bleed a lot, I hosed his bits everyday and to my surprise he liked it.
 
Thank you for all the replies :)

Looking better drip wise this morning, didn't see it drip at all in fact. Looks like its starting to dry up.

Bit quiet but i suppose the pain killers have all worn off but hes had some bute and antibiotics and gave him a couple of slices of hay even though hes got tons of grass and he's eating. So all good for now - touch wood!
 
Marmite sandwich (I love your username! !) Good luck woth your boy.

Ive got a big 2yo colt who we're in the process of deciding whether to keep entire but he's hung like a holstein bull! Dreading it if he's done as the blood flow to those bad boys must be huge!
 
BigYellowHorse said:
Nope no stitches .. the testicles were very small too - the vet made a slight joke about how small they were! He was in the land of carrots and lush grass at that point so self esteem still intact!

Yes I mean yesterday- sorry im having a day that feels like a Saturday but really its a friday.
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No they can still hear and understand fully whilst under sedation.... you need to discuss his testicles in a large group and say how the vet said they were absolutely massive and what a stud he is/was!
 
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