Cleaning sheath

[Goldenstar]

This is very interesting. I shall now not be spraying it on my boys crusty do-dah (I bought a 500ml bottle of it yesterday as well!).
Interestingly, the horse (on our yard) who has his willy sprayed with baby oil regularly is the horse that suffers from the greasy smegma down his back legs - I wonder if that is due to the use of the baby oil?

Is there a product that would safely soften the crusty bits on my gelding, or should I leave it alone. As I said before his willy is worse than a bit flaky, he has what I would describe as crunchy nut clusters on it. (I might take a photo if anyones interested to see )

Yes I would say so it's the oil working its way out with the yuk I have never used bady oil so can't comment.
We bought a hunter who turned out to have an injected sheath because it was not kept cleaned I noticed the funny smell when he arrived and then noticed that peeing was a bit of a performance the third day he was with us I saw his willy OMG it was covered in sores and when you got close it stank
Called the vet would said that hunters get this more than others she thinks because they gallop though all sorts of mud and lots of filth works its way in and they get hot working hard in these conditions
She scrubbed it with hibiscrub and warm water ( although told me not to use hibi scrub normally) you could see the relief on his face he dangled it right out and let us soak it in a bucket and dry with a towel we applied a cream and put him on antibiotics within 24 hrs a very grumpy to handle horse became a sweety.

 

[xxMozlarxx]

Thankfully no young children were around at the time or else poor mums and dads would have lots of explaining to do!

*spits tea over the iPad * Ahahahah

 

[Waffles]

Cleaning sheaths on a regular basis is a very new thing and I suspect it has been driven by marketers wanting to sell a product and get you to part with your money.

I have owned geldings for over 30 years. I've never cleaned a sheath and I have no intention of starting now.

Well said! I'm in total agreement!

 

[Merrymoles]

Cleaning sheaths on a regular basis is a very new thing and I suspect it has been driven by marketers wanting to sell a product and get you to part with your money.

I have owned geldings for over 30 years. I've never cleaned a sheath and I have no intention of starting now.

While I agree that many geldings never have a problem, my old boy used to get to the point where his back legs were coated in black gunk, he stank to high heaven and attracted swarms of flies and I used to clean him up about twice or three times a year. He always dropped it out when I brushed his tail so I didn't have that problem and once I started work, he used to relax and let me get on with it. Nobody ever sold me a product though! Warm water did the trick in the sensitive bits and then I just used to shampoo his legs (Morrison's cheapest own brand shampoo before you ask) and that would solve the problem for months.
I think it's like so many issues we discuss here, different horses need different treatment and what works for many doesn't work for all.

 

[Bubbles]

I tend to think if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But, have seen plenty of infected sheaths, so you should always have a good idea of what's going on down there both of the boys I've had have deposited smelly black gunk down their back legs, and I've had to resort to cleaning. Whilst horse has been noticeably more comfortable, using a product has undoubtedly meant I've had to clean more often. Bit like having your ears syringed, once you start....

 

[cptrayes]

The "bean" is indeed to be found in the urethra... the urethral fossa to be precise.

I think it is very important to be precise. The urethra is the narrow tube that runs right up to the bladder, as you know. The urethral fossa is the much wider opening right at the end of the penis. There really are people who read these forums who, told to "find a bean in the urethra" will happily try and stick their finger, cotton bud, or worse where it should not go.

I'll bet my bottom dollar those "beans" are washed out naturally with urine on a regular basis, otherwise my geldings wouldn't be able to pee by now

I think I can beat the floppy willy stories. I was out for a hack with my friend and I felt something slapping my boots - one side then the other. You guessed it And he kept it up (or should I say down?) for ages!! My friend wet herself laughing and almost fell off.

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I use aqueous creme on his manhood

 

[Piglet]

Fantasy_World, I totally agree with you, I clean every 10 days with warm water and a sponge, simply because he gets black tarry stuff down his hind legs, not attractive for showing!!

 

[stencilface]

I think we have used canesten in the past on our really dirty boy and that seemed to help him - although don't really want to recommend it too much.

Mine also enjoys slapping his stiff willy against his belly, this is apparently how geldings get pleasure - he's a saucy boy

 

[justforfun]

My boys get a quick squirt with baby oil when its hanging out, job done.
Not done very often though, about 3times a yr if that.

 

[maletto]

I've not read all the replies but would honestly recommend just leaving it be!! if he drops it, I usually pick off the big bits but would never try anything more intrusive (not after the last time when I tried a "tip" off here that suggested aqueous cream & pony ended up very uncomfortable!)

 

[maletto]

and as an aside, I've had my boy 10 years and apart from the odd picking as I described above (maybe once every other month), have never done anything more involved and he is absolutely fine.

 

[Paint Me Proud]

my boy jusy would NOT let me clean his sheath. Even when he had a heavy sedation the vet said 'oh you can do it now' but oh no Chico had other ideas and even half doped he sucked it back in at super light speed!

I had to resort to asking the vet to clean it while Chico was under anesthetic having an emergency colic operation. Luckily it was my regular vet so she knew Chico wouldnt let me clean it.
Needless to say he has come back after his surgery with a lovely clean sheath!

 

[Fantasy_World]

Fantasy_World, I totally agree with you, I clean every 10 days with warm water and a sponge, simply because he gets black tarry stuff down his hind legs, not attractive for showing!!

Thankyou I don't wash my boys bits that often but check them regularly when they drop it out to make sure all is as it should be.

As for the other comments about smegma beans the urethral fossa is indeed the urethra, it is the end of it. I would imagine that people would check this out for themselves online as there are pages about it and where it is found. To suggest people would be as so stupid to stick cotton wool buds or similar up it is rather defamatory towards horse owners. Also I doubt for one that unless they had a very relaxed horse and owned a catheter kit they would be able to insert much into the urethra of a male horse as it is really not that wide.
Horses do not always pee this bean out. On many occasions I have had to remove blockages from two of my geldings. One had a bean so large in his urethral fossa that you could feel it just by manipulating the head of the penis and it was about the size of a penny piece. It took careful removal by well lubricated and gloved fingers but once removed the first thing the horse did was to have a well earned pee which flowed with a even stream unlike his pressurised hose attempts at urinating he had been displaying.
I would suggest if anyone has any questions about sheath cleaning and checking for these beans that they ask their vets advice. I know that my own vet has agreed with its importance and they are very well regarded equine vets.

 

[jaijai]

Not going to join the should you/ shouldn't you debate but for those that want to have posted this link which I saved when this was discussed in a previous thread. Explains all about the 'elusive bean.'
http://www.smallesthorse.com/resources/sheath_cleaning.htm

 

[xxMozlarxx]

I've not read all the replies but would honestly recommend just leaving it be!! if he drops it, I usually pick off the big bits but would never try anything more intrusive (not after the last time when I tried a "tip" off here that suggested aqueous cream & pony ended up very uncomfortable!)

Probably a good idea to read all the replies before commenting, then you would learn that some horses do need cleaning from time to time..for some it's not necessary but others get very gunky and smelly and can get infected.

 

[NinjaPony]

Eugh, my gelding gets black goo down his legs from time to time- its hard to get off and vile!
He was cleaned by the vet a couple of months ago, and I don't want to interfere too much, but the black guck is not nice, especially as he is a grey that shows at county level!

 

[muddymate]

Cleaning sheaths on a regular basis is a very new thing and I suspect it has been driven by marketers wanting to sell a product and get you to part with your money.

I have owned geldings for over 30 years. I've never cleaned a sheath and I have no intention of starting now.

Totally agree cptrayes...I know some things have improved hugely for horses than in 'my day' e.g. thinking 'bad' behaviour might be pain related rather than instantly to do with 'naughtiness' etc...but this sheath cleaning obsession! It's a modern myth. Possibly, maybe unless there is a real infection type problem and vet recommends (never actually experienced this but not denying it)... leave it alone! I never see long threads on here mulling over cleaning mares bits, why not? I am sure a mares bits (apart from a cursory wipe) when not visible externally don't look or smell like an avenue of roses either!

 

[muddymate]

If they get the black gunk on their legs etc then it's worth cleaning as it attracts flies and you can end up with maggots up there but if not i leave well alone.

Have you ever seen or experienced this in equines in the UK? I have never heard of it here, ever...perhaps in hotter climes?

 

[xxMozlarxx]

Totally agree cptrayes...I know some things have improved hugely for horses than in 'my day' e.g. thinking 'bad' behaviour might be pain related rather than instantly to do with 'naughtiness' etc...but this sheath cleaning obsession! It's a modern myth. Possibly, maybe unless there is a real infection type problem and vet recommends (never actually experienced this but not denying it)... leave it alone! I never see long threads on here mulling over cleaning mares bits, why not? I am sure a mares bits (apart from a cursory wipe) when not visible externally don't look or smell like an avenue of roses either!

There is no comparison with a mares bits, there is no area in which excretions can collect in the same way. If a geldings sheath is gunky, all over his legs and smelling it needs attention, sorry but as a 'leave it alone' type person I don't understand how you feel this can be debated?

 

[daydreambeliever]

We have about 30 geldings on our yard only 1 is washed regularly however we have 2, 1small oap pony and 1 large horse who both suffer from bouts of maggot infestations. I have also seen maggots in the frogs of a horse with bad untreated thrush. YUK

 

[GinaGem]

Have you ever seen or experienced this in equines in the UK? I have never heard of it here, ever...perhaps in hotter climes?

Yes it actually happened to my boy, i thought he had colic at first as he was kicking at his belly but the vet thought it was maggots and said he'd seen it quite a few times, some a lot worse than this. We found 3 very small ones which wasn't that pleasant. It was his sheath that was the real problem as the gunk would get stuck up there in big lumps. You had to get your hand up there and remove the large lumps of gunk and give it a good clean and hosepipe. The vet also removed a build up from the end of the willy when he was sedated which i presume is what people mean by the beans? I thought he said it was a build up of calcium from the urine but i may of got that wrong.

 

[Pedantic]

If the animal needs it doing it shouldn't be left due to "oh my friends never needed it doing", as I said, I left my boys alone due to following someone else's advice and he got an infection, it's simple, if it needs doing do it, if it doesn't then don't, if your embarrassed to do it then get a vet to do it, don;t ignore it.

 

[TigerTail]

Im amazed at the amount of people still using babyoil as a lubricant! Try using it on yourselves in a 'bedroom' situation if you want to find out why its is completely inappropriate to use on sensitive bits!

Also to spray it on in the sun if the willy is hanging out is likely to cause sun burn

 

[Pedantic]

Im amazed at the amount of people still using babyoil as a lubricant! Try using it on yourselves in a 'bedroom' situation if you want to find out why its is completely inappropriate to use on sensitive bits!

Also to spray it on in the sun if the willy is hanging out is likely to cause sun burn

Never had a prob using the baby oil in any department, I normally have the horse standing upright to avoid sunburn on his willy when cleaning it, he didn't like the lying on his back feet in the air approach, also his willy kept flopping over to one side making cleaning it difficult

 

[JanetGeorge]

Have you ever seen or experienced this in equines in the UK? I have never heard of it here, ever...perhaps in hotter climes?

My vet sees several cases of maggots in the sheath most years! They LOOK like a mild colic (kicking, biting at belly etc.) but everything else does NOT present as colic!

I have a young stallion who got an infection in his sheath about 18 months ago - think red hot football for a sheath!! It was investigated within an inch of its life - scanned several times etc. It cost me hundreds of pounds for repeated courses of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. At that time he had never had his sheath cleaned as everything 'visible' had always looked clean and he wasn't covering mares yet.

Of course, it left chronic inflammation and we HAVE to hose out his sheath every day (and massage it) - otherwise it gets swollen again.

And anyone who thinks they 'self clean' should see my old stallion at the start of the stud season! I always have a bucket of water with very dilute Hibiscrub and paper towels handy at the teasing wall - so when he gets 'interested' I can grab him and give it a good wash, rinse and dry! After that, he just gets sluiced down with clean warm water before and after!

Most of my geldings aren't regularly washed, but whenever they come in hot and sweaty, th hose is directed up into the area to sluice it out - that's enough to keep most clean and happy. The odd one needs more. And ALL males can be taught to accept cleaning!

And it's not just the males who need cleaning - but with mares it's normally between the teats where you can get a HORRIBLE accumulation of black GUCK! Mares being covered are always washed underneath the tail before covering - and hell some of them need it!

 

[GinaGem]

Never had a prob using the baby oil in any department, I normally have the horse standing upright to avoid sunburn on his willy when cleaning it, he didn't like the lying on his back feet in the air approach, also his willy kept flopping over to one side making cleaning it difficult

 

[xxMozlarxx]

Never had a prob using the baby oil in any department, I normally have the horse standing upright to avoid sunburn on his willy when cleaning it, he didn't like the lying on his back feet in the air approach, also his willy kept flopping over to one side making cleaning it difficult

Mwuahahahah...

 

[NOISYGIRL]

My vet told me not to use any sheath cleaning products as it upsets the ph balance

Use only plain water, new sponge but thoroughly wash the sponge before you do it as there are chemicals in the making process.

My horse doesnt' like it being done and won't drop it out except when I return from a ride, so if I need to do it which isn't very often, I put bucket and sponge ready for our return, you can usually hold it long enough to get some off.

I think the noise is a sign it needs cleaning, although mine didn't make a noise

Ps, mine wouldn't drop it on sedalin

Pps, I've only done it twice in his 33 year life

 

[NOISYGIRL]

Totally agree.
I've had my boy 8 years and never touched it and don't intend to unless there's ever a problem.
IMO your asking for trouble by sticking stuff up there that nature never intended!
No-one decided to gives their mare's floo a good scrub every week (i hope! )

There used to be someone on our yard who regurlarly cleaned their mares bits, it was gross, by regularly I mean few times a week !