Dirty sheath

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PC Steele

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My Gelding has an incredibly dirty sheath :eek: If I dont clean it once a week the smeg is all down his hind legs and it is a nightmare to get off!! I have tried leaving the sheath and just cleaning his legs as I thought maybe I was cleaning it to often :D:D but no difference!!! Any suggestions??
 
I had a similar problem and bought some chestfields sheath cleaner at a show. It's a natural one so nice and gentle but cleaned it up really well and haven't had any problems since!:)
 
There is something wrong for his sheath to be that dirty. Personally I don't ever clean sheaths unless there is a problem. It is likely that this is what started it in the first place. They don't get cleaned in the wild. We don't go prodding about in dog's sheaths, so why do it to horses? My advice is to get the vet to rule out infection, then, if all is fine to leave it. Just keep cleaning everywhere else. It may take 6 months or more but the irritation should clear of it's own accord if you leave it alone.
 
I've had my small cob for 7 years and never once had to clean his sheath (and believe me I see it alot...he's a rather 'relaxed' young man!!!) so I agree with Wagtail I'd be suspicious something is a miss for you to having to clean it that often.
 
Mine got a piece of baler twine stuck to it once. Where he got that from I have no idea as i always check his box or anywhere else as he will put anything in his mouth.

Washed it off with luke warm water wearing those thin rubber gloves. He is very expressive with the faces he pulls and he didn't object but I could tell it was a new experience for him. But hopefully I won't have to ever repeat it.

He doesn't like me ignoring him by using my mobile and at the moment he is trying really hard to take a bite out of it. Keys were the last thing, I dropped them on the ground trying to get my gloves out of my pocket and he grabbed them and then did his giraffe impression. i nearly had a heart attack thinking he was going to swallow them but he put them back in my hand all covered in slobber. Yuck! Turned around and all the other owners were smirking one even told me that he hadn't tried that particular war dance before and could I repeat it as he would like to learn the moves?
 
I have a Highland x gelding who is quite shy!,his sheath is pretty manky when seen from afar & has always been for the 6 years I have had him so infection is ruled out.I was advised that a sheath should be gently bathed twice a year & the reason being that as they are gelded all is not lubricated as in the wild.I never seem to get it properly clean because he hates it being done & I know it is delicate so avoid over doing it leaving quite alot of dark grey sticky stuff (my daughter screams when she sees me doing it).My other gelding has a sheath clean as a whistle with no cleaning!Hoping just keeping an eye is ok seems in no discomfort but interested in any comments.
 
My gelding had same problem, and after a couple of years of a useless vet practice, swapped to another, 3 opserations later... still cleaning, but at least I now know what it is! I have to clean him every other day, it is incredibly smelly, but is now his favourite pastime... sadly, Im not too enamoured with 800kilo's of part shire humping my arm when i'm in up to my elbow, but it gives the rest of the liveries a giggle...

BUT moral is, I clean his alternating with a VERY dilute hibiscrub, then another time it will be a sheath cleaner, ( I have 3 varieties), once a week I also dry it all off as best as possible, and give him a good sudacrem-ing...
 
I reckoned his is ok just more than the other produces - smells but not an offensive infection type smell & has never changed colour or pattern in 6 years,always thought if it ain't broke don't fix it only unsavoury to us clean humans?
 
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