Price for gelding undescended testicle.

[Dwyran_gold]

Ok so I am going g ahead with the operation in March. The vet I use has now said he hasn’t got the facilities to do the operation as his one testicle is undescended. So I’m shopping around, can anyone with any experience with this tell me what price I should be expecting and what the procedure might be? I’ve had vets saying they do it in the field, others saying they have to go to horsey hospital for 2 nights and so far the prices have ranged from £800 to £2000.... I’m very confused. I’ve given the ringing around a break for today and I’m expecting a few calls back tomorrow.
what was your experience and sorry to ask but what did you pay? Thanks in advance ??

 

[twiggy2]

have the vets who said they would do it in the field been aware that your pony only has one testicle descended?
All the prices you get are likely to be estimates as no-one will know how long the anaesthetic will take, how invasive the surgery will be etc.
Good luck with it and I would not go down the route of surgery in a field as a straightforward castration is just that straightforward, searching for an undescended testicle is far more risky.
They can be very high in the abdomen or just above where it should be they wont know till they look.

 

[Gloi]

Has your vet tried sedating him and seeing if it drops then or if he can feel it? It's worth a try before you spend big money

 

[Dwyran_gold]

Has your vet tried sedating him and seeing if it drops then or if he can feel it? It's worth a try before you spend big money

Thank you for your reply. I’ve read that, it’s something he hasn’t tried and hasn’t offered to try. Maybe I’ll give him a call and ask. X

 

[Equi]

How old is he? My little fellas took a good year to come properly down, now you can't miss it lol

 

[Dwyran_gold]

have the vets who said they would do it in the field been aware that your pony only has one testicle descended?
All the prices you get are likely to be estimates as no-one will know how long the anaesthetic will take, how invasive the surgery will be etc.
Good luck with it and I would not go down the route of surgery in a field as a straightforward castration is just that straightforward, searching for an undescended testicle is far more risky.
They can be very high in the abdomen or just above where it should be they wont know till they look.

Thank you for your reply, I’ve explained his situation to all the vets I’ve rang. It seems to some the only big difference is that they have to be knocked out instead of sedated with a local anaesthetic and it can take up to half instead of 10 mins to complete with it being undescended, the bring out a portable ultrasound Machine to look for the undescended one before going ahead . Then the other side of it are the vets saying it’s a 2 night stay in horsey hospital. I’m just trying to find the best way of doing it that’s not going to be too traumatic for him. I really didn’t want him to have to stay away but if he has to then he has to. Im just wondering what other people’s experiences were with procedures and prices xx

 

[Dwyran_gold]

How old is he? My little fellas took a good year to come properly down, now you can't miss it lol

he’s 21 months old nearly, I’ve been having a feel every week lol and it’s no where to be seen.. or felt! I’ve had the vet out 3 time’s now to have a more comprehensive look but no luck ? xx

 

[Clydiegirl]

My clydesdale went into horspital for his op and was kept in for 2 nights. I was quoted £800 but it ended up costing £1900. Vet reduced it to £1200 when he found out the stupidly low quote (his words) we'd been given.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

My clydesdale went into horspital for his op and was kept in for 2 nights. I was quoted £800 but it ended up costing £1900. Vet reduced it to £1200 when he found out the stupidly low quote (his words) we'd been given.

oooh never! So the same quotes I’ve had but yours were from the same vet. How was he been kept in and after the operation and the recovery? Xx

 

[Clydiegirl]

He was fine with it all, there was a shetland in at the same time as him so he had company and apart from a slight infection he recovered well. He was the kind of boy that took everything in his stride though, he never let anything phase him. His size was the main reason for the difference in prices, he was a lot bigger than they expected lol.

 

[ihatework]

The thing is, as you are finding out, there is more than one way to skin a cat (or debollock a horse ?).

Vets will have different attitudes to risk and, in case of bigger practices, you may find there is a corporate policy involved too.

The cost will depend on who does it, where the procedure is carried out, post op hospitalisation (if at all), size of horse (impacts drug usage).

Ultimately this procedure can be done by dropping him in a field if you want to. And it wouldn’t necessarily be the wrong thing to do, but you do increase the risk of complications or not being able to quickly deal with complications if they arise. So at the end of the day it depends on the level of risk you are comfortable with.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

The thing is, as you are finding out, there is more than one way to skin a cat (or debollock a horse ?).

Vets will have different attitudes to risk and, in case of bigger practices, you may find there is a corporate policy involved too.

The cost will depend on who does it, where the procedure is carried out, post op hospitalisation (if at all), size of horse (impacts drug usage).

Ultimately this procedure can be done by dropping him in a field if you want to. And it wouldn’t necessarily be the wrong thing to do, but you do increase the risk of complications or not being able to quickly deal with complications if they arise. So at the end of the day it depends on the level of risk you are comfortable with.

it’s so true. I was kind of hoping he’d have a ‘that was a bad dream’ experience rather than a ‘mom I was abducted by aliens’ kind of experience. I want to keep it as simple as possible for him, he’s only a baby. I’ll have to spend another couple of days speaking to vets I think. Lol xx

 

[Leo Walker]

it’s so true. I was kind of hoping he’d have a ‘that was a bad dream’ experience rather than a ‘mom I was abducted by aliens’ kind of experience. I want to keep it as simple as possible for him, he’s only a baby. I’ll have to spend another couple of days speaking to vets I think. Lol xx

However its done they dont remember. I had to help hold mine up against the wall as he decided the sedation was too much and wanted to lay down. So the whole time I was holding him in a headlock. Once the sedation wore off he had no idea what had happened and didnt hold it against me, so dont worry!

 

[scruffyponies]

When I looked into having Buster done (nearly 20 years ago) I was advised that it would cost £2k+ and require 6mths of box rest. I was also told that they couldn't guarantee to find and remove the testicle, even with the operation, and that as he had never been stabled, I should put him in for at least a couple of months first to 'get him used to it'.

 

[scruffyponies]

However its done they dont remember. I had to help hold mine up against the wall as he decided the sedation was too much and wanted to lay down. So the whole time I was holding him in a headlock. Once the sedation wore off he had no idea what had happened and didnt hold it against me, so dont worry!

You say that. One of mine (a peaceable soul normally) kicked the vet a right good one when he next saw him after he was gelded.
Pretty sure it was personal.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

When I looked into having Buster done (nearly 20 years ago) I was advised that it would cost £2k+ and require 6mths of box rest. I was also told that they couldn't guarantee to find and remove the testicle, even with the operation, and that as he had never been stabled, I should put him in for at least a couple of months first to 'get him used to it'.

omg that’s awful!! Poor thing. It’s amazes me how much things have changed from 20 years ago. That’s about the time I got my first already gelded horse lol Xx

 

[Dwyran_gold]

You say that. One of mine (a peaceable soul normally) kicked the vet a right good one when he next saw him after he was gelded.
Pretty sure it was personal.

well I can’t blame him! Lol xx

 

[Dwyran_gold]

However its done they dont remember. I had to help hold mine up against the wall as he decided the sedation was too much and wanted to lay down. So the whole time I was holding him in a headlock. Once the sedation wore off he had no idea what had happened and didnt hold it against me, so dont worry!

aw thank you Leo that has put my mind at rest. Xx

 

[Chuffy99]

Some years ago my colt went to one of the vet hospitals and the vet students operated on him and I only paid for care not the op, might be worth an ask

 

[hihosilver]

yes I have had 2 friends have this- both welsh section D and sec C. The section D was left till a 2 1.2 year old and she took him to potters bar as it was far cheaper. Horse recovered well and his a 6 year old now 16.2! Other frind in Scotland just couldn't afford the surgery and the pony was small and not backed just a welsh C a bit feral. Friend couldn't afford the vets bill and she made the descion to PTS she had a very disabled daughter.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

yes I have had 2 friends have this- both welsh section D and sec C. The section D was left till a 2 1.2 year old and she took him to potters bar as it was far cheaper. Horse recovered well and his a 6 year old now 16.2! Other frind in Scotland just couldn't afford the surgery and the pony was small and not backed just a welsh C a bit feral. Friend couldn't afford the vets bill and she made the descion to PTS she had a very disabled daughter.

oh noo that’s horrible. I wouldn’t say alfie is feral, just a bit coltish. I had a situation yesterday where I needed some fences fixing and the man who came to look at it went in the field with me and alfie kicked out (bucking) at him and then turned around and reared towards him, the man was quite good he put his hands up and shouted at him to leave to which alfie gave him a couple more rears. I think he’s just gotten to a stage where he’s getting a bit much to handle. He’s better with me than with anyone but will even give me a nip occasionally lol. I think the time has come to remove the balls..... lol xx

 

[cundlegreen]

oh noo that’s horrible. I wouldn’t say alfie is feral, just a bit coltish. I had a situation yesterday where I needed some fences fixing and the man who came to look at it went in the field with me and alfie kicked out (bucking) at him and then turned around and reared towards him, the man was quite good he put his hands up and shouted at him to leave to which alfie gave him a couple more rears. I think he’s just gotten to a stage where he’s getting a bit much to handle. He’s better with me than with anyone but will even give me a nip occasionally lol. I think the time has come to remove the balls..... lol xx

I think it's way past time to teach him his manners. I've got a 23 year old welsh cob stallion here, who I've owned from 9 months old. He has always had the most perfect manners which were taught to him early on. Do some groundwork to resolve the coltishness, and leave the castration for a while. Maybe the testicle will come down on its own.

 

[scruffyponies]

Agree about the manners. Anything with balls should be taught manners more firmly, not less.
It's a bit like having a big dog. It's the owners job to make sure it isn't a menace, because if they don't the animal is the one that suffers.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

I think it's way past time to teach him his manners. I've got a 23 year old welsh cob stallion here, who I've owned from 9 months old. He has always had the most perfect manners which were taught to him early on. Do some groundwork to resolve the coltishness, and leave the castration for a while. Maybe the testicle will come down on its own.

He’s doing great, he has a trainer out twice a week and I practice his lessons on manners in between. He is 100x better than when I got him. I’ve had him assessed and all his behaviour is normal and hormonal, the vet and the trainer agree and unfortunately he’ll be excitable until he’s gelded, he’s not dangerous just his hormones have kicked in early and he’s young. Xx

 

[Dwyran_gold]

Agree about the manners. Anything with balls should be taught manners more firmly, not less.
It's a bit like having a big dog. It's the owners job to make sure it isn't a menace, because if they don't the animal is the one that suffers.

hes not a menace. Just bigger than my pointer lol xxx

 

[Dwyran_gold]

I think it's way past time to teach him his manners. I've got a 23 year old welsh cob stallion here, who I've owned from 9 months old. He has always had the most perfect manners which were taught to him early on. Do some groundwork to resolve the coltishness, and leave the castration for a while. Maybe the testicle will come down on its own.

hes 20 months old not years xx

 

[ycbm]

Before horse hospitals existed outside teaching universities, which isn't that long ago, all these operations were done in a field or stable yard. I saw one done fifty years ago. I wouldn't rule out doing him at home unless you are risk averse.

.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

Before horse hospitals existed outside teaching universities, which isn't that long ago, all these operations were done in a field or stable yard. I saw one done fifty years ago. I wouldn't rule out doing him at home unless you are risk averse.

.

thank you, that’s reassuring to know. I’ll look more in to it xx

 

[scruffyponies]

hes not a menace. Just bigger than my pointer lol xxx

Oops. Didn't mean your horse was a menace OP.

As the owner of several stallions and a couple of large mastiffs, I'm just acutely aware of how some people see them.

 

[Dwyran_gold]

Oops. Didn't mean your horse was a menace OP.

As the owner of several stallions and a couple of large mastiffs, I'm just acutely aware of how some people see them.

Thank you. everyone has their opinions next door (with own little yards same as me) told me I’d never handle him he’s been left too long he’s balls not dropped etc etc and I just loved the boy as soon as I saw him. He’s handled by me daily and they are now impressed with his progress and cheering me on (although now I handle him too much ?) Yeah he’s a handful and I would like him gelded but he’s lovely and I’m going to work hard to get him to be the best version of himself.
I love him for his quirks and I hope he doesn’t change too much when he’s gelded. Also he reared and bucked in his field without his head collar on, I wasn’t leading him, it was a strange man etc etc xx