Sheath Problem

[junior_7178]

Im after a bit of advice realy,i'll try not to make it too long winded!!
Cheers,my old man grey gelding has had a bit of a sheath problem for the year ive owned him.About 3 weeks after i first got him he started getting black "smeg" on the inside of his hin legs.Having had a mare before him i didnt realise what it was at first,until someone told me what it was and that i needed to clean his sheath.It only took a couple of weeks for it to start coming back after i'd cleaned it with hibbiscrub and warm water.I put up with it for a little while and just cleaned it every few weeks.Vet told me it was nothing to be concerned about just clean it regulaly.

Anyway,its never gone away and over the months got worse.It only takes a few days for it to be all black and stinky,realy messy too.Cleaning it is not a nice job either but once ive done it he is clearly relieved and a lot more comfortable.
Ive had the vet out monthly for the last ten months (an ongoing injury thats needed monthy check ups),and every time ive pointed it out to the vet theyve said not to worry,just clean it regulaly.
By the way,all this time he's ben on box rest (10 months in all).

ANYWAY.......3 weeks ago i had a different vet out to do the monthy assesment and i asked him to look at the sheath (he also has a lots of Melanoma's in there).He was very shocked and told me it should be more of a concern now than the long term injury (tendon) and said he had a serious infection in there.He perscribed me 10 days anti-biotics to clear the infection and said i need to sedate him (sedoline) every day and clean it and then dry it and apply some cream in a tube,cant remember what it was called.

Right,so ive done exactly as he said and it looked like it completely cleared up,by the end on the 10 days it wasnt dirty anymore but i kept cleaning it and applying the cream anyway.I was realy pleased and thought the problem was solved thank god.

Cheer's has now been retired because of the tendon injury,but released from his 10 months box rest so he's now been turned out and is actualy living out now happily retired.Problem is ive noticed last week or so that the black legs are back so the sheath is clearly in a mess again.I realy dont want to have to get the vet out again,ive already paid them thousands this year for MRI scans,check ups etc....however will do if i have no other option.

In the next few days im going to bring him in and clean it up etc,but i realy dont want to have to keep doing this every few days for the rest of his life,and cant do it properly without sedoline (to make him flop it out).


I wondered if anyone on here has had any similar problems or can give me any ideas or advice????
My main concern is not me having to clean it,i dont mind doing it etc,it just worried me that he's clearly uncomfortable as he is so relieved once ive done it and even whinny's whilst im cleaning it.

HELP!!!!????

 

[DollyDolls]

I'd phone that vet again, they should offer advice over the phone.

I wouldn't use hibiscrub as I feel the purpose made sheath cleaners are better.

Can you call his previous owners & see what they say?

 

[Cahill]

i always worry that too much soap etc will upset the natural balance.
i wipe my boys over with a rubber glove and olive oil and have have no problems.
people recomend baby oil but i think olive oil is more natural,i have used both over the years and also products from tack shops but think olive oil the best.

 

[Nari]

I'd definately phone the vet . Say to them you don't think you need a call out, just some advice on how best to proceed. If you ask nicely they may well let you have some Sedalin without a visit, I know mine would.

I must admit I wouldn't be using Hibiscrub on a regular basis, in fact I stick to lukewarm water ever since I saw a friend's pony react to sheath cleaner.

 

[Eaglestone]

[ QUOTE ]
Im after a bit of advice realy,i'll try not to make it too long winded!!
Cheers,my old man grey gelding has had a bit of a sheath problem for the year ive owned him.About 3 weeks after i first got him he started getting black "smeg" on the inside of his hin legs.Having had a mare before him i didnt realise what it was at first,until someone told me what it was and that i needed to clean his sheath.It only took a couple of weeks for it to start coming back after i'd cleaned it with hibbiscrub and warm water.I put up with it for a little while and just cleaned it every few weeks.Vet told me it was nothing to be concerned about just clean it regulaly.

Anyway,its never gone away and over the months got worse.It only takes a few days for it to be all black and stinky,realy messy too.Cleaning it is not a nice job either but once ive done it he is clearly relieved and a lot more comfortable.
Ive had the vet out monthly for the last ten months (an ongoing injury thats needed monthy check ups),and every time ive pointed it out to the vet theyve said not to worry,just clean it regulaly.
By the way,all this time he's ben on box rest (10 months in all).

ANYWAY.......3 weeks ago i had a different vet out to do the monthy assesment and i asked him to look at the sheath (he also has a lots of Melanoma's in there).He was very shocked and told me it should be more of a concern now than the long term injury (tendon) and said he had a serious infection in there.He perscribed me 10 days anti-biotics to clear the infection and said i need to sedate him (sedoline) every day and clean it and then dry it and apply some cream in a tube,cant remember what it was called.

Right,so ive done exactly as he said and it looked like it completely cleared up,by the end on the 10 days it wasnt dirty anymore but i kept cleaning it and applying the cream anyway.I was realy pleased and thought the problem was solved thank god.

Cheer's has now been retired because of the tendon injury,but released from his 10 months box rest so he's now been turned out and is actualy living out now happily retired.Problem is ive noticed last week or so that the black legs are back so the sheath is clearly in a mess again.I realy dont want to have to get the vet out again,ive already paid them thousands this year for MRI scans,check ups etc....however will do if i have no other option.

In the next few days im going to bring him in and clean it up etc,but i realy dont want to have to keep doing this every few days for the rest of his life,and cant do it properly without sedoline (to make him flop it out).


I wondered if anyone on here has had any similar problems or can give me any ideas or advice????
My main concern is not me having to clean it,i dont mind doing it etc,it just worried me that he's clearly uncomfortable as he is so relieved once ive done it and even whinny's whilst im cleaning it.

HELP!!!!????

[/ QUOTE ]

If your Vet thinks that the 'natural balance' has been lost in this area, then perhaps trying the simple remedy that my Vet suggested, when my TB's was very sore ..... I had to put a pot of Natural Yogurt up there ... it was everywhere else as well ... on the floor, all over me and down his legs

... but it did the trick

Your boy may have a different problem overall though

Good Luck

 

[Kallibear]

Cleaning it with hibiscrub was probably the worse thing you could do!

NEVER ever use a soap on it, most esp not a antibacterial one! It makes me squim just thinking about it!

If you need to clean it, try FemFresh, It's a 'soap' cleaner designed for 'the intimate female area'. It's avalible at most supermarkets, in the sanitry towel isle. It will clean without upsetting the balance. The yougart suggestion can work too, but you need to wash it off again the next day (with just water!)

 

[AmyMay]

Keep the cleaning process simple. Warm water - no soap of any type.

However, the melanomas are probably the real problem here - rather than the hibiscrub. So it would be the vet again for me.

 

[Eaglestone]

[ QUOTE ]
Cleaning it with hibiscrub was probably the worse thing you could do!

NEVER ever use a soap on it, most esp not a antibacterial one! It makes me squim just thinking about it!

If you need to clean it, try FemFresh, It's a 'soap' cleaner designed for 'the intimate female area'. It's avalible at most supermarkets, in the sanitry towel isle. It will clean without upsetting the balance. The yougart suggestion can work too, but you need to wash it off again the next day (with just water!)

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh I never washed it off the next day .... it was all gone

.... the Vet did not suggest this either

 

[Smurphy]

Hi - I had the same problem when my horse was on box rest, it wad caused by standing in all day, my boy often had bedding inside his sheath when i cleaned it , and it took a good few weeks to clear up once he was turned out, I found warm water and and baby oil worked well! I had big problems trying to keep it clean as soon as i got near my lad he would try to kick me!! dont blame him tho!!

 

[junior_7178]

Thanks for all the advice.I brought him in from the field today for a clean up and used hibbi scrub ( i wish i had seen the post about not using it ).Was supprised to see that it wasnt as bad as it used to be,even though there was lots on the inside of his hind legs.

Anyway,i got my arm in as far as i could,but its a very difficult job as the melanoma's are massive in there and its impossible to get him to drop it out without 7 notches of sedoline inside him.I gave it as much of a clean as i could but forgot to put the vasoline all over it before i turned him out (as suggested by lots of people).
Im going to bring him in again tommorow for another clean,this time with warm water only,and i'll smear loads of vasoline in there before i turn him out.I'll keep an eye on it for a couple of days and if it smegs up again straight away im just going to get the vet out again for more anti-biotics.

With regards to the FemFresche stuff that someone suggested,im not sure if i could bring myself to buy it (im a man LOL).

 

[DuckToller]

Oops quite understand you not wanting to buy femfresh then!

I agree with AmyMay, I think the melanomas are the real issue. Is horse grey by any chance?

I had a part Arab years ago and he developed a tumour on the end of his penis (ugh, sorry, no nice way of putting it). He had to have the end removed and then once it had healed I had to keep it clean. And yes, he thoroughly appreciated my efforts! However he did have blood in all the gunge to start with, so if yours hasn't got blood, then hopefully not as serious as mine.

Not really sure if this is any help, but if your horse's sheath is already better, then maybe being able to move about will help it keep cleaner naturally. Maybe the melanomas make it uncomfortable for him to, um, let it all hang out? Which is why it gets dirtier - just a thought.

Just keep an eye on what the gunge up inside there is, in case there is any blood. Not sure you could operate if up inside, plus as you say already spent thousands, but it might explain why it won't go away. How about warm water syringe to wash it out in between thorough sedalin washes?

 

[junior_7178]

Yes he is Grey and 18 years old.He has a couple of very small (marble sized) melanomas in his neck/jawline area,and a few round his bottom area,all of which the vet has told me not to worry about.Obviously i have been slightly worried about the ones in the neck but vet has assured me they are not a problem at the moment.
The ones in his sheath are BIg,and there lots of them.Basicaly you can put your hand in and pull out 2 good handfuls of while/black melanoma's.Its almost impossible to find his penis without the use of Sedoline.
Ive never seen him get it out on his own unless its straight after ive cleaned it,so i belive the melanomas are preventing him from getting it out on his own.

Vet has said the melanomas are not the cause of all the black stuff directly and its not worth the hassle having them removed at this stage.I just need to clear up the infection once and for all then hopefully i can keep it under control,even if that means lubricating daily and cleaning regulaly.Obviously my main concern is that he's very uncomfortable.

On the plus side he's such a calm old man he doesnt mind me doing stuff in that region,even when i shove my arm up inside him to my elbow! (sorry thats a bit graphic!!) and i can happily sit on the floot between his legs for hours on end without him being bothered.


Thanks for all the tips/advice and support etc.....and please dont think im substituting this for vetinary help,i just thought i'd get some other opinions.

 

[Law]

I don't want to worry you unduly but I had a grey with melanomas (I think it was referred to as squamous cell carcinomas) in this sheath/penis and sadly he had to be PTS as a result

I'd be after a second/third opinion I think

 

[Bert&Maud]

We had an elderly Arab who had squamous cell carcinomas at the top of his penis. When it was diagnosed we were told he wouldn't be around much longer, but with careful management we kept him going happily for another two years. We used to apply Dermobion each day (I don't think you can get it here any more, but we found an alternative called Ilium Dermapred - the same product) which kept any infection under control and also lubricated it. It was then washed thoroughly with warm water once a week.
You definately don't want to be using Hibiscrub. My friend is a theatre sister and has to use it every day, and if you could see the state of her hands you'd never put it on something as sensitive as the area we're talking about!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[DuckToller]

I was always told that my horse would die with his melanomas, and not necessarily because of them. So to brighten up this post, let's hope your horse's melanomas remain much the same for the next few years and your horse can enjoy his retirement, and especially his sheath cleaning sessions, for the next few years!

If there is anything really nasty growing up there, you will probably soon know about it and do what's best. Have you got a girlfriend who can be sent off to by femfresh? Or that might get her rather suspicious...

 

[kellyeaton]

get a second opion 10 months of these same thing to me sounds a very long time the best thing you can do cleaning wise is get a sheath cleaner by a proper horse supplier and warm water. it is not good you have to keep sedating him think of all those chemicals attacking his liver call your vets aswell and tell them you are not happy! good luck hope the old chappy gets well soon!x

 

[Angela_Jackson]

My boy has real smelly bits, but not as bad as yours by the sounds of it. Luckily he too is quite releaved when its done!

I have read somewhere, (when researching about it) that if you have a real bad problem the best thing to do is;
after a thorough clean, you can use some good bacteria off a gelding that is in real good health in that region, to put inside the poorly guys region and the good bacteria will repopulate in the new horse....one important thing is that the good bacteria coming off the clean healthy horse needs to be naturally non smelly, that way you know it is good.