Sheath problems....yuck!

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poiuytrewq

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Im not adverse to cleaning my horses bits- I was taught thoroughly when I was about 12 much to my great disgust by my lovely yard manager.
Ive only ever had geldings bar one pony my daughter had and have always had to deal with it, no problem.
Until this one! Its truly awful, I can pick chunks of black seriously a cm + thick from inside all over at any point. In the summer I have to do proper cleans weekly and he tends to get quite uncomfortable when flies are about, I have once found a maggot :(
Even when he's working he will stand kicking at his tummy, this is my indication its needing cleaning again. Each time you'd swear it had never been cleaned its SO foul.
The thing is I can do a really good clean, well as good as I can but within days im back to square one.
I have to dodge the back legs- he's never ever a horse to kick but really dislikes this process.
His actual penis is normal and gets as manky as my other geldings (not very at all)
I currently have 4 geldings and the other 3 take minimal cleaning and never have a problem.
Any ideas? Im considering getting the vet out to do a major clean! Is this crazy and stupid?
Drives us both nuts!
 
I had the vet out to do a 'deep clean' on my boy's, same really, lots of black gunk and I could never seem to get it properly clean.
 
Get vet, he will sedate and it will all hang out and be so much easier to clean, he may have infected sheath and need some help clearing it up. Poor boy, imagine how sore it must be , ladies just imagine it, it's horrid if one gets itchy thrush he must be uncomfortable.
 
Just a thought, can you try putting some ky on it so that it's easier to pick the gunk off next time (less likely to get your head kicked in, lol)? Also are you using something that's ph balanced to clean it out? If not that could definately be making it get dirty again quickly.

I'd phone the vet and see what they say, they do normally seem pretty concerned about stuff going on in that area!
 
Ive tried several things from plain warm water incase something I used did make it worse, baby and olive oil and a ph balanced (supposedly) sheath cleaner, which to be honest seems the least effective one.
What a pain! I spoke to my boss as I got him from work and he said they had never cleaned it or noticed a problem and that the maggot was a caterpillar that climbed in when he was lying down.....erm wtf! To be fair the flies are far worse where I keep him and I never noticed it when he was at the previous yard.

Any idea on cost for a vet to do such thing? Id like to try and hold off a month if possible as his jabs are due then so saves on call out a bit, I will call and have a word though. I think i'll have another try today as my daughters around and can hold a twitch which makes it easier.
 
I have had quite a few geldings, and it does seem to vary with each one. A couple I have never had to worry about as they seem to be self-cleaning (!), another I do a couple of times a year, a few need a monthly clean in the summer, and one I had to do at least twice weekly in the summer, so I guess there is no normal as such!

I would have thought the sheath is attracting the flies, rather than the flies causing the problem, but just in case have you tried a deep fly rug (like the Rambo one) that hangs quite low - it might keep a few off him.

Also have you checked for a bean in there? Sometimes when they have a lump in the end it is uncomfortable, so they are less likely to let it all hang out to pee, and that means more dribble and gunk collects in the sheath bit (sorry for all the info if you are having breakfast anyone :).

I am so mean I would happily wait for the next vet visit - as a rough guide the sedative (for a different job) cost me £35, then there will be the examination charge, plus any medication they may suggest.

In the meantime keep doing what you are doing as maggots are a real problem. You could do a daily wipe just round the outside and apply fly repellant on the non-sensitive skin as well as a more thorough clean every few days to be safer.
 
My gelding is very similar and I've had him sedated a couple of times by the vet to check there is nothing wrong and he has never had a bean either. So apart from being gunky it is perfectly normal. He always gets shavings stuck up it which I think irritates and I think then more gunk will be produced to rid of any foreign bodies that have gone up there. My friend thinks bedding her gelding on paper really helps to prevent overproduction.
 
As others have suggested I would get the vet out for a through clean and check and to give peace of mind nothing more sinister is going on. My lad's sheath gets hideously attacked by flies in the summer and ends up covered in little black scabs, swells, bleeds and looks rotten I now give it a good smoothing in sudocream every other morning and this seems to protect it and keep the flies at bay, none of this is helped by the fact that he is a pink skinned overo so his skin suffers something chronic. You can also get the yellow fly cream from the vets for wounds I don't know if this would be better but the sudocream has worked fine for me.
Can also use baby oil or similar to soften the inside of the sheath and help the gunk come out. Good luck its never a pleasant job and reminds me why I miss having mares lol
 
Hi, Glad im not the only one!
Yes he wears a Rambo rug and I spray the area (outside) with fly spray to deter the flies as much as possible. I had wondered about a sheath cover attachment from Premier Equine but cant really work out how they pee! If they pee through them surely that's going to be smelly and attract more flies.- Has anyone used one?

No no bean, his actual willy is ok, just gets normal dirt which I can keep on top of easily.
 
poiuytrewq said:
LIKE IT!!!! Ewwww....

How much do you like it- maybe an hours drive enough!?

;)
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It actually makes me gag so people are under strict instructions not to talk to me because if i open my mouth i will throw up :o

dalidaydream said:
No - mine does too :rolleyes: Or maybe he just appreciates how much better he feels afterwards.
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I think this is more likely, lol :)
 
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