Smelly sheath again! Only 2-3 weeks since the vets saw him???

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Stacie_and_Jed

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Ok so now im starting to get confused. (Sorry this may be long)

I posted around 2 or 3 weeks ago with regards to Jeds sheath being really smelly and me having to clean it very often. The vet came out and sedated him so he could have a good mooch around. Long story short he found a build up of smegma (also known as a bean) around his urethral area.

All was ok until yesterday when it was really smelly and sticky again. I have no idea what to think or do. I need to speak to my vet again but he is on hols until next week and i dont trust any of the other vets advise at the practice due to past bad experiances.

I gave it a good clean out again yesterday so will keep my eye on it for the week until i get to speak to my vet.

One thing i have noticed is that i havent seen him drop his whole penis for a while so maybe when he's weeing because he's not dropping it the urine is sitting in his sheath and making it dirty???

If anyone has any ideas id be so greatfull to hear them.

Thank you.
 
I know that the current thinking is that you shouldn't regularly clean sheaths as it removes the natural greases and aggravates any problems, but I have had a couple of geldings that are just gross up there, so I have just ended up washing them out regularly. Maybe he is one of those that is always going to be smelly, and you might need to keep it clean for him.

Interestingly, both of mine that were smelly had quite pink skinned willies (sorry, too much information!) so I wonder if that has anything to do with it. And I think you are right in that some of them don't let it all hang out when they stale, so makes it worse as all the dribble (oh, I am going off my coffee now
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) stays inside.

Did the vet give any recommendation or advice re washing it? Some people say they just use warm water, I have always used a very mild pH balanced wash to clean it, but lots of warm water to rinse.
 
I have to clean Stinkys (apt nickname) sheath every 2 - 4 weeks in winter and weekly in summer - I just use water and scrape out the gunk with my hand.

I also have to dig out smegma once a month from his willy or he will get a bean. I found two very large beans when he was rising 3 that I managed to get out myself, but only because he is so good to let me do anything with him, so a monthly dig out is far easier and stops anything building up.

Any time his willy is hanging - often when he is having dinner, I will take hold and give it a good brush down with my hand (which he rather enjoys and is obvious about it
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) and inspect for any smegma build up in the "pockets" by his piddle tube.

In summer, if it is warm I stick the hose up there, have a dig round to remove mud and god knows what else - he likes to lie down and rub his belly to itch it - I call it ground humping and fills his sheath up.

I then rinse and repeat. Winter, I use a big syringe of warm water and then have a rub round with my hand. I don't use any lotions or potions - my vet said water is normally sufficient.

Once a year in spring, I do use some sheath cleaner as it is often very grubby by then and after his "spring clean" go back to water.

If I don't do this, he gets black gunge down his legs and you can smell him if you stand next to him. Cairo was very clean but as he got old, he did need more tlc is that area. My vet said this was due to him being less active so the dirt can build up. Again water and hand was my method.

So nice to have another mare again, Farra gets a quick wipe between her boobies and her girly bits and done and she is very clean so it is only every few months as I prefer to leave things along unless they need it.

Unfortunately some geldings are just this way I was advised by the vet.
 
The odd thing is i never did clean it and it was always fine. Up until about a year ago (ive had him for 8 years) i never touched it but one day it got smelly, i gave it a clean and now its getting worse and worse and more frequently im having to clean it.

My vet used warm water with hibiscrub so i did too yesterday. I asked about the build up and how long it took to get to that state and he said they are all different.

He has a very pink one too
blush.gif
 
Natural yoghurt (the live variety - at room temperature to get it 'live' again). Apply generously to all areas, inc crevices where the bean builds up (maybe gently with cotton wool bud dipped in yoghurt) and leave it on. I usually carry on until I have used the large size pot up, maybe 2-3 days.
It restores the balance of the healthy bacteria naturally. Sometimes cleaning makes the area too clean and causes the unhealthy bacteria to get a hold.

ETS - had lots of trouble with my gelding until started using the yoghurt.
 
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