Swollen sheath

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Flicker

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Noticed my boy's sheath swollen on Monday night. Discussed with vet and started antibiotics Tuesday evening. It is still swollen. How long do they normally take to come down?
I've been washing it and put some baby oil on Tuesday night when he dropped it down for me. (It's been a bonding experience...)
 
how old is your boy? and how swollen is the sheath?

Is there any insect bites or stings around it that could have caused it to swell?
if not, if he is old enough, cushing's can cause male sheaths to swell......... but obv if he is not about 15yo or older then its highly unlikely!
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Will try olive oil - thanks! Someone did warn that baby oil can sometimes cause more problems than it solves.
He's only 10 and I would be surprised if it is cushings.
Trainer thinks something probably stuck up there and caused an infection maybe. The vet concurs - he hasn't actually seen it, but was out treating an injury the day before so is satisfied with his general health etc.
The sheath is pretty swollen - like small testicles hanging down. And it is tender to touch, although he tolerates me washing it.
He can drop down and he is pee'ing. It has not put him off his appetite!
 
Ahhh well then ye Id doubt cushings too
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was just incase he was older than that!


Maybe using hibiscrub or even babywipes are good to clean the penis when it is out.......

If it was an infection has the vet not given you some oral Antibiotics or anything? or even some anti-inflammatories (like bute or anything really!) to make him more comfortable? which would prob make your job cleaning it a bit easier.......
 
He's on antibiotics and bute (this was for the injury, but hey ho it might as well double up).
Yes, I'm cleaning gently with hibiscrub.
Sounds like I'm doing all the right things, I guess I'll just have to stop panicking and wait for it to resolve itself.
Thanks
x
 
Flicker please do not clean your boys sheath with hibiscrub - it is too abrasive for this delicate area and may do more harm than good. Warm water should do the trick, if he is particularly sticky purchase a specific cleaning product. I'd steer clear of oils for this area too and try an udder cream or ky jelly if it need lubricating. Unless guided to by your vet I wouldn't go any further in the sheath than the length of your hand, if he drops for you then all the better. (Work at a vets and one lady was cleaning her horse with Hibiscrub and going a long way up the sheath and her horse was having problems in that area because of this)

My boys sheath is swollen at the moment due to a feeding mistake
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I've checked he's clean and like your's he is still weeing etc. Have you changed/increased feed at all recently? Could he have eaten something different?

You seem to have covered all the bases and don't think there's anything other than time that will help him.
 
Yes, it is a weak solution of hibiscrub, don't worry!
Thanks runaway, I'll switch to just warm water. It is pretty clean now, and no discharge or anything. I only clean around the outside area and haven't ventured too deep...

His feed etc hasn't changed, except he's on soaked hay not haylege because he's on box rest for his other injury (sigh)...

**sits back and waits for time to work its magic**

Thanks guys
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your boy could be like mine if he spends any time stood in his sheath swells sometimes to double its size had vet check him over and blood test for calcium levels as apparently high ca can cause it he could find nothing out of the ordinary he explained some horses front legs fill up others it is their sheath he told me not to be too worried as long as he can still pee how long has he been on box rest
 
if my boy is in for two days he swells and it does not move until he is out and about for about 3 hours if it is not getting any worse I would keep an eye on him and try not to worry too much just make sure he is peeing good luck
 
It is getting cleaned every day, just with warm water now. There was quite a bit of smeg, but now is less.
This morning I noticed it had gone down a bit.
Hopefully I can start slowly walking him in hand now, his other injury and the cause of his box rest seems to be resolving.
God, horses hey!!
 
Id be careful - is he grey by any chance? A grey pony I used to have one day had a swollen sheath, it went down after a few days but eventually it swelled up again and is permanently like that as he has sarcoids inside...
 
My lads swells up like a rugby ball if he is kept in for even a few days, vet likened it to how some get swollen legs.

ps please dont use even a tiny bit of hibiscrub.. KY jelly is perfect for sheath cleaning
 
Fortunately he's gorgeous chocolate bay.
Yes, plain warm water seems to do the trick just as well, although vet was happy when I said I was using bit of hibiscrub.
Ooh, KY Jelly - now what will the pharmacist think when I go and get a huge tube and try to explain that it is for my horse...
 
The infection is not necessarily anything to do with his sheath so no point washing anything. Had a horse with the same thing a couple of years ago. Vet came, gave the horse antibiotics but expplained to me that the sheath often swells even though the infection is elsewhere. This is because the sheath is the most flexible/stretchy area in the body (sorry its difficult to explain what I mean), its the easiest place in a horses body to swell if that makes any sense.
 
One other thing, sorry! A lady who used to be stabled next to me was fastidious with washing her horses willy. Eventually the horse became poorly. Vet said it was because she was washing it too often. Unless your horse is a stallion covering naturally then leave well alone. No one cleans them in the wild!
 
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