Swollen sheath

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julie.rockley

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I got to my gelding the other night and noticed a lot of little fly bites around his sheath area and belly button, the next morning it was very swollen. He’s never done this before can anyone give advice please?
I have cleaned and aloe jellied it then fly spray.
Thanks in advance ?
 
Not sure the vet would consider this an emergency to warrant a call out to be honest, unless the swelling stops him being able to pee?

every year the first emerging small black flies of spring goes for my geldings sheath too. It causes some swelling which doesnt affect him peeing. It takes a few weeks for his immune system to target the ‘foreign invader saliva’ and the swelling goes down. I use aloe vera to cool and heal bites In the meantime.

its worth fly spraying sheath, as you have done, every morning while the small black flies are emerging and active.
 
PurBee said:
Not sure the vet would consider this an emergency to warrant a call out to be honest, unless the swelling stops him being able to pee?

every year the first emerging small black flies of spring goes for my geldings sheath too. It causes some swelling which doesnt affect him peeing. It takes a few weeks for his immune system to target the ‘foreign invader saliva’ and the swelling goes down. I use aloe vera to cool and heal bites In the meantime.

its worth fly spraying sheath, as you have done, every morning while the small black flies are emerging and active.
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Thank you I might give it until after the weekend as he is still peeing and doesn’t seem uncomfortable, just itchy I think x
 
Be very careful fly spraying around that area it could make things much worse.

Personally I’d clean it then slather in sudocrem. Soothes the skin and creates a barrier for the beasties. if you must fly ‘spray’ then you can get creams/gels which you can apply close to the area.
 
Mine has had this from flies, I was recommended Nettex summer fly cream and have been using this each year since and it works brilliantly.

It can also be a symptom of PPID, but if you saw the flies I'd go with that
 
I would be having a poke about up there to make sure he does not have maggots in his sheath. Contact vet if there are.
I would then take a video or photo and send it to the vets if it's not gone in 24 hrs.
 
My horse reacts terribly to fly bites on his sheath, one year it was so swollen he was walking lame had to have vet out and had to be treated with flamazine cream. Now I try and put sudacrem or a fly barrier cream on every few days to protect it and it seems to work.
 
Although it is most likely a reaction to fly bites (I would bathe in salt water and fit with a fly sheet with deep sides), I would not be satisfied unless I also did a thorough willie wash, right up in there. Just to make sure all was in order in those areas that are out of sight.

I would also do whatever work the horse is currently comfortably capable of, to ensure there is some circulation, as some horses have their systems get sluggish when they are suddenly rested.

If it persisted, then I would call the vet. In a few cases a swollen sheath can be indicative of something more serious.
 
I’d give it a thorough clean, check for maggots or beans (plenty of videos on YouTube) and then protect the area with Summer Fly Cream if you can get it. The flies may have been attracted by the smell. My gelding had maggots once (probably due to letting it all hang out when he snoozes) and it was very obvious something was wrong. He was kicking at his belly a lot.

I’d be leaving it til the end of the week before phoning a vet if he’s still peeing ok and not in pain.
 
Although flies do seem to be the cause in this case as others have said a swollen sheath can indicate other problems. This time of year with so much sugar in the grass a swollen sheath is the first indication in my EMS pony that his insulin is on the rise. I check his sheath as often as I check the pulses in his feet.
 
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