undescended testicle - op?

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BUCKandREAR

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Colt has an undescended testicle, he is now 15 months old and although not showing any coltish behavior i would rather him be gelded asap before he does! he is a welsh D and is quite tall already at 14hh and is a chunky type. I have been told that he would be fertile and obviously still has hormones. The plan was to have him gelded beginning of this year but obviously i have to wait till the other drops. However i have been told that this can take until he is 3 or possibly 4 years old and the op is around £600.
I have 2 mares who will need to be out soon (autumn time) and the plan was to have them together in the one field. In a bit of a pickle as what to do before then as i cannot see it dropping before autumn, and have no where i can put the little chap.
Any experiences/advice either on undescended testicle finally dropping or people who had the op?
Thanks in advance.
 
He might descend later, but it is fairly unlikely if he is well grown and in good condition - it is often colts in poor condition that take ages to drop.

With a retained testicle the cost of the operation can be anything between £500 and £2000 depending on where it is!
 
LittleBlackMule said:
He might descend later, but it is fairly unlikely if he is well grown and in good condition - it is often colts in poor condition that take ages to drop.

With a retained testicle the cost of the operation can be anything between £500 and £2000 depending on where it is!
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Oh crap :rolleyes: just my luck. Yes he's in tip top condition, but as i said he isnt showing any coltish behaviour and theres mares in the next field and he's not bothered even when there in season and at the fence, he doesn't pay any attention to them.
Crap, i don't want a stallion!!!! and he's not worth £2k!!
 
My Sec A boy had an undescended testicle, I left him as long as I could becasue I was worried about him having a general anaesthetic.
I was lucky that he was able to live in a bachelor group of stallions and colts so we had no real problems with him, until the age of 4 when we lost our grazing.
I had no alternative but to have him gelded then, it was either cut him or have him live indoors (too cruel).
Bearing in mind that this was 6 years ago I was quoted £600 for the op by one vet.
My vet didn't have the facilities at that time but referred me to another who did the op which was uneventful and my boy came back to me safe and sound.
The final bill was £250 including and overnight stay at the practice.

Obviously it will cost more now but shows that it pays to shop around.
 
I would get your vet out to have a good feel with the colt under sedation, he may be able to tell if the testicle is in the inguinal canal.
 
Yes get a vets advice as i had one gelded last month at 2 yrs that had "one" and i could not feel the other! vet came out and found both and gelded him like a normal colt would be gelded! just had bill and it was 234 all inclusive of meds and after care!:D
 
elderlycoupleindevon said:
I would get your vet out to have a good feel with the colt under sedation, he may be able to tell if the testicle is in the inguinal canal.
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This. If the testicle can be felt under sedation it should be cheap and trouble free to geld him 'normally'. If it is further inside it will obviously cost more but it's worth asking a few practices what they would charge as it seems to vary a lot. My friend had one done a few years ago, the offending testicle was high in his abdomen and the cost was around £800, he was a 17 hand, 3 year old though, so a lot of horse to sedate etc. He sailed through the op and turned into a delightful gelding, very, very quickly (he was a pain in the neck beforehand :))
 
My vet last checked him beginning of June, he stands well and doesnt seem to mind poking around his bits :o the vet was going to sedate him but as he was so good she just carried on whilst i held him.
I have felt around since and nothing obviously there that i can feel. Will have a shop around though and may have another vet for second opinion.
 
This all makes interesting reading, as I'm waiting for two 2 year olds to arrive, both of whom have undescended testicles (1 each). I'm taking these for an animal sanctuary who have just had their farm re-possessed by the bank, so are desparate to rehome the animals. They've been given a deadline to remove them and although they've found a home for all others at Hillside Animal sanctuary, they can't take these 2 until they're cut. I have 3 mares on my yard and although I can put the colts in a field (away from the mares) with high Devon banks, hedges and stock proof fencing for the winter, thats only a short term solution. I can't afford to keep them and the owner is looking to find the money (not easy when you've just been evicted!) to get them cut. Has anyone come across any charities that would help towards the cost of the operation. They are 2 Dartmoor ponies that have been saved from slaughter. From the figures quoted above, the op is going to cost more than the ponies are worth! Vets bills are just sooo expensive these days. Any ideas?
Nalod-Equestrian
 
Nalod said:
This all makes interesting reading, as I'm waiting for two 2 year olds to arrive, both of whom have undescended testicles (1 each). I'm taking these for an animal sanctuary who have just had their farm re-possessed by the bank, so are desparate to rehome the animals. They've been given a deadline to remove them and although they've found a home for all others at Hillside Animal sanctuary, they can't take these 2 until they're cut. I have 3 mares on my yard and although I can put the colts in a field (away from the mares) with high Devon banks, hedges and stock proof fencing for the winter, thats only a short term solution. I can't afford to keep them and the owner is looking to find the money (not easy when you've just been evicted!) to get them cut. Has anyone come across any charities that would help towards the cost of the operation. They are 2 Dartmoor ponies that have been saved from slaughter. From the figures quoted above, the op is going to cost more than the ponies are worth! Vets bills are just sooo expensive these days. Any ideas?
Nalod-Equestrian
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I'd love to help myself, I tend to take in all of the waifs and strays but just said yes to two donkeys! I will have a good think, Hillside is the only one coming to mind, however they can't take them as you said. If I can think of anywhere I will let you know. May be worth starting another thread instead of hiijacking, so more people will see! ;)
 
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