Vet Peeps/Those who've had a castration done. (gory)

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shadowboy

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Evening - on friday my 2 year old colt was gelded- the vet popped up on sat morning and said everything looked fine- and to expext some swelling today- there is swelling but it's not where I expected and I wondered if you folks thought this was normal? Otherwise I will have to call the vet out again tomorrow- I've already called her out once (sat) and dont want to have to again unless people think this swelling is too much or in the wrong place. Ta (the pics are quite gory though!)
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I dont have any experience with castration, but I just had to say those photos made my bottom clench - a necessary operation but owie!! Hope he is ok - does he look bright in himself/eating and drinking ok??
 
looks fine to me. The swelling will go down quickly but keep a look out for tissue appearing.If it does, call your vet. It looks like a very neat job.
 
I would leave him for a couple of days. He's going to be sore and swollen. If it's still swollen, he's not peeing or stiff when walking then call your vet out otherwise I'd leave it and let it heal.

My vet told me to wipe with diluted salty water or water with hibiscrub in it and turn him out as the movement helps to reduce the swelling.

However...My yearling got infected after his castration but it didn't show any signs until the following week. He was swollen in the same place as your chap and he was very stiff when walking. The vet popped out and gave me some antibiotics and it cleared up within days.
 
thanks guys- I dont know her email address - i'd have to ring the practice tomorrow- he is eating- happily had carrots off me about an hour ago- he also lay down this morning- havent seen him wee- but OH saw his 'thing' out earlier. He is very quiet at the moment. He is turned out but on his own as they play rough outherwise (both 2 year olds)
 
i've had 2 done, one in october last year and the other in november. the first one i was told to keep him in for 24 hours (but walk him around) and then let him out, i was also told to cold hose the area each day. i did as the vet said and there wasn't any problems at all.
the second one was a different vet and i was told to let him out 24/7, don't cold hose it, in fact don't touch it at all. the swelling appeared and my little boy looked quite uncomfortable. after another day of him walking like he had pooped himself i decided to cold hose him each day and let him be in for a few hours to rest. after 4 days of doing this he was better and moving freely.

i'm not sure if it was time or me doing what i did that helped him but just thought it was odd that 2 vets said the complete opposite things and yet had a 'problem' with one and not the other.
first vet was a younger bloke, second vet was an older one who had been in his practice a number of years. maybe it was a case of old school versus new school!
 
Looks pretty 'normal' to me too, but brilliant idea from Rottie lover about asking for your vet's email. If you ring up the on call vet, they may have an email you could send it to? I'm sure they would be happy to look at a pic and advise. Good luck!
 
riding_high said:
i've had 2 done, one in october last year and the other in november. the first one i was told to keep him in for 24 hours (but walk him around) and then let him out, i was also told to cold hose the area each day. i did as the vet said and there wasn't any problems at all.
the second one was a different vet and i was told to let him out 24/7, don't cold hose it, in fact don't touch it at all. the swelling appeared and my little boy looked quite uncomfortable. after another day of him walking like he had pooped himself i decided to cold hose him each day and let him be in for a few hours to rest. after 4 days of doing this he was better and moving freely.

i'm not sure if it was time or me doing what i did that helped him but just thought it was odd that 2 vets said the complete opposite things and yet had a 'problem' with one and not the other.
first vet was a younger bloke, second vet was an older one who had been in his practice a number of years. maybe it was a case of old school versus new school!
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thats really interesting - thanks - we were told not to touch it, but to clean the inside of his thighs. He doesnt have any choice about being in/out as we dont have stabling at home - but he's on a clean fresh patch of field to help keep the wound clean
 
My first boy swelled like that on day 7 and needed antibiotics for a post-op infection.

My second colt didn't swell and I was quite triumphantly delighted, but then he needed antibiotics after a month because he started to develop a serous cord which can cause no end of problems as he grows!

Hmmm... reading what I've written, I'm now wondering why the hell I've put a deposit on a third colt!! :D
 
out of interest how long do you think till I can turn him out with his buddy- i.e. less at risk of being kicked and chased- and the wound getting dirty etc
 
Not sure...I know that they still have the urges and ability to "Do the Job" up to 6 weeks after the op so i would suggest giving it a couple of weeks. This will allow it to heal and also for the testosterone to reduce.
 
Looks fine, hope he's had some antibiotics though, if not down in 48 bhours he will need another course. (my last stallion i had cut late was like this a week after and need baytril)for 24-48 hours this is fine, esp if they were big.
 
I had my 5 year old done in May and he had to be out as no stable and I think that helped him as he kept moving and it didn't swell nearly as much as I was expecting.

Mine had 5 days of bute and anti biotics though but he was a rather well endowed chap and therefore bigger incisions.

I'm no vet but your pics look normal to me.
 
I've had two done.One was knocked out at the vet scholol and was sutured up, so there was swelling but no raw bits. The swelling lasted about a week.
The second was done standing under local which I can honestly say he didn't feel a thing.
Unfortuately he didn't drain very well, the vet told me to keep him in but I think he would have been better out. He got an infection ,had two lots of antibiotic and four weeks of swelling. Though all this he was as fit as a flea.
The wound looks very clean to me.
 
They need plenty of walking and exercise when they've been castrated. I always lunge and horse walker mine to keep the swelling down. Also cold hose him at least twice a day and if he's dripping blood on to his hind legs Vaseline them to prevent them getting sore. I've had stacks of castrations done including some on 4/5 yr olds. The worst ones I have seen are though the horses not getting enough exercise and then the swelling getting so large it hinders their hind leg movement.
 
Mine drained into his sheath and it cost me the price of the actual castration to sort it out. After the bute and the antibiotics the horse was so knackered he had nothing to fight with and contracted a virus that lasted 2 years and I am still combatting the fall out from all of this.
Get it looked at straight away.
 
i've had dozens of colts cut..you will always get an "odd one"..

here is what happened to one of mine..

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At no time was it advised to wash it, hose it or touch in any way..and he was out and walking about as soon as he came round..

it stayed like this for 72 hrs..and gradually receded

i would call your vet if you are worried BUT dont mess about with it..and DONT wash it..
 
I had my section d Gelded in 2008 was advised to wash it with diluted hibiscrub every evening he had a jab of antibiotics and also a 3 day course and he didn't swell at all he was a little sore for a few days but he had healed very quickly too xx
 
i got my shetland stallion castrated last year and i would say this looks pretty normal. if he is eating, and is able to lie down, then i wouldn't be too worried. just as others have said, make sure you keep him moving around as this can help to reduce swelling. also make sure there are no flies around his sheath - i had my stallion castrated during summer and the vet gave me summer fly cream for this which is fab, i also use it on my other shetland who has sweet-itch!
 
I had my 18 month old colt castrated (a while ago now...), but I was told to put the hose *in* the wound every day for a month, to prevent it from healing up with any infection inside!!

Luckily he has a very good character and let me do it!

He was also castrated in the field...it was November....he stayed in the field till bedtime that day....and every day after....I was told the movement was better....
 
I've had quite a few castrated now. Some swelling is normal, as is a little dripping, and some raw looking bits.

We generally keep ours out 24/7 moving gently around. I don't hose unless it is looking swollen, then we hose very gently from above, letting the water run down onto the wound site, not hosing it directly.

My vet always gives us five days antibiotics and bute, and if we get any minor complications then we extend the drugs for a while - how long depending on what has happened and how many days after castration.
 
we havent been given any antibiotics or bute for his feed- I walked him about half a mile today to try and get the swelling down- as it is bigger than yesterday- but he's bright in himslef- just not drinking much.... spoke to vet over phomne who said wait till tomorrow and if its no better she'll pop down.
 
When I had my two boys done, together as they are same age I was told no pain killers which I thought was mean, they just had an antibiotic jab at the time and that was it. Out in the field and left to walk around, no aftercare as such other than checking them, they looked like your boy, it took about a week to go back to normal and they were fine.
 
When I had my lad done (many years ago now) he was done in the stable then turneed out with no bute or anti biotics, he swole up like a rugby ball and walked like john wayne foe about 5 days but healed perfectly.. I was told to leave it alone just have a look and make sure nothing popped out of the wound.
 
I have had 3 colts cut and they were done standing in the field and then left out 24/7, vet told me to just leave the area alone and unless it swelled to a huge ball then get him back out. After a bit of swelling all three were pretty much back to normal within a week, vet never mentioned cold hosing.
 
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