# Has anyone else experienced this?



## KanoasDestiny (Aug 19, 2007)

I noticed today when I had Gideon up in my front yard that when he urinated, he sprayed more forward then normal. He didn't act like he was in pain or anything but I did notice that he appeared dirty. His last sheath cleaning was in April.

When we got him back to his pen, we went up to inspect how dirty he actually is. He seldom lets it "hang out" so we don't always get good looks at it. When I approached him, I noticed that he didn't look normal. Not only is he dirty, but his uretha is actually on the outside?

I did go back out and use some baby oil and warm water, to remove some of the smegma. There was ALOT!!! But I couldn't locate a bean, he was hiding himself too well and well...I don't exactly know what I'm looking for. I plan on having my aunt come over and help me clean it better tomorrow. But when I finished, he acted as if it bothered him. He kept lifting up his leg and scratching himself. Now I'm worried that I might have made it worse?

This is what it looked like before I removed some of the stuff. If anyone has any experience with this, please let me know what you did for it. And thank you for those who have already helped, it means a lot!


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## Cara (Aug 19, 2007)

I no nothing about it, i hope its nothing too bad! eek! good luck ! hope u get some answers!!!


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## Tucker (Aug 19, 2007)

If I where you I would get vet out to see what is causeing that it may not just be a bean It could be something else better to be safe than sorry as I always tell myself. praying that he gets better.


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## disneyhorse (Aug 20, 2007)

If he isn't urinating normally you might want to have a vet look at it. I had a gelding that had a swollen urethra (that's the part sticking out the bottom there) and it ended up he had urinary tract crystals that had formed. It was from too much calcium in the diet for that particular horse (even though he never got a ton of alfalfa in his diet to start with, so it's a mystery). The vet had to sedate him and send a catheter up all the way to his bladder to clear the crystals out of his urinary tract.

That might not be what it is, but I know if I had trouble peeing, I would want to see the doctor ASAP! OW!

Andrea


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## Lisa-Ruff N Tuff Minis (Aug 20, 2007)

Someone read this thread and couldnt log on to answer you so they sent me this to post here...

I need to send a message to 'kanoas destiny' about her horse's sheath. Could you please answer her with this?:

the horse appears to have a summer sore on his urethra caused by fly bites - also they lay eggs there - she needs to worm him immediately with Ivermectin and ALSO put the wormer directly onto the urethra.

I just went through this, these are my vets directions, we have had a bad fly season. She can google summer sores and read up on it.

Thank you so much, it was not a good experience and I hope to spare her little guy from getting worse, which it will if not treated promptly.

Freddie


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## KanoasDestiny (Aug 20, 2007)

Thank you everyone for the replies. An hour and a half after cleaning it yesterday, he had not gotten any more swelling , nor had it went down. This morning I waited anxiously for him to come out of hiding, but in the 40 minutes I was back there, he refused. So I will wait until I see how it looks, to know if I'm calling the vet for an appointment or not. On a brighter note, he was really spunky this morning playing with Zoey.

He doesn't act like it causes him any pain, unless I touch it when he's dropped, but then again, he never really cares for that. He doesn't mind if you go into the sheath, just doesn't want it messed with when it's out.



: When he uriated, he doesn't have any problems, make any noises or give unfamiliar faces. It just shot forward more than normal, but was still a steady stream.

You know, I was asking my husband about the possibilities of flies last night right before bed. A couple of days ago, I noticed that there were alot of flies down there and it looked odd to me. But I didn't know if I'm just not used to seeing them on there or if there was actually something going on!?! I dewormed them on Friday with Ivermectin, but I will be sure to ask my vet about "summer sores" if it's not back to normal today. When I called my aunt yesterday to ask her what she thought, she said that her breeding stallion also has this and that when she called a vet's office, they said it might be a cyst. So I will definately not be taking any chances.

Thanks again for the replies!


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## Nathan Luszcz (Aug 20, 2007)

No, that's not summer sores



That's just a swollen urethra, there is no evidence of damage there. I would NEVER put ivermectin directly on a horse's urethra, that's asking for serious damage. If you wouldn't put it on your eye, don't put it on his urethra.

Its definately not normal, but there is no indication from the picture what is causing the problem. I'd have the vet do a thorough cleaning, search for any sign of beans, and do a culture. The urine crystal idea I hadn't thought of; that sounds like a very possible suspect as well.


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## KanoasDestiny (Aug 20, 2007)

I think I just learned how to coax it out. :new_shocked: Still looks the same, no better, no worse. He did let me peel the skin away from the urethra and I could see dirt down in the fold (all the way around the extended urethra), so maybe that's irritating it??? He'll be getting a thorough washing today, now that the smegma remaining is loosened up.

Thank you Nathan. I've been reading up on summer sores, and although it does sound like he could have gotten bit and irritated by a fly, it doesn't appear that he has any sores on there (no scabs, discoloration, or anything). I will be sure to talk to my vet about the possibility of it and the crystals though, if and when I do take him.

He definately doesn't act like it's hurting him.


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## Margo_C-T (Aug 20, 2007)

I agree with Nathan. It certainly appears that the urethra is swollen, but I see nothing that would be considered a 'sore'. The area where a 'bean' might be can be very hard to access, esp. if the horse isn't thrilled with having his penis handled-so it isn't always the best idea for all horse owners to try The deworming w/ ivermectin probably wouldn' t be a bad idea, as long as the timing of it is correct, but I don't believe I would be putting the stuff directly onto the (already swollen, therefore, likely irritated for SOME reason)urethra? I am NOT a vet, and would recommend having your equine vet see and evaluate this, if it does not subside in a very short additional time.

This may sound gross, but I feel it is as important to accustom a colt to having his penis and testicles 'handled' as it is to accustom a filly foal to having her udder, teats, and flank handled, and her vulva area, too(as in 'washing'). Getting them to accept this kind of thing when they are quite young is almost certainly going to be of benefit to being able to handle them-i.e., for necessary cleaning, acceptance of a foal's attempts to nurse, etc., when they mature, and might object, dangerously.

Margo


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## KanoasDestiny (Aug 20, 2007)

Ok, I just got off the phone with my vet's assistant. She said that it sounds like he is dirty and I need to clean it using vaseline (or KY jelly) only. She said to let it sit on there for about 15 mintues, then gently wipe it away. She said absolutely no cleaners or soaps because if it is already irritated and if I wouldn't get all of it off, it could make it worse. She said to also put a little vaseline on the outside after I'm done so that flies will stay away from it. If it isn't any better in the next couple of days or he acts like it hurts, then I'm supposed to call her back to make an appointment.


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## tigeresss (Aug 20, 2007)

I would use the KY jelly. This is what my vet suggests I use. Simply for the fact that it's a product designed to go on the genitals so if you don't get it all off it won't be a major crisis. Our horses sheath's are only cleaned once a year and sometimes once every two years but we check on them and see. I don't think this is the case with you, but far too many people clean their horses sheaths far too often which takes the "good bacteria" away which mucks things up, in turn means people clean it more. A bit of an evil cycle. Exactly the same as how many women feel they need to douche regularily but in reality it is very bad for women to do so for the same reasons.

Anyway, it just looks to me like he needs a really good cleaning. Possibly it could be something worse but just do what you're doing and of course what the vet assistant has suggested! When I first got one of my horses his sheath was very swollen and looked very similar to yours. The vet was out anyway to float teeth and other things so since he was sedated she did his sheath very well. About five days after that the swelling had all gone away and he's not had a problem since.


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## KanoasDestiny (Aug 20, 2007)

Ok everybody...is this a bean??? I had to go inspecting and still had no idea where the bean would be located. I hope this was it!!! The area is soooo small, my aunt couldn't even find it last time when she did the sheath cleaning and she's experienced with large horses.

I think the bean broke in half because he still had whitish stuff in that area. But he was beginning to get antsy and started pulling "it" back in. I didn't want to overdo it. Poor guy...he's so patient and trusting, that's all I have to say! It's a good thing that my husband wasn't here when I went inspecting, or I might have been calling 911 to come pick him up off the ground. 

Sorry it's such a bad picture, all I had was my cell phone because I never thought I'd be able to find anything.






How in the world do you guys find one when the horse won't drop?


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## tigeresss (Aug 20, 2007)

Looks like that could be it...Right ok right ( think it's above) the urethra there is a superficial cavern/cave/"hole". It's quite small and you wouldn't know it was there unless you're looking at it. This is where the bean (so named because often it turns into the shape of a bean) is located. The bean can be teeny tiny or rediculously large. Beans can cause a whole host of issues, including swelling of the penis/urethra, so this is why we remove them. Stallys in the wild don't suffer from dirty penis' because when they mate their penis is cleaned.

You will need to hold his urethra to the side just to make sure the surrounding area (I believe it's a sinus area) is clean.

This page has a good bit of info: http://www.freewebs.com/wellwornchaps/sheathhealth.htm


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## Nathan Luszcz (Aug 20, 2007)

Sound advice



Keep us updated!


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## KanoasDestiny (Aug 20, 2007)

Alright, he's clean!!!!! Took me almost an hour, but he's done. And I did it all by myself.



: I did find another bean almost the same size as the one pictured above. It popped out quite easily. By the time I was done, I couldn't find any other dirt, smegma, skin, bean or anything. I was extremely careful and I slowly worked my hand in there. But when I was finished, the sheath looked somewhat swollen. Is that normal? And I used warm water and KY Jelly.

I guess from here, we will just wait and see if any of the swelling goes down tomorrow. If not, then I will probably take him to the vet's on Wednesday or Thursday (depending when they can fit me in). Thank you all for your responses, I really truly appreciate it.

Edited to add...the beans werent' too large. I'd say they were the size of small Jelly Belly's.


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## Marsha Cassada (Aug 20, 2007)

Good for you! I'm sure he will be much more comfortable now. TWO BEANS! Hopefully that was his trouble and the swelling will be all gone soon.


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## Nathan Luszcz (Aug 20, 2007)

Yup! That's the bean



The paste you see farther in comes from the direticulum... "blind pouch" where the oil is secreted. Its hard to get completely clean


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