Would you geld a teenaged stallion?

[JAX]

"he is not a horse vet and is not confident with them" This vet will be gelding your older stallion? If so, I would be finding another vet to do the procedure. Better safe than sorry in my opinion.

 

[Margo_C-T]

Gosh,I have to agree with JAX. I would not want such a vet to do the surgery on this older stallion. Can you hold off until you can find one that is an accomplished horse vet, preferably w/ experience in gelding miniatures, and has specifically done other older ones? Best of luck whatever you do....

Margo

 

[Tremor]

I emailed my old vet, who is an experienced equine vet, and she told me that the vet has NEVER gelded a horse before. I'm livid, not only at myself but because the practice allowed me to make the appointment when it could in fact kill my horse.

I will be trying to make an appointment with an equine vet she suggsted about an hour away. Do you think it would be okay if I haul him? Its 30mi away, and I don't really want to pay an outrageous trip charge. It was $35 for a farm call for my vets that were 5 miles away. I don't even want to ask for their mileage.

I went to see him tonight, and I have fallen in love all over again..I'll post pictures on the 20th when he's officially mine again.

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

If you need to haul him I would be prepared to wait until he is well recovered from the sedation and steady on his feet. Your vet might want to hold him overnight if she/he thinks there is a risk but you can discuss your concerns when you call to make the appointment. People in my area do haul newly gelded horses home so I know it can be done. I've always just sucked up the mileage charges and kept mine home.

 

[chandab]

A couple years ago, I hauled my then 8 year old stallion 3 hours to a vet I trusted to get him gelded (he's 10 now); I hauled since in the past he had bad reaction to sedation, so I wanted him at the clinic just in case (turns out it was no problem for him, and I worried for nothing). It was a cool enough day for him to stay on the trailer for a bit, so I waited at the clinic for him to be steady on his feet, then ran to TSC and did a bit of shopping before driving the 3 hours home. He was fine, had a better, easier recovery than one of the 2 year olds I had gelded at home this year.

 

[shorthorsemom]

My vet says that minis recover so much better than biggies and they swell less. They also heal faster than biggies. too much squirting of the area can delay healing, so agree with what was said in earlier post... Sometimes best not to mess with it at all. I would not do this type of surgery in dead of summer fly season unless absolutely necessary, but there are some areas where flies are not such a big deal too, so your decision on that one. I have always tried to do spring or fall or early winter. One of my boys was gelded late, he had been a herd sire... he went back for a visit to live with his herd mares 6 years after he was gelded as a big boy and he remembered his mares and pestered them quite a bit even though he was a gelding. He is back with me only living with his crabby gelding buddy and he is doing terrific. Just thought I would mention there can still be issues of housing late gelded boys with mares if they were his girls prior.

I recently had two goat bucklings neutered and we used kaytron spray (might be spelling that wrong) to repel flies and keep maggots from developing in the wound. Goats are well formed and have heavy cords and it was a bigger procedure, more like a horse gelding, and my goat babies are doing fine. Vet double tied the cords and I spray the incision every 2 days with the kaytron spray.

I would never let a vet unfamiliar with minis or geldings or horses neuter a horse of mine, especially an older stallion.

A friend of mine hauled one of her minis to my house (1 hour away) so he could be gelded with my one boy and save money for both of us sharing the farm call. He did terrific. He had been used as stud, had HUGE you know whats and he did just fine. Recovered nicely, we waited until he was very steady on his feet, she loaded him up and took him back home. No problems. He is a very happy as a gelding. I think we did them in the fall.

ps 30 miles if they will drive it doesn't seem all that far. Stress free gelding by experienced vet is well worth any extra charges. One boo boo and you will be well over the extra bucks in charges to fix a problem.

 

[JAX]

I was told by my vet to not get the area wet. I was told to only use the hose below the incision if needed for cleaning the drainage but to try not to get incision wet.

 

[Maple Hollow Farm]

Good plan on getting a different vet. A friend of mine hauled her late teens stallion to my house for our gelding party and she is about 45min away. He hauled fine and healed up great. I do agree though to let the sedative wear off so that he can be more steady for the ride home.

 

[Tremor]

He will be gelded on the 23rd at a local vet about 30 mi away. We've used them before on our dog, when our vet wouldn't diagnose her, and they immediately put her on Prion for her bladder and it helped immensely. This will be our first time using the large animal vet, and the receptionist told me that if I brought in a $50 bill, then I would be getting change back for the gelding. Lol, sweet.

So yay. I'll have a stallion for less than three days.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

He will be gelded on the 23rd at a local vet about 30 mi away. We've used them before on our dog, when our vet wouldn't diagnose her, and they immediately put her on Prion for her bladder and it helped immensely. This will be our first time using the large animal vet, and the receptionist told me that if I brought in a $50 bill, then I would be getting change back for the gelding. Lol, sweet.

So yay. I'll have a stallion for less than three days.

30 miles is nothing!

Good luck.

This is a topic I've thought about, as my sister has an 18 year old stallion. He has never been used for breeding. He may have to come and live with me, and I can't set up separate enclosures for him and the senior mare I have. It's possible he may have to be gelded.

I have always hydroed mine after gelding, but just let the water run the wound, no pressure. I really think it helps with swelling. You may have flies to deal with this time of year and the hydroing will help with those, too. Keeping the wound and legs clean, and also his stall area, will discourage the pests.

A product call Tempo was developed to control flies at animal facilities. You might consider spraying his shed/stall walls with this product.

 

[AngC]

It appears that gelding is appropriate for you. ...great!

But, I just have to comment regarding the blanket enthusiasm for gelding that I've seen here and elsewhere.

I think that the decision to geld should be made depending on all circumstances. The horse, the facilities, etc. For example, Nicky (avatar photo) is about 19 plus/minus a year or two. Additionally, he was injured in the eye, at which time I learned he had cataracts...not operable. He has a very nice temperament. My last trainer had me buy a stud chain; I've forgotten where the chain is; I was trying to think of a use for it and tried training him that I would put the chain on when we were going to lunge (spelling?) vice just walking around with a halter on. That didn't work out so much, since I kept forgetting where it was because I didn't much like hanging the chain on his nose. Nicky has his half acre and he putters around pretty good. He can find his water trough, and really is quite independent. There is no way I would even think of gelding him; the eye injury was so traumatic I just wont' do it to him. I have no clue as to his level of endowment---(size)---but there's no way I'm going to risk whacking his nads.

 

[wildoak]

Yes, I've done one older guy and will likely be gelding my 16 yr old in the fall. He lives with the same mare due to some colic tendencies and diet restrictions for both, and she hasn't been in foal in 5 or 6 years. I got complacent and didn't give her weight this year much thought..... And yes, she foaled 3 days ago lol so he is banned for now but will be gelded when it cools down and baby is weaned. They are much happier together. A friend locally had a super western pleasure stallion years ago that they gelded at about 18....he lived a long and happy life, and recently passed away at well over 30.

Jan