Gelding's Sheath Swollen/Sagging

[ytr45]

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Hi Everyone! Last week it got super hot and flies were biting my poor guy’s sheath (despite flyspray) and he was dragging his belly and sheath over the little trees.

I sent this pic to my vet and she said to cold hose, and give bute or banamine. She said if I give equioxx instead, to give 3 tablets, as equioxx isn’t as strong.

Also on the recommendation of the vet, I bought the super expensive Equishield IBH Salve. Its supposed to better than putting swat on the sheath, because it has hydrocortoisone (.5%) in it, which swat doesn’t. However its PRICEY!! $28/4oz. Maybe I can make my own with swat+over the counter hydrocortisone?

I recently started my guy on thyro-L and zyrtec (for acute itchiness). But those meds couldn’t have swelled his sheath, right?
thanks!

[Bluey]

You probably have the right diagnosis about why he is swelling.

As a zebra option, our mid teens gelding’s sheath would swell when his Cushing’s was not well controlled, a sort of advanced warning system and we would pull blood to check parameters and increase his Prascend until that went away, then go back to his normal dose, which was fine again for a while.

Just keep that in mind if you can’t get it to go down with other you try.

[endlessclimb]

Agree you probably have it right, but as another zebra, my Old Man’s sheath will sometimes swell when he isn’t getting enough movement/work. A long walk later, and it was resolved.

[GoodTimes]

Agree with the others. As another zebra, my gelding has a number of allergies and has gotten a couple of yeast infections up there. He tends to have a dirty sheath to begin with, but it will get extra stinky and gunky along with some swelling. I’ve used the internal creams for women on him and the swelling and stink goes away within a day or so.

[FjordBCRF]

I walked into this with my gelding two Mondays ago. Not-my-vet was out for BO’s horses that evening and took a look, confirmed the bug suspicions, said I could bute/banamine but personally she wouldn’t. I just cold hosed him for a few days and went about business as normal. Talked to my vet as well and same sentiments. I brought the fly spray out which has been working so far and picked up a couple different bug alternatives to have on hand just in case.

[ytr45]

Sorry what does zebra mean here? A horse with bug allergies? thanks!

[trubandloki]

@ytr45

Sorry what does zebra mean here? A horse with bug allergies? thanks!

When you hear hoof beats think horses not zebras.

So they are saying that the obvious answer is what you are saying it is, a less obvious and less likely answer is what they are suggesting.

[Bluey]

@ytr45

Sorry what does zebra mean here? A horse with bug allergies? thanks!

Means other maybe odd possible causes that may or not apply with the current clinical picture, but could help others reading answers here.
You can’t ever have too much information to sort thru.
Other’s guesses can be a big help if the normal hoofbeats end up being of rare zebras after all.