Ridecamp: RE: [RC] Sheath Infection

... Magnum, has a terrible sheath infection. This
infection is unlike 'regular' sheath infections that occur in dirty sheaths.
Those type of infections are usually non-painful and cool to touch. Magnum's
sheath was clean so that is not the case. He is swollen (cantaloupe size),
sore, and hot to touch. He is very stiff. There was blood at the tip and now
it
seems to be dripping urine. The vet is baffled and thinks that perhaps
bacteria
may have entered through the tip or a small external wound.

His sheath was flushed out by the vet last week and he was given a shot of
steroids. He's been on a course of Bute for 5 days and broad spectrum
antibiotics for 4 days.


Hi Tamara,

The first thought that hit me was that this sounds like an irritation,
chemical burn or allergy, perhaps because of the skin heat... the baffling
thing is the blood. Dripping urine reminds me of a bladder infection, but...

I body clipped Shatirr's belly several years ago, first with a course blade,
and then with a fine blade. I clipped him outside, there was a strong breeze
and at the time I remember all of those tiny hairs...

The next day I flew to Kansas. That night I had a message on my phone
telling me not to worry but the vet had been called because Shatirr had
gotten an extreme case of Pigeon Fever in his sheath and they were treating
him. His sheath was hot and swollen, and the vet was mystified because it
wasn't a typical case of pigeon fever.

I called Danielle and asked her to let me know if it got worse. I knew
immediately it was that hair, I don't know how I knew, but I was sure. When
I returned the next day, I flushed him repeatedly with cold water and let
the initial flushing run into a bucket... and sure enough, floating in the
water were tiny hairs.

It took me several days of flushing with ice water to get them all cleared
out because as his sheath became inflamed, it trapped hairs in crevices.

Any time something like this happens I do a causal analysis, analyze
changes.

Does the vet know that the inflammation is caused by bacteria or infection?
Was Magnums sheath cleaned before or after the inflammation occurred? If it
was before, is there any chance he could have gotten something like sawdust
in his sheath or on his penis while he was dropped?
Have you changes feed or bedding?
Has the skin stayed pink or red and shiny, Has it blistered or darkened? Has
the texture of the skin changed?
Have you added anything acidic to his diet, vinegar for example?
Have you clipped him?
Have you started using a dusty indoor arena?
Are you using a new blanket?

Think hard... maybe there's something you've over looked. Good luck!

-- Linda

Linda Cowles
Horse 'N Hound
New, Consigned & Used Tack
9155 North State St.,  Redwood Valley, CA 95470
EASY  access with Hwy 101 frontage!
Store: 707-485-0347               Fax:  707-485-4053
kadence@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:kadence@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>



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