Equine Sheath

Question
A friend called me the other day to look at his horse.  He has a swollen sheath.  The horse has access to water at all times and I cleaned him and have given him two doses of penicilin.  What can be some other cause?
Linda

Answer
Hello!

Thanks for your question and I hope I can be of some help. Now, I'm not a vet nor have I studied equine medicine but I'll do the best I can to answer your question. After looking into this topic, the main cause of a swollen sheath is usually from it being unclean. It should be cleaned on a regular basis BUT not all the time. The area also has "good bacteria" that helps keep everything working but if it's cleaned all the time this bacteria gets washed away as well as the bad. But if it's cleaned at appropriate times it should be okay. If it hasn't been cleaned in a while it might get swollen. However the swelling should go down after it's been cleaned, although it might take a day or two. If it doesn't it might be something more serious and a vet should be contacted. Other causes I have come across are major changes in living (ie. going from all the time in the pasture to always in a stall) and allergic reaction to fly bites (be sure to put fly spray on him when he goes out if that could possibly be the case). See if these could be possible reasons. If not, and once cleaned, the swelling doesn't go down, you should get in contact with the vet. I hope that was helpful :)

* meg *