Colt Being Gelded Friday

[Indy's mom]

Hi Everyone!

My rescue colt, Big Boy, will be gelded on Friday. (thank God!

) The last time I had a colt gelded I was lucky enough to be able to drop him off with his breeder and pick him up a week later!!

SO, I want to know if there is anything I should make certain of either with the after care or even making sure the vet is aware of any possible Mini "complications"?

Thanks so much!

Tammy

 

[Royal Crescent]

Bed on straw rather then wood shavings. The first 24 hrs are stall rest, then it is lunge for 15-20 minutes at least twice a day. This keeps the wound draining. If there is a lot of swelling, hosing with cold water helps in the warmer weather but I am not sure what you would do in the winter weather. Good luck.

Barb

 

[Marsha Cassada]

If you are interested in going by the moon, it is 16-17 for January. Before the date is better than after, so I've heard.

Good luck with him!

 

[Knighthawke]

It is for sure better to geld in the fall, winter or early spring, when there is less flies. Usually most castrations are very uneventful, and they heal up fine. I have two I need to do now two but both are adult stallions, both rescues. The only advantage with my boys both are gelded so I can drive them vs. lunging them.

Exersise is important to help with swelling but they do need some swelling to close the incision area, since the incision area is left open for draining since it is not a clean enviroment like in a surgery sweet.

On thing I do when I get mine gelded I have my vet check the teeth and float them if they need it. I know your boy is young but you might want him to check them while he is sleeping.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Ditto on the teeth check, they took out a wolf tooth on my boy when he was out for his gelding. Had no problems with the anesthesia and gelding and healing, we just have a run in shed bedded on straw, he healed fine, no problems, this was about two months ago.... I did put a ton of straw really deep for the first week so he always had a soft clean place to lay. Biggest thing I found is that most vets don't estimate the weight right, be sure you take a tape measure of him and go by the mini weight chart rather than use the pony weight tape. Not sure if it made a difference, but I do think minis look heavier than they really are, especially in the winter with all that extra hair. It didn't take very long to do the actual surgery. I also had to call the vet the morning of the surgery and remind her that we were doing a mini. She brought a smaller tool that she typically doesn't carry on her truck on a regular basis. Good luck. PS, I didn't even separate my boy from the other two boys once he was awake from the anesthesia. They did fine.

 

[ruffian]

I gelded 3 this past fall. My vet doesn't recommend stall rest, but prefers them to be in an area where they can move freely. It's much better for them to move naturally. If he isn't moving you can lunge him, or just moved him around his paddock.

 

[rabbitsfizz]

I do not stall rest and I certainly NEVER lunge or give forced exercise of any kind, how would YOU feel??

Unless there is a problem, in which case you go by your vets advice, of course, everything should go fine.

I geld when my boys are old enough, irrespective of time of year, so they are done while they are still on the mare, and they move when she does.

So long as you can ensure they are not standing around getting cold and wet he will be absolutely fine just turned out and allowed to exercise himself.

If you can leave him out 24/7 with a run in, all the better.

I agree about using straw, but then I never use anything else.

I have long, long since lost count of the number of colts I have had routinely gelded, I do know the first one cost me the equivalent of $2.00 and that included the Vets call out fee!!! LONG time ago, dinosaurs walking the earth

With every subsequent year and subsequent geldings I have made it simpler and simpler until now it is almost down to a fine art!

No hosing, no bathing (unless there is swelling) no messing around "up there" at all, apart from a twice daily, very quick (they are understandably touchy!) eye check to make sure all is well.

Expect a certain amount of "oozing," although there should not be too much, and expect a certain amount of swelling, but, again, use your head, and call the vet if you are worried, after all you can always send him a picture off your phone, these days!

I do give routine pain relief and I do use bute for this as it is the best, it is a good anti inflammatory and it is a quick pain reliever.

If you get the dose right you will give enough to take most hurt and leave enough to stop him careening around as if spring had come early!

Remember to keep him away form all females for at least six weeks, even if there is little danger of his being fertile, he can still hurt himself trying to prove he is still a man!

Good Luck, I am sure everything will go just fine.