b'AAEP FORUM DOUG THAL, DVM, DIPL. ABVPTheHorse.com/AAEP-ForumCastration ConsiderationsC astration is surgical removal of theCastration can bethe hours after castration, but call your testicles to prevent stallionlike be- vet immediately if blood streams from the havior and development, as well asperformed with thewound for more than a few minutes. pregnancy in herd settings. Stallions cansedated horse downExercise is important to help reduce or standing.be gelded as young as nursing foals upswelling and facilitate drainage. We until their 20s, though veterinarians typi- recommend starting a controlled exercise cally castrate colts before 2 years of age.program (15 minutes of longeing or Many vets prefer to perform castrationsponying at the trot, for example, once or during the cooler months when there aretwice daily) 24 hours after the procedure. FRANK SORGE/ARND.NLfewer flies. The horse may initially seem stiff, but this Colts should be halter-trained and ac- usually resolves with more exercise.customed to handling so they can be eas- In warm weather apply fly spray ily managed during and after surgery. Thearound the flanks and hindquarters. Spray veterinarian will often administer a teta- from the side and not up into the wounds.nus immunization before or at the time oflargetesticular blood vessels. It canThe incision will contract over a few surgery. Usually, castration patients needalso occur if the vessels are not crusheddays to a much smaller wound and at least two weeks of postoperative care,properly. Most correctly castratedthen fill with a bed of red tissue, healing so schedule the surgery for a time whenhorses bleed very little.within 12 to 14 days. Any drainage should you can monitor the horse closely.In some horses thesubside after a few days to a week.Inguinal herniaThe procedure In our practice we usual- opening in the abdominal wall (ingui- Days 2-5 the scrotum might swell up to ly perform recumbent (down) castrationnal canal) through which the testiclesthree times its original size. This is normal under short-acting generalanesthesia.descend into the scrotum is large orand often goes down with exercise. The The colt lies on his left side with his rightflexible. In these horses the intestinesscrotum is usually back to normal size hind leg tied up so we can access the scro- and other abdominal tissue can passafter five days, but a bit of swelling may tum. We perform the procedure in thethrough the inguinal opening and outpersist at the lowest part of the sheath.field or at the clinic, and usually outside.the incision (herniation). AlthoughClear, red-tinged fluid draining from Some vets prefer to do the procedureinguinal hernias are uncommon, theythe wound is normal for the first few with the horse standing and sedated.are life-threatening complications thatdays. If the drainage becomes yellow or Once the horse is sedated and themust be dealt with immediately. pus-colored, call your veterinarian. Also scrotum surgically prepared, the castra-Castration incisions are notcall your vet immediately if:Infection tion procedure itself only takes about fivesutured but, rather, allowed to heal You have any questions concerning the to 10 minutes. I make a large incisionfrom the inside out. If the incisioncastration or its healing. to expose each testicle, then use sterilecloses prematurely, infection can getYour horse acts depressed or wont eat. emasculators to crush the large vesselssealed inside. Post-castration infec-You observe excessive swelling of the of the spermatic cord to prevent hemor- tion usually causes excessive swellingscrotum or sheath.rhage. It takes about 15 minutes for theof the scrotal area and sheath and aYour horses temperature in the morn-colt to recover from the anesthetic. Atdepressed attitude and appetite. Horsesing, before exercise, is higher than 102.that point he usually gets up easily withwith infections often have a fever over You see excessive bleeding or drainage little assistance. He will be unsteady for102.5 degrees Fahrenheit. Signs usuallyfrom the scrotal incision.another five to 20 minutes, after which heappear two to five days after castration,You observe tissue hanging out of the can be trailered or moved to a stall. but infection can occur anytime. incision.Potential complications Castration is aAftercare For 24 hours after castration,In some cases, it can take weeks to routine procedure, but complications cankeep your gelding confined and calm inmonths for stallionlike behavior to happen. The most common ones include: an up to 20-by-20 stall or corral. Duringdecrease after castration. Monitoring at Excessive postoperativethe first six hours after surgery, look in onhome and caring for the colt according to Bleedingbleeding is more common in horseshim every few hours, as directed. veterinarian instructions is essential for a that have clotting abnormalities or verySome slow-dripping blood is normal insmooth, uncomplicated recovery.hAmerican Association of Equine Practitioners, 4033 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY40511859/233-0147www.aaep.org8February 2020The Horse|TheHorse.comAAEPForum_Feb.indd 8 1/3/20 10:15 AM'