# Post-Gelding Swelling (Pictures)



## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

I've always heard "football-sized" as the cutoff to worry. But it still wouldn't hurt to just call and check in.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Some swelling is perfectly natural and truthfully, so long as he is eating, drinking, and evacuating normally and seems to be feeling good, I wouldn't worry about it.

It is so odd how different vets give different instructions though. I got my guy gelded on Friday and the vet sent him home with instructions to _not_ pen him up for any length of time at all. He advised that I turn him right back out into the pasture so that the other horses would keep him moving.


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## Cherie (Dec 16, 2010)

That is not bad at all. Many get a lot bigger than that -- especially if they are stalled.

We have always turned them out and forced them to move if they don't move around enough by themselves. We never even worried about them getting dirty -- just tried to do it when the flies were not bad.


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## trailhorserider (Oct 13, 2009)

My guy was swollen pretty similar. The swelling is normal. 

I had instructions to exercise my guy and I noticed him being lethargic and so I took his temperature and he had a fever. He also had some pus leaking from the incisions. So my guy got infected and I had to have the vet back out and got him put on antibiotics. Actually, my vet wasn't worried too much, I think he just gave me antibiotics because *I* was worried. But I was worried about the fever and I could tell my colt was pretty miserable because he's normally a spitfire. 

So I guess what I am saying is, swelling is normal but if he seems lethargic or off his feed take his temperature just to make sure he isn't running a fever. If he acts normal I wouldn't worry about it.


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## Kayty (Sep 8, 2009)

My bloke was dropped in the paddock, and let straight back up and into the paddock again. 
The more movement they have, the better the wound will drain and heal. My fellow was a little swollen for maybe a week, but as long as it is draining well there's no reason to worry.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

I did a thorough inspection of my guy tonight and, though he has a bit of swelling around the hernia incision, there is zero swelling in his sheath. I bet the cold weather we've been having didn't hurt either :wink:.


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

One of my guys was very swollen, but it got a lot better after I managed to get the hose on it and give him a nice cold rinse. Stewie swelled a little for a couple of days and Alfie had hardly any swelling at all. 

They were all turned right back out as soon as they were steady on their feet


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Thanks everyone... it sounds like this isn't something to be too terribly concerned about yet. I'll just keep a careful eye on him and keep him moving. He hasn't been confined to his stall lately, but he is staying in a paddock attached to his stall. He's a mustang who was still very wild up until a couple months ago, so we're still working on being solid at catching and respecting fences under six feet tall. I think we're almost there, though. In the next couple of months he should be turned out in the back field with the others.


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

I know this is going to sound weird but we plan our brandings and gelding of colts acorrding to the moon phases. If you buy an Farmers Almanac I believe it tells you when it is the best time to "cut". 
Just like how the moon effects the tides in the ocean it effects blood I guess.

Maybe it is just a cowboy thing....lol


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

COWCHICK77 said:


> Maybe it is just a cowboy thing....lol


Yup, I reckon it is, but if it works for a person then great


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

I timed it according to when it wasn't going to be pouring rain and we weren't going to be slogging in mud when the vet was out there doing the gelding... does that count? ^_^


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

Eolith said:


> I timed it according to when it wasn't going to be pouring rain and we weren't going to be slogging in mud when the vet was out there doing the gelding... does that count? ^_^


LOL, I'm sure thats more important than where the moon is.....:lol:


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## bubba13 (Jan 6, 2007)

Also, if you don't throw the balls on top of a roof when you're done with them, at the next full moon the horse's blood will try to get back with the testicles, and the horse will bleed to death...


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

bubba13 said:


> Also, if you don't throw the balls on top of a roof when you're done with them, at the next full moon the horse's blood will try to get back with the testicles, and the horse will bleed to death...



LOL!!! I have never heard that one!


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## Golden Horse (Feb 20, 2010)

bubba13 said:


> Also, if you don't throw the balls on top of a roof when you're done with them, at the next full moon the horse's blood will try to get back with the testicles, and the horse will bleed to death...


Don't be silly:roll:


Everyone knows that the reason you throw them is to measure the horses luck, 

The act of throwing the horse's testicles is actually still practiced at many, if not all, racetracks. And you don't throw them over the barn roof, you throw them onto the roof and if they stick and don't roll off, it's considered good luck.


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

With the added bonus of having grilled horse-fries available in the summer months.


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## wyominggrandma (Nov 4, 2009)

thats funny about the almanac and moon phases. A horseman here had the vet out to do a bunch of yearlings as soon as the vet was available, got them all done and no issues. He called again to have two more done, but wanted to wait till the Almanac and the moon phase and such was just perfect. 
Waited until it was a go, went and did both colts and they both had issues afterwards. We had to laugh, was better when we did them according to the vet availability, not the moon phases.


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## hobbyhorse (Feb 20, 2010)

My ex-colt was gelded last wednesday and the swelling looks like your pics. My guy was a crypt so while he is healing I keep checking to make sure evething is okay down there.


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## hobbyhorse (Feb 20, 2010)

Wyominggrandmother a vet told me the samething. He said a lot of ranchers here geld according to the Almanac. I don't have an Almanac so I picked another vet. LOL


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## hobbyhorse (Feb 20, 2010)

Everything in your pics looks like my mustang, is he a buckskin?


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

He's a dun, hobbyhorse. Here's a full body shot of him (before he was gelded) if you're curious:


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

smrobs said:


> With the added bonus of having grilled horse-fries available in the summer months.


Bah ha ha ha!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## COWCHICK77 (Jun 21, 2010)

wyominggrandma said:


> thats funny about the almanac and moon phases. A horseman here had the vet out to do a bunch of yearlings as soon as the vet was available, got them all done and no issues. He called again to have two more done, but wanted to wait till the Almanac and the moon phase and such was just perfect.
> Waited until it was a go, went and did both colts and they both had issues afterwards. We had to laugh, was better when we did them according to the vet availability, not the moon phases.


That is funny... I have never seen a difference either way.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## smrobs (Jul 30, 2008)

Eolith, he's a cutie. Kiger?


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## Eolith (Sep 30, 2007)

Yep smrobs, he's a Kiger boy. ^_^


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## hobbyhorse (Feb 20, 2010)

Eolith has the swelling gone down?


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