FAQ – Sheath Cleaning

By Dr. K (Cal Jane)

FAQ Post: #HVCsheathcleaning

Any horse that kicks will have to be sedated by a veterinarian who will then do the cleaning.

The others can be cleaned via the following thorough process: stand with your hip at the shoulder of the horse and face backwards. Have a confident handler that stands behind you on the same side of the horse.

First with a ungloved hand (my preference) or a latex gloved hand, apply a bit of lubricant (like KY Jelly) to your finger tips, and feel into the openings on three sides of the penis orifice (known as the uerthral sinus & fossa) for the beans, remove the beans with a finger. If you can’t get this step done then you won’t be able to do the next. Next with your hand apply some Excalibur into the space between the penis and the inside of the sheath to help loosen the smegma, try to cover all surfaces if possible. After a couple of minutes set time, don cheap fuzzy cotton glove (like a white butchers glove), wet the glove with warm water and create a lather with a mild bar soap (like a Castile soap). Then place your hand up between the space between the inside of sheath and the penis and gently rub the interior removing the “crud.” Try to get up into the uppermost area near the belly where the space ends. This will have to be repeated by removing your hand, rinsing the crud off your glove, resoaping, and going up there again. After all the “crud” has been removed then irrigate the interior space with warm water using a hose of a big syringe. Irrigate until you are convinced all the soap is removed. Dr. K.

I have included a picture of where to find the bean and the anatomy of the penis/sheath area: http://www.infovets.com/books/equine/B/B760.htm

Please follow the hashtag link (#HVCsheathcleaning) to ask any questions regarding this topic on the FAQ Post.