What and why do we perform castration of colts?
Castration simply put is surgical removal of the testicles. It is performed for a variety of reasons, mainly; to modify or prevent unwanted behaviour, prevent stallion-like body development, and avoid unwanted pregnancies.
Castration is usually performed before the age of 24 months but can be performed at any age. It is important to know that any colt older than 9 months of age should not be paddocked with fillies and mares as they may mount and potentially impregnate them.
What should I do prior to getting my colt castrated?
It is a good idea to try to visualise or feel for the presence of two testicles before the castration. In normal colts, the testicles will have descended into the scrotum by the time of birth. Occasionally one testicle does not completely descend into the scrotum but remains in the inguinal canal. In some cases, with time, this high testicle may descend into the scrotum and be more accessible for removal. Colts that retain a testicle in the abdomen are known as “cryptorchid”, meaning hidden testicle. Removal of an undescended testicle, called a “cryptorchid castration”, is more complicated and should be performed in a referral centre by a veterinarian experienced with performing this procedure.
Before castration, the colt should be accustomed to handling and be halter trained, so it can be easily managed during and after surgery. Tetanus immunization is necessary before or at the time of surgery.
The Procedure
At Southwest Equine we perform our colt castrations under a short-acting general anaesthesia, with the colt positioned either on his back on his side, depending on surgeon preference.
We can perform either the traditional emasculator technique (open castrations) or the more recently developed Henderson drill technique. Recent studies have indicated that there is no significant difference in complication rate between these two techniques, however if you have a preference for technique please let us know at the time of booking.
In our area, we like to castrate colts during the cooler months when there is less dust and fewer flies.
The colt is firstly examined for the presence of two testicles and his overall health is assessed. A sedative is administered, followed by a general anaesthetic agent 5 minutes later which will render the colt unconscious. An antibiotic injection, an anti-inflammatory injection, and the appropriate tetanus injections are also administered. Once the colt has been positioned appropriately, the scrotum is surgically prepared and the surgery completed in a sterile fashion with the incisions left open. The surgical procedure usually takes no longer than 10 minutes, with the general anaesthetic usually lasting 20-30 minutes.
We monitor the horse as he recovers from the anaesthetic which may take 10-15 minutes.
Important Aftercare
The gelding should be monitored closely in the 6 hours immediately after surgery and kept quiet and reasonably confined for the first 12 hours. After this time he should be allowed out into his normal paddock to encourage movement and exercise, which is important to help reduce swelling and facilitate drainage.
You can apply fly spray around the flanks and hindquarters if you wish. Spray from the side. Do not spray directly up into the wounds as fly spray can be very irritating to open wounds.
Post operative antibiotics and anti-inflammatories are often prescribed, and these should be continued as instructed by your veterinarian.
Potential Complications
Castration is a routine surgical procedure, but complications can happen. The most common complications include:
- Bleeding: slow dripping from the surgical incision is normal after the castration. If the drops of blood are too fast to count, please call us immediately.
- Swelling: swelling in the first 24-48 hours post-surgery is normal and will vary from horse to horse. Swelling will often appear in the horse’s sheath near the penis (as this is the lowest point and fluid tends to follow gravity). It should begin to reduce after 3-4 days. If swelling suddenly reappears after this time, please call us.
- Infection: after the testicles are removed, the incisions are not sutured and are allowed to heal as a small open wound. If the incision becomes blocked or closes prematurely, infection can be sealed inside. Post-castration infection usually causes sudden excessive swelling of the scrotal area and sheath and a depressed attitude and appetite. Horses with infections will often have a fever over 38.5°C. This complication is most often seen 2-7 days after castration but can occur anytime.
- Inguinal hernia: should you notice any pink or red material hanging from the surgical site, please call us immediately. In some horses, the opening in the abdominal wall (inguinal canal) through which the testicles descend into the scrotum is larger or more flexible. In these horses, there is potential for intestines and other abdominal tissue to pass through the inguinal opening and come out the incision (called herniation). Although inguinal hernias are uncommon, they are a life-threatening complication and must be dealt with immediately and properly.
- Pregnancy: a recently castrated gelding can still get a mare in foal for some time after castration because of residual sperm in the urogenital tract. Recently castrated geldings should be kept away from females for at least 40 days.
