boy bits rarely making an appearance

I posted a thread months ago about this and while the situation is somewhat better we are facing a whole new bunch of problems now

I got arizona when he was 3 but he had been neglected for so long that he was severely undergrown and didnt even have a set of...you know...boy bits

Anyways, it was during winter that we first noticed he still had none but then when it warmed up they magically appeared. I figured they were just hiding from the cold and now it was warm it was safe to come out

But, they arent staying down. One day you can look and swear he is a gelding and the next day there is no doubting he is a stallion. Also, he sucks them up when he is nervous or in trouble. I have never ever seen a stally do this.

Its causing a problem now that I want to get him gelded. I had the vet come out the other day to geld him and when he got here he thought I was nuts cause arizona had no, well nuts lol they were sucked up good and proper. Consequently he couldnt be gelded but it still cost me a call out fee of $90

The vet hadnt seen it before and has no idea how to combat it. I rang a different vet and told him the story and the only thing he could suggest was taking him there and leaving him until the vet could get him while they are down. Only problem is that will cost $$$$ every day and I can't afford hundreds of dollars just to get him cut

Has anyone else seen this before? Any ideas why?

I would get a new vet asap because your vet should still be able to go in and do the procedure, and if he says he has never seen anything like it?? Idk.

My horse was a "late bloomer" but eventually he was gelded. Horses, just like human men, do the same thing; If it's warm they descend to keep the temperature down and if it's hot they go back in to keep them warm. It's a way to regulate temp and keep the goods in tip top condition.

I've never hear of that either - I learn something every day on the forum. If he were mine, I might try to give him some Ace to see if when he relaxes, they drop. If they do then you know to let the vet proceed. If he doesn't, it becomes more costly for the vet to go up there and get them.

A little more radical would be to sedate him and warm up the testicles with a hair dryer. That may cause them to drop, as White Foot suggested, to regulate his body temp.

If you have actually felt them then take him into the vet and tell them to sedate him and take them out. Any time you geld a horse the vet has to reach up inside the horse to get the cords cut and crimped off. Most of the time the testicle get sucked up as well. If you haven't actually felt them then that's maybe a little different. The vet probably doesn't believe that he still has them. There should be a scar on his scrotum if he has been gelded so you could check that.

I always haul my horse to the vet rather than have the vet out to my place. It's just not worth the farm call fee to have them come out.

A few things- kevin is right, haul him to the vet. Once he is sedated for the castration, the testicles should make their grand entrance. Second is that Ace can cause penile paralysis and therefore shouldn't be given unless the vet is present to deal with the situation. Yes it is rare, but why would you take a risk? Even if he has had the drug before without problems, it can still happen. Third, if the vet is loathe to drop the horse without being sure of whether or not he is still intact, a very simple and inexpensive blood test called a GnRH stimulation test can be performed. Good luck with him.

Incidentally horses with testicles that drop and suck up are often what is termed "high flankers" and aren't all that uncommon here in the US where people still breed them despite this being something that should disqualify them from a breeding program as cryptorchidism is a genetic trait.

I have to agree that once sedated, they should drop. Even so, most stallys will slide back up inside when the vet turns them on their back anyway. You have gotten very good advice from all other posters.

Kevinshorses - he is definitely uncut. No doubting that as a lot of the time they are right there, plain as day :)

I had a talk to the vet we use at work this morning and he is going to come and do the procedure for me. One of the biggest probs with them having to go further in to get them is the cost involved. However, because of where I work he is going to give me mates rates :) he will do the procedure here as we are set up well enough for him to do it. He thinks as some of you do that if he is sedated they should drop out fine. I also spoke to him about the other vet who was so perplexed about it. He didnt say anything just rolled his eyes lol I like this vet much better. He comes and does his visits in his helicopter cause we live out in the sticks and we have had a lot of rain lately so the easiest way for him to get in and out of all the properties is by air. I work with race horses and my bosses are fantastic with their horses and spare no expense when it comes to treatments and vets. They love this vet therefore I trust their judgment.

Thanks for everyones replies :)

Oh, man a helicopter-flying vet, that is cool as! I want to get my piloting license when I am done with school. Good luck with him, sounds like this vet is on the right track!

Hahaha I know right! We just have to make sure we arent working any of the horses when he turns up :)