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  Discussion on The elusive bean
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Posted on Tuesday, Nov 16, 1999 - 10:01 am:

Dear Dr. O,

I find I need to clean the sheaths of my geldings at least once a month – even leaving it for 6 weeks is too long. However, I really worried when I read your article as I have never felt the “bean” you talk about. I therefore got organised this weekend and really concentrated on trying to find the bean, but felt nothing. I then decided to try and clean my miniature horse’s sheath again – I had tried before and got smartly kicked and nipped for my pains, and one is fairly vulnerable at his level ! So I now persevered and persuaded him to stand still and lo and behold, there was a bean!

Now, do you think that the fact of monthly cleaning of the big horses has stopped the bean from forming? Or am I just not going far enough? They do tuck everything up as far as it can go, that’s for sure. Your comments would be appreciated as always.

-Alexa-

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 16, 1999 - 11:49 am:

Hi Alexa,
My friend asked me to clean her gelding's sheath this week and I couldn't find it either! I didn't want to go squeezing and prodding too much as he isn't mine, although he seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the experience! There was plenty of goo up the sides and in the folds but no bean.
Incidentally, do you find other people are reluctant/shy/embarrassed to do the job? I'm always getting requests and one horse even lets everything hang out as soon as he sees me - I don't know whether to be flattered or not!!

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 16, 1999 - 3:01 pm:

Hello Helen,
Yes, I do find other people are reluctant etc. to do the job, and even reluctant and embarassed to discuss the fact that it has to be done. I know one big yard where it is never, ever done to any horse - and some horses have been there for years.

I must say I was a bit surprised when I first brought my horse home in 1986 to find that this was now one of my duties, and a bit nervous about the whole thing as it seemed a bit too intimate and a bit of a damn cheek really. But our veterinary pharmacist explained to me exactly, and provided me with all the special soap and surgical gloves et al, and once I discovered all the horrible muck there, I realised how absolutely essential the job was.
My thoroughbreds are very reserved about the whole thing, stand dead still, not moving, and heave a sigh of relief when I've finished - but I had a Friesian who also let everything hang out and I also didn't know whether to be flattered or not!!

Glad it's not only me who can't find a bean!

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 17, 1999 - 7:09 am:

Hello Alexa,
Hard for me to say from here, next time thev et is out have him check. I don't think regular cleaning of the outside would keep it from forming but some horses do not seem to make one very quick.
DrO

Posted on Saturday, Nov 20, 1999 - 10:07 am:

Dr. O,
If the sheath is not kept clean and the bean removed, what consequences, if any, are there as far as health and breeding capability? You mentioned that at one location it had never been done and I doubt it has ever been done on my stallion either. Just wondering.

Posted on Sunday, Nov 21, 1999 - 8:16 am:

Well Diann,
Many people do not clean their horses sheaths with no consequences whatever. Ever so often I will have to treat a swollen sheath that responds to a good cleaning. Some gelding that make a squonking noise when they trot respond to a cleaning, though most continue to make the noise.

Ever so often, I will have to remove a bean that has grown so large that it is making urination either difficult or painful. The largest bean I remember was the size of a ping pong ball and had to be removed in pieces from the fossa.
DrO

Posted on Monday, Nov 22, 1999 - 3:51 pm:

How does the bean form and where actually is it located? I have not tried finding out if my gelding has one although I do clean his sheath periodically which really equates to getting the gung off.

Carol

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 23, 1999 - 6:25 am:

The bean is a concretion of exfoliated cells, oil, and waxes. It is located in the urethral fossa just dorsal the urethral oriface in the head of the penis. We have a cut away diagram that shows the fossa at, References: Equine Illustrations: Anatomy of the Viscera and Organs of the Horse: Penis and Related Structures.
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 23, 1999 - 11:14 am:

Dear Dr O
All my horsey life I've been labouring under the impression that geldings sheaths make noises and get mucky because their normal sexual development is reduced by being gelded and that a stallion having everything the correct size has no spare space in his sheath for either of these two problems to develop. Have I been misled?

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 24, 1999 - 7:58 am:

I think it sounds like as good a theory as any I know.
DrO

Posted on Friday, Dec 10, 1999 - 5:07 pm:

Hello,

I'm another owner who cleans my horse's sheath two times per year. I have yet to find "the bean" and have tried to feel for it several times. I don't think my horse has ever had "the bean." I have watched him urinate and he "pees like a racehorse!" I don't notice any blockage or irregular urination. Luckily, my TB seem to like having his sheath cleaned and DrOps for me like magic like some of you others have experienced. I swear one of these days, he's going to ask me for a cigarette when we're through.

Posted on Thursday, Mar 30, 2000 - 5:11 pm:

My goodness, where have I been? I have never heard of sheath cleaning and just fell into this page, but I'm sure there are alot of issues I know nothing about. Thanks to the ADVISOR! I once reported a horse pastured on my land to the humane society (equine neglect) because it looked from a distance as if his penis was literally rotting off with a cancer looking growth. He probably only needed cleaning!! Not before supper but in the very near future I need to face this problem with my geldings - I've seen it but somehow overlooked the fact that I needed to do something about it! One of them has even been straining to urinate over the past 6 months: I observed closely for color and amount of urine and frequency and there didn't seem to be any problems. I must admit though, that I was aghast at the scaley, peeling penis, but again just thought it was something "normal" for geldings. How could I be so stupid? I, like Diann, now wonder whether there are serious consequences to my stupidity?

Posted on Friday, Mar 31, 2000 - 11:06 pm:

Everyone:

I feel so happy to tell you that I have found the bean. I had help with an experienced cleaner who's done literally hundreds of different horses. From what she's told me its usually at the tip of the penis between the tip and the foreskin or I guess the fossa?. You have to run your finger (no sharp nails!) all around in there and find it. she said that sometimes it just isn't there but if the horse hasn't been done in a while it will be.

I was taught that there are three main areas to clean and this is usually the last one and the hardest to get to. So, thats my bean story.

liz
So, Dr. O correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is where the "bean" is.
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