Castration / Crypt Surgery
Potential Risks & Complications
While castrations are a common surgery performed regularly, there is always a possibility of complications and these complications may be serious. The primary risks associated with castrations include, but are not limited to:
- Post-Operative Swelling and Edema: Some degree of swelling following a castration is normal; this often will occur within 4 days following the surgery and will completely resolve within about 2 weeks. If the swelling lasts beyond this time, then it is considered abnormal.
- Hemorrhage: Bleeding is common for about the first 5 minutes following the removal of the emasculators. This abnormality is often seen as a fast drip or steady stream of blood that last upwards of 15 minutes.
- Post-Surgical Infection: This may result from bacteria entering the surgical wound, causing an infection.
- Eventration/Evisceration of the Intestines through the Surgical Wound: This complication is rare; however, this is often fatal.
- Tissue Damage: This include, but are not limited too, skin, muscle, nerves, eyes, etc.; these may be potentially injured during an anesthetic procedure often during the induction and recovery phases.
- Myopathy / Neuropathy: this often occurs in large heavily muscled horses or when a horse has been under anesthetics for an extended amount of time. It refers to muscle or nerve damage due to pressure and/or lack of blood flow.
Castrations are performed while the horse is under the effects of sedative agents. The use of these anesthetics is not without risk and may potentially result in anesthetic injury or death.
If performed at the clinic, for the safety of all involved, we ask that unless instructed otherwise you take advantage of our waiting room during the surgery. Once the surgery is performed and your horse has recovered safely an Energy Equine employee will come and get you and invite you back inside the examination room.