# Foxtail Hay and now an abscess...



## TheNewMrsEvans (Sep 28, 2010)

So I bought some less expensive hay that has a good bit of foxtail in it, mixed with grass/alfalfa...I figured they eat all of our weeds covered in prickly things, so foxtails should be ok. Well apparently not! They eat the hay fine, except yesterday while trimming feet I noticed one of my does had a scab on her lower lip. I picked at it and got out pus, but while I was looking at that I looked inside of her lip and there are foxtails stabbed into her lips and palate. I pulled out as many as I can and took away the hay. I checked the other's mouths and pulled out a bunch also. 
I squeezed the abscess again tonight and emptied it out again. What type of antibiotic would you use for a mouth/lip infection? Also how can they eat weeds all over the property, but get foxtails stuck in their mouth from the hay???
I only have one bale left of the cruddy hay, so no big deal, but seems odd they would eat it up and have foxtails stabbed in their whole mouth!


----------



## cmjust0 (Sep 29, 2010)

That is weird..   

If she's an adult, I'd probably use oxytetracycline..  Bio-Mycin 200, LA-200, etc.  For something localized and minor like that, I'd probably give her 3ml/100lbs, 1x/day for 3-5 days.  

Also, flushing the wound with some kind of antiseptic would probably be helpful.  Betadine or 1% gentle iodine would work.


----------

