[farmchickisr]

My 4 yr old QH is having a bad time with the hay, and has a few sores on his gum line that keep getting hay pieces stuck into them. Of course I clean his gums a few times daily, but is there something I can put on them to help heal the sores sooner? Will I have to resort to soaking the hay?"? I don't really want to be playing with hay all the time. Suggestions all

[tbtrainer]

Try some Tincture of Mryh...(sp).. you should be able to get that at your local pharmacy.

[JessD]

what are these sores from?

[Native Winds]

Do you have alot of Meadow fox tail grass hay? Or bearded barely ? Its the seeds of this grasses that have tiny barubules on them and they get into the areas that are hard to get out of like above the gum line. They make the mouth VERY sore and sometimes they will refuse to eat. Its called NON infectious Stomatis. Also known as fox tail stomatis or porcupine grass stomatis.

Fox tail is more common than porcupine grass and I had a freind who got hay that was full of meadow fox tail (any fox tails will do this) and it made nasty sores on the gums and the inner lips.

You will have to get rid of the hay that you have that is "infected" with such grass. It wont go away untill the cause goes away.

You can use oragel to help, or the above Tinture of Myrh to aid in its soreness. Mild menthol can help also but use sparingly.

[farmchickisr]

I imagine it's the hay, but it's so annoying that the old mares are doing ok, it's not like it's poor quality, but it seems that whatever barby pieces there are he finds them. OK, no choice but to find a solution for the hay, thanks as usual for all input.

[mamaalwaysrides]

It might be a weed in your hay. my horses had the same problem at the other place I boarded at, like ulcers on their gums. we had to resort to a complete pelleted feed. the man grew his own hay

[StarfireArizona]

Early last year I changed my 4 over to barley hay due to my gelding's not being able to SNIFF alfalfa in mixed hay. It wasn't until a couple months later I found horrible ulcerated sores in his and my mare's mouths. It was the tiny fibrous "quills" on the barley heads that were sticking in their soft mouth tissue. To this point they hadn't given any outward signs of distress. I found one huge one by accident while checking my gelding's mouth for bit placement.

While anxiously waiting for the vet to come to tranq them and scrape them all out, my poor mare was standing there with drool hanging from her mouth to the ground. They were in her gums & she could no longer close her lips. It didn't bother my colt or senior one iota though..... Still can't figure that out. The memory of how they must have suffered makes me sick at heart

[BornToRide]

poor guy!!! i have a cold sore on the corner of my mouth.. i feel his pain

[Native Winds]

The fox tail, barley grass and etc are best to be fed to cows. HOWEVER, this same thing can also occur in cattle from the same cause. Cattle just do better with it.