# Help heal mouth ulcers causes by foxtail?



## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

I'm on mobile so I will post the detailed backstory later along with photos when I'm on a computer.

My horse has an ulcer on his gums from foxtail. It's causing him some discomfort but I caught it quickly. However some other boarders found bigger and more numerous ulcers in the mouths of their horses.

I don't believe my horse is extreme enough to need a vet call. No pus, no odor. Is there anything I can do to help it along? Maybe dab some Listerine on it? I've never run into this before.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

I have never personally dealt with them but I have heard of people just rinsing them out and keeping them clean, and they heal up pretty well. Of course if you get rid of the hay with foxtails.

Also another option could be to just call your vet and see if there is a product you can use to help heal them.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

In case anyone's curious...I ended up going with a saltwater rinse. I didn't feel comfortable rinsing with listerine in case he consumed it and it didn't agree with him so I dabbed some on with a cotton ball. I also bought orajel for mouth sores on the way home last night and will try it today.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

My mare had a whole handful stuck under her upper lip. Vet was called, because I thought she was choking. He didn't find anything, after ruling out choke,I saw them when he checked her teeth lol. He told me to rinse with a weak iodine solution. I never did, just watched it, and it healed by itself, and very quickly. Never thought about salt water, duh.... lol
Hay containing foxtail is being discarded now, period.


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

The hay should be discarded but the BO isn't doing it. Since I can't ride anyway due to their lack of lighting, I started picking the foxtail out of the hay. It annoys her, for some reason, for me to do that but she isn't replacing the hay either! Oh well, glad I'm leaving!

On an Arabian note: My horse actively tried to express that there was a problem. It was really neat to experience his attempt at communication.
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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

So did mine, also Arab. She, first, wouldn't eat, which is odd for her, then kinda flick the nose, all the while making a real miserable face, but only when I looked, came up to the stall door every time I passed, really telling me to have a look at her, without being vocal. She wasn't drooling or holding her lips crooked, it all looked normal, apart from her behavior. They can't speak, but they sure can communicate...


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

deserthorsewoman said:


> So did mine, also Arab. She, first, wouldn't eat, which is odd for her, then kinda flick the nose, all the while making a real miserable face, but only when I looked, came up to the stall door every time I passed, really telling me to have a look at her, without being vocal. She wasn't drooling or holding her lips crooked, it all looked normal, apart from her behavior. They can't speak, but they sure can communicate...


That's very similar to what my horse did! He's normally attentive but he would go from the hay feeder, back to me, to the hay feeder, then do this bouncy head, mouth gaping thing (similar to foal face but not quite) whenever I passed by. I normally hang out with him a bit while he eats hay since I can't ride where I'm at and he just wouldn't eat. He'd stare and stare and turn a circle and stare and do that weird head thing over and over. I fed him snacks to see if be would eat, which he did but then I noticed his right supraorbital fossa (dent above the eye) wasnt bulging when he chewed. Opened his mouth and found the ulcer.

He's not impressed with his saltwater rinse and thinks the orajel tastes funny.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## deserthorsewoman (Sep 13, 2011)

DancingArabian said:


> That's very similar to what my horse did! He's normally attentive but he would go from the hay feeder, back to me, to the hay feeder, then do this bouncy head, mouth gaping thing (similar to foal face but not quite) whenever I passed by. I normally hang out with him a bit while he eats hay since I can't ride where I'm at and he just wouldn't eat. He'd stare and stare and turn a circle and stare and do that weird head thing over and over. I fed him snacks to see if be would eat, which he did but then I noticed his right supraorbital fossa (dent above the eye) wasnt bulging when he chewed. Opened his mouth and found the ulcer.
> 
> He's not impressed with his saltwater rinse and thinks the orajel tastes funny.
> _Posted via Mobile Device_


I can imagine THAT face lol


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## DancingArabian (Jul 15, 2011)

As a follow up....his ulcers are now almost completely healed up. I continue to pick the foxtail out. My horse thinks I'm eating I think as he stays very respectfully back until I'm away from the hay.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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