# Doe not able to chew her hay up to swallow



## beccaz (Mar 14, 2015)

Hi!!! New here and I have a problem that has me stumped with a little pygmy doe....she is about 5 years old....I noticed her dropping weight...so my first thought was worms even though she had been wormed about 3 months ago...so I wormed her again....still dropping weight and then I noticed that she always had a mouthful of hay....I checked that out...and found she had wadded up hay clear down her throat...which I pulled out..... I put her in a separate stall....and fed her some grain to see what happened...and that went down just fine...gave her some water...and she drank just fine....so I have her a little hay....and again...she chewed it up...but can't seem to swallow it....any time she is near any hay I end up having to pull a wad out of her throat..which isn't much fun for me or her......I am now feeding her small amounts of grain 4 times a day and she looks a lot better...and have just started her on soaked timothy pellets....but...she can't live like this forever....she won't be happy to be stuck in a stall and not go out to eat grass....(the same thing happens when she eats grass)....does anyone have any idea what can be wrong???


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

She may have a tooth or other mouth issue that makes properly chewing hay too painful.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

I agree, check her mouth and teeth closely for issues. Also check inside her cheeks for abcessing. Watch your fingers, goat teeth are sharp! 

In the meantime you can feed soaked shredded beet pulp and oatmeal along with the pellets for extra nutrition. Applesauce and yogurt are other options. Probios and b complex will keep her rumen healthy until she eats hay again...


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree as well...check her teeth...add alfalfa pellets to her diet..its grass base...not the ling stem they need but it will sustain her...also as canyontrail said ..daily probios and b complex...


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## Chopsgoats (Aug 20, 2013)

I have seen this a screw times, I'd have the vet check her teeth. Them probably y need to be floated. Sometimes a tooth can grow to a point where the teeth do not meet enough to shred the hay.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Good advice.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Along with all the other advice, I would cut her hay. No more than 2" long. The chopped up hay should help her.


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## beccaz (Mar 14, 2015)

thank you for your help....I have had sheep and goats for 20+ years and have never had this happen......she had to have a c section last year and is just a pet....I was so afraid there might be something seriously wrong....I talked to my vets office yesterday and they are calling me back tomorrow...can't really afford to put any more money into her...but you have to do what you have to do....I won't let her continue like this....she wants to be out of her stall....I'll try cutting her hay up also....and and see how she does with that...


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

Purina makes a hay product called Rehydration Hay that is alfalfa and grass hay chopped to about 1/2 to 3/4 inches long. Not an ideal length for the rumen, but it is slightly better that pellets and mine have found it to be very palatable when they have been off their feed. I would still feed some alfalfa pellets too, as the Rehydration Hay is expensive as a sole source of hay.


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## hallsthirdacrefarm (Mar 30, 2011)

I have been having this same issue all winter and have a thread on here about Rosie (ND goat). We took her to purdue and they did find she had a couple missing teeth but no other tooth problems (no sores, no sharp roots on the scans). Three vets all stumped, but they said they have already seen a few other goats / sheep like this this year. We are having to pour supplements into her and she is still losing condition with no other diseases or parasites present. One vet in particular thinks this is a neurological problem due to something we don't understand yet. Right now I'm just hoping to get my doe through kidding (bred while still my easy keeper in perfect health last fall). Keep me posted if you find anything... but yes, tooth problems are the first thing they should rule out...and a scan will tell them more than a visual inspection because the ROOTS can be sharp and painful. If she is missing any teeth, the opposing teeth will have to be floated 2x year as the teeth wont have anything to keep them from growing too long. I've had some success with adding calf manna and on her bad days, making a hot cereal out of oats and barley.


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