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Purple Tongue

Joined Oct 2009
147 Posts | 0+
Dallas,Pa
Well I darted a doe two weeks ago and shes been licking the dart site. shes got the hair licked off now. So I thought I'd put some Blue Kote on it and maybe she would leave it alone. But now the whole pen is full of deer with purple tongues. Any ideas as to what I could put on it to stop them from licking it. Its not infected or anything and there just a small mark there at the injection site. The needle didnt break off, it was fine when I removed it. should i just leave well enuff alone?
 
OK here is a lesson in wound healing 101............The most effective way to get a wound to heal is to keep the tissue moist. That is why whenever we dart we always pack the dart wound with an anti-biotic creme, not a petroleum ointment. Having said that, it is normal for a deer to "lick their wounds" as the saliva does the work of the ointment. Just keep an eye on it and if it becomes infected, then take action. Many times we circumvent natural behavior because we do not appreciate the ability of our deer's instinctive behavior.