Vet Dan Forster.
FLYSTRIKE is one of the most distressing conditions that an owner can be confronted with and summer is the worst time of the year for it.
To find your pet crawling with freshly hatched maggots which are eating away the animal’s flesh while they are still alive is not a pretty site.
It is unfortunately still very common. As vets we see animals affected with flystrike on a regular basis and on occasions the damage done by the maggots is irreversible and animals may have to be euthanased.
The problem comes about when an animal has a soiled region on the body, which attracts adult blow flies to lay their eggs. We see it most commonly in hutch rabbits with urine and faecal soiled back ends, particularly overweight rabbits that cannot reach around to groom themselves sufficiently.
Once the eggs hatch, the maggots will start eating the animal’s flesh and will crawl into any orifice they can find, effectively consuming the animal from within.
We also see the problem in other pets that have dirty, contaminated wounds or open cuts that have been left or gone unnoticed by the owner.
Medical treatment generally entails clipping and cleaning the affected area and manually removing the maggots. If the damage done is not too severe, the wounds can then heal with time and medication.
It is imperative that owners are aware of the risks and do not leave wounds on their animals to "heal by themselves".
You should take your pet to the vet if you are concerned and keep them inside to reduce exposure to flies.
Rabbits are particularly vulnerable, as some owners do not check them regularly enough. They should be closely examined two or three times a day at least. Keeping their hutches clean and ensuring a balanced diet will prevent obesity and soiled behinds.
Owners may also need to bath their rabbits and dry thoroughly to keep them clean.
You can also buy fly repellent such as Rearguard from your vets, to repel flies searching for areas to hatch eggs for up to ten weeks.
It’s well worth being aware of the risks, as this condition is not nice to see or treat — vigilance is the key.