Flystrike
2010 April 2
Flystrike is a distressing and potentially fatal condition often seen in pet rabbits during the summer months. The following information may not be pleasant but is well worth a read for all owners of pet rabbits to ensure you know what to look out for this summer!
What is Flystrike?
Flystrike, or Blowfly strike (Myiasis), is a serious condition mainly affecting rabbits, that occurs during the warmer months – April to October Greenbottles (Lucilia sericata), are one of the main culprits when it comes to rabbit flystrike. They are attracted to damp fur, urine, faeces, the odour of rabbit scent gland or open wounds. Flies don’t need to lay eggs on the messy or injured area; that is merely what attracts them. The eggs look like tiny patches of off-white moving grains of rice, laid on the regular fur where they can stick. Within hours the eggs hatch into a seething bunch of maggots, where they automatically gravitate to the appropriate area. They then begin to burrow in and, literally, eat their victim alive. The tiniest cut can provide access beneath the skin where they begin to tunnel in and eat deeper and deeper, releasing toxins in the process. Within a 24-hour period an otherwise stable rabbit can enter a terminal state of shock due to maggot infestation. Is my rabbit at risk? Flystrike can happen anywhere and anytime when the weather is warm enough to hatch fly eggs. The more restricted a rabbit is in movement, the more likely he/she is to be a target. Common factors that may make a rabbit more vulnerable to flystrike are:
• Long haired breeds commonly develop matts, trapping debris and faeces. • Obese rabbits find it difficult to groom and often don’t eat their Caecotrophs (soft faeces). • Dental Problems result in rabbits not eating Caecotrophs and not grooming • Older rabbits may suffer from arthritis, commonly affecting the spine making grooming difficult. • Diarrhoea, loose stools or urinary incontinence result in a dirty bottom in addition to a sick rabbit • Any rabbit with a wound is a prime candidate for flystrike, as the smell and moisture from such areas attract the flies to lay their eggs. In addition, rabbits living in a small or dirty hutch will struggle to keep themselves clean, dry and fly-free even if they are otherwise healthy. Remember that both indoor and outdoor rabbits are at risk – flies have no boundaries! Warning Signs
Any unusual behaviour in your rabbit should be investigated immediately – some rabbits with flystrike will become quiet and withdrawn, others will be restless and agitated. Other things you may notice are a nasty smell, wetness around the bottom and a reduction in appetite or faecal production. The maggots themselves are tiny white worms (the larval stage of the fly) and there can be hundreds of them. You may have seen such wiggling masses in rubbish bins. If you see them on the surface of your rabbit, there is an extreme possibility they are also under the surface. You can frequently tell where they are by a rippling motion under the skin. However, even if you cannot see any maggots, if your rabbit seems unwell it is important to get him or her checked by one of our veterinary team as soon as possible! What to do if you find signs of flystrike on your rabbit? Flystrike can be fatal and so is an emergency! Eggs can turn into maggots in just a few hours in warm weather. If you notice any of the warning signs above, then a visit to the veterinary hospital is needed – day or night. Please call us first so we know to expect you at the hospital. As long as it doesn’t delay your visit to us, any obvious maggots can be picked off your rabbit at home. Please don’t bath your rabbit – making the fur wet can hinder our treatment at the hospital and can make your bunny cold and more uncomfortable. Treatment If your rabbit is diagnosed with flystrike he or she will usually be admitted to the hospital for at least 24 hours. We have special areas for rabbits to stay, that are away from noisy dogs and cats thus allowing them to recover in peace and quiet! Treatment consists of: 1. Removing maggots – fur is clipped away to allow the vet to find ALL the maggots (any maggots left on will begin to burrow again) and assess any wounds they have made. The wounds are cleaned thoroughly and usually left to heal with the aid of medication. Most rabbits will allow the vet to do all of this conscious, but very occasionally we will need to sedate or anaesthetise your pet in order to perform the procedure. 2. Medical care – all rabbits suffering from flystrike will be given pain relief and antibiotics on admission to the hospital. They will also be given a drug to kill any remaining maggots or fly eggs concealed in the tissues. Other treatment may involve special creams, gut stimulants and fluids depending what the vet feels is necessary. Please remember that each case of flystrike (and each rabbit) is different and so the treatment for your rabbit may differ slightly from that outlined above.Sometimes the wounds are too extensive and it is more humane to put the bunny to sleep. Do ask a member of our team if you have any questions during the treatment of your pet – we are always happy to help!
Prevention is better than cure REARGUARD (Cyromazine 6% w/v) A topical liquid preparation that prevents maggots from hatching out of the fly eggs. It is easily applied using the sponge applicator over the rabbit’s fur around their rump, back end and occasionally feet. It can be used on all healthy rabbits over 10 weeks of age. Avoid using it on pregnant or lactating females or in animals with broken skin. One bottle is enough for one treatment and should be repeated every 8-10 weeks. In cases where the rabbit is extremely susceptible it can be applied every 6 weeks. As it is a prescription only medication, the vet will have to have seen your rabbit before they can prescribe it at the hospital or Cat Clinic for you.
Husbandry
Old fashioned ‘sticky paper’ fly traps available from most DIY stores can be hung up around the house (for indoor rabbits) or hutch/shed. Please don’t hang them directly inside the rabbit hutch!! Netting placed over the hutch or run will prevent flies getting at your rabbit – but do ensure your rabbit cannot chew the netting! A number of plants are said to repel insects, including flies. Some of them can be dried and hung indoors for pet rabbits or inside the shed; others can be grown in pots nearby the rabbit hutch! Do make sure that all are well out of the way of your bunny! Suitable plants include dried Chrysanthemum (Pyrethrum spp.) flowers, dried Gilead (Cedronella Canariensis) leaves and flowers or Nigella (‘Love-in-a-Mist’) and Artemisia Abrotanum (‘Lads-Love’) plants. Many herbs are also said to repel insects including Peppermint, Chamomile, Lavender, Rosemary, Basil and Green Oregano. Prevention of flystrike is not easy! Fly mesh over the front of the hutch, insect repellents, fly strips and preventing the conditions that make a rabbit prone to flystrike in the first place will obviously contribute. Rearguard and vigilance, together with these measures, provide the best protection. If you have any further questions regarding flystrike or any other aspect of rabbit health, then please do not hesitate to contact us at the veterinary hospital! Carla Smith RVN
Flystrike, or Blowfly strike (Myiasis), is a serious condition mainly affecting rabbits, that occurs during the warmer months – April to October Greenbottles (Lucilia sericata), are one of the main culprits when it comes to rabbit flystrike. They are attracted to damp fur, urine, faeces, the odour of rabbit scent gland or open wounds. Flies don’t need to lay eggs on the messy or injured area; that is merely what attracts them. The eggs look like tiny patches of off-white moving grains of rice, laid on the regular fur where they can stick. Within hours the eggs hatch into a seething bunch of maggots, where they automatically gravitate to the appropriate area. They then begin to burrow in and, literally, eat their victim alive. The tiniest cut can provide access beneath the skin where they begin to tunnel in and eat deeper and deeper, releasing toxins in the process. Within a 24-hour period an otherwise stable rabbit can enter a terminal state of shock due to maggot infestation. Is my rabbit at risk? Flystrike can happen anywhere and anytime when the weather is warm enough to hatch fly eggs. The more restricted a rabbit is in movement, the more likely he/she is to be a target. Common factors that may make a rabbit more vulnerable to flystrike are:
• Long haired breeds commonly develop matts, trapping debris and faeces. • Obese rabbits find it difficult to groom and often don’t eat their Caecotrophs (soft faeces). • Dental Problems result in rabbits not eating Caecotrophs and not grooming • Older rabbits may suffer from arthritis, commonly affecting the spine making grooming difficult. • Diarrhoea, loose stools or urinary incontinence result in a dirty bottom in addition to a sick rabbit • Any rabbit with a wound is a prime candidate for flystrike, as the smell and moisture from such areas attract the flies to lay their eggs. In addition, rabbits living in a small or dirty hutch will struggle to keep themselves clean, dry and fly-free even if they are otherwise healthy. Remember that both indoor and outdoor rabbits are at risk – flies have no boundaries! Warning Signs
Any unusual behaviour in your rabbit should be investigated immediately – some rabbits with flystrike will become quiet and withdrawn, others will be restless and agitated. Other things you may notice are a nasty smell, wetness around the bottom and a reduction in appetite or faecal production. The maggots themselves are tiny white worms (the larval stage of the fly) and there can be hundreds of them. You may have seen such wiggling masses in rubbish bins. If you see them on the surface of your rabbit, there is an extreme possibility they are also under the surface. You can frequently tell where they are by a rippling motion under the skin. However, even if you cannot see any maggots, if your rabbit seems unwell it is important to get him or her checked by one of our veterinary team as soon as possible! What to do if you find signs of flystrike on your rabbit? Flystrike can be fatal and so is an emergency! Eggs can turn into maggots in just a few hours in warm weather. If you notice any of the warning signs above, then a visit to the veterinary hospital is needed – day or night. Please call us first so we know to expect you at the hospital. As long as it doesn’t delay your visit to us, any obvious maggots can be picked off your rabbit at home. Please don’t bath your rabbit – making the fur wet can hinder our treatment at the hospital and can make your bunny cold and more uncomfortable. Treatment If your rabbit is diagnosed with flystrike he or she will usually be admitted to the hospital for at least 24 hours. We have special areas for rabbits to stay, that are away from noisy dogs and cats thus allowing them to recover in peace and quiet! Treatment consists of: 1. Removing maggots – fur is clipped away to allow the vet to find ALL the maggots (any maggots left on will begin to burrow again) and assess any wounds they have made. The wounds are cleaned thoroughly and usually left to heal with the aid of medication. Most rabbits will allow the vet to do all of this conscious, but very occasionally we will need to sedate or anaesthetise your pet in order to perform the procedure. 2. Medical care – all rabbits suffering from flystrike will be given pain relief and antibiotics on admission to the hospital. They will also be given a drug to kill any remaining maggots or fly eggs concealed in the tissues. Other treatment may involve special creams, gut stimulants and fluids depending what the vet feels is necessary. Please remember that each case of flystrike (and each rabbit) is different and so the treatment for your rabbit may differ slightly from that outlined above.Sometimes the wounds are too extensive and it is more humane to put the bunny to sleep. Do ask a member of our team if you have any questions during the treatment of your pet – we are always happy to help!
Prevention is better than cure REARGUARD (Cyromazine 6% w/v) A topical liquid preparation that prevents maggots from hatching out of the fly eggs. It is easily applied using the sponge applicator over the rabbit’s fur around their rump, back end and occasionally feet. It can be used on all healthy rabbits over 10 weeks of age. Avoid using it on pregnant or lactating females or in animals with broken skin. One bottle is enough for one treatment and should be repeated every 8-10 weeks. In cases where the rabbit is extremely susceptible it can be applied every 6 weeks. As it is a prescription only medication, the vet will have to have seen your rabbit before they can prescribe it at the hospital or Cat Clinic for you.
Husbandry
- Check your rabbit TWICE daily during the summer months – ideally this should be performed all year round.
- Keep the hutch clean and dry – remove soiled bedding daily and disinfect the entire hutch at least once a week.
- Regular check ups (at least every 6 months) by our veterinary team. These allow us to pick up any early signs of disease that could make your rabbit more prone to flystrike, and answer any questions you may have about diet, exercise or housing.
Old fashioned ‘sticky paper’ fly traps available from most DIY stores can be hung up around the house (for indoor rabbits) or hutch/shed. Please don’t hang them directly inside the rabbit hutch!! Netting placed over the hutch or run will prevent flies getting at your rabbit – but do ensure your rabbit cannot chew the netting! A number of plants are said to repel insects, including flies. Some of them can be dried and hung indoors for pet rabbits or inside the shed; others can be grown in pots nearby the rabbit hutch! Do make sure that all are well out of the way of your bunny! Suitable plants include dried Chrysanthemum (Pyrethrum spp.) flowers, dried Gilead (Cedronella Canariensis) leaves and flowers or Nigella (‘Love-in-a-Mist’) and Artemisia Abrotanum (‘Lads-Love’) plants. Many herbs are also said to repel insects including Peppermint, Chamomile, Lavender, Rosemary, Basil and Green Oregano. Prevention of flystrike is not easy! Fly mesh over the front of the hutch, insect repellents, fly strips and preventing the conditions that make a rabbit prone to flystrike in the first place will obviously contribute. Rearguard and vigilance, together with these measures, provide the best protection. If you have any further questions regarding flystrike or any other aspect of rabbit health, then please do not hesitate to contact us at the veterinary hospital! Carla Smith RVN
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Great stuff as usual…