# Fly strike (A warning ! )



## jb4 (11 September 2008)

I would like to warn people again to check their horses for FLY STRIKE ! My dear little pony has spent a week in the Vets hospital with Fly strike,This is a pony that is showing at top level, So is pamperd to within an inch of its life! She was fine in the morning,Got her in late afternoon and her Tail was alive with maggots and blue fly,The smell was disgusting and her flesh was being eaten alive.The vet has told me it only takes 8 hours ,And it can be fatal ! It starts with a nick or rub and  the fly lays its eggs in it,  The maggots hatch out in 8 hrs.Do check under the dock area,Right at the top of the tail,But one lady on here has told me her gelding had it around his BITS ! So i think you have to check everywhere,My vet did check my girls nibbles Because thats another danger spot.It really is awful so check your animals ! On visits from other clients to the vet hospital they are shocked to even hear of fly strike in horses as its more common in sheep and rabbits.


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## YorksG (11 September 2008)

Thanks for the warning, our (one) sheep has had it and recovered, but I had no idea that the horses could too


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## jumpthemoon (11 September 2008)

Ewww sounds awful! Your poor pony! I hope she gets better soon.


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## miller (11 September 2008)

A livery at my old yard had it - 32yo pony - laid eggs in his sheath (it was filthy) - made a full recovery


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## chickeninabun (11 September 2008)

Oh no! Sounds terrible. 
	
	
		
		
	


	




 Hope your pony makes a full recovery soon.
Will check mine over tonight when I get home, and as if I am not paranoid enough!  
	
	
		
		
	


	





Edited as I'm a spelling numpty!


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## flyingfeet (11 September 2008)

Can we get an update?

We lost a ram to fly strike this year - he had foot rot and they crawled out of his feet into his fleece and caused blood poisioning. 

Its horrible.


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## oofadoofa (11 September 2008)

I had an elderly horse with it a couple of years ago.  He had a scratch on his neck which was nothing really, and went to check on him one morning to find his neck crawling with maggots.  He was fine, just a nasty place on his neck for a while.  Another horse on my yard also got it last year.  The owner always picked her horse's feet out daily and one day brought her in from the field to find them in her heel.  She was fine, but again had a nasty sore place for a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the warning!


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## Sarah_Phillips (11 September 2008)

My bf has a large sheep farm in Wales and I know that if their sheep get fly strike they shear it away or put deisel on it, it seems to work a treat and clear it up (obviously dont light it) but i guess the fumes must like kill them off. Im not sure whether it could be done on horses but im sure it would work the same


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## kellyeaton (11 September 2008)

what are they treating your poor mare with? i no in sheep the shear the area apply jays fluid then get an anti bacterical spray to cover it!


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## JoJo29 (11 September 2008)

Hiya, I have worked with horses for 20 years and never come across fly strike until today.  I checked our shetland this morning and all was well.  My groom checked him again after lunch and noticed tiny maggots over his back - she recognised fly strike from rabbits.  My vet said it is common in sheep and from what I have just read on the internet, after the fly's lay their eggs they take just 8 hours to turn into maggots.  We have now clipped him (he had quite a thick coat) and scrubbed him with hibiscrub and put a light rug on him to keep further flys off.  Hopefully all will be well.  I think we are paranoid when we check the field kept ones about 5 times a day.  All I can say is thank goodness, at least this awfull thing was caught before doing him any further harm.  Good luck with your Pony's recovery and like you I am shocked this should have happened to our molicuddled shetland!


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## jb4 (11 September 2008)

I hope my little shetland will come home 2moro,The vet is going to ring after his rounds,I know im going to have my work cut out for a few weeks yet But as long as shes o.k thats all that matters.JoJo29 as you say its a terrible shock when you look after your ponies so well,Iv found myself lifting tails and smelling bums all day today ! (I have 5 other shetlands you see !)Thank you all so much for wishing my pony well,I will keep you updated.


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## Linzi1 (13 September 2008)

I hope your pony is ok now.  I have a 25 yr old thoroughbred who was struck down with this on wednesday this week.  He had been seen by the vet twice last week for a nasty urine infection and had been really well for five days on antibiotics.   Then wednesday morning he looked as though he had gone back to stage one again and was really uncomfortable and throwing himself all over the place  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 and the vet came straight back out.  She, like us, couldn't understand what was going on as he is on the antibiotics.  She gave him a muscle relaxant to be able to pop a catheter in to check it wasn't a stone passing from the urine infection, and as he dropped himself out of his sheath - well, there were flies and larvae everywhere  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 .  It was horrible, and no wonder the poor old man was so uncomfortable!! The vet cleaned him all out (which he enjoyed a little too much!  
	
	
		
		
	


	




 ) and now he is still on the antibiotics for the urine infection, but I have to clean him with an Iodine solution each day and he seems so much happier  
	
	
		
		
	


	




.  From speaking to the vet, and also to friends on other yards in the area, Fly Strike seems to be quite a common occurance this year unfortunately.


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## jb4 (15 September 2008)

Ohh poor thing ! Mines still in hospital but i hope to get her back 2morro,Its been 8 days so far ! We have sheep next door and we have found out they all have fly strike , Its terrible .I do hope your Mans on the way to getting better,Its such a shock,Ohh the smell was terrible with my little girl,Horrible.Good luck let me know how you get on.


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## kellyeaton (15 September 2008)

where can horses get fly strike?


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## jb4 (15 September 2008)

Mine had it in her tail,But one lady said her horse had it on its back,One said frog,Another in the sheath,Anywhere really,The fly will lay its eggs anywhere !


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## Linzi1 (19 September 2008)

I'm really pleased to be able to say that my boy now seems fully recovered from this horrible incident, and gotten over the urine infection to (after 21 days on antibiotics!).  I say he seems fully recovered as today I thought that I would be nice and took him out for a walk being led off of a friends pony to keep him calm after not being ridden for so long - and he nearly pulled my arm off as he wanted to canter off without us!!!   
	
	
		
		
	


	









I think that this has made me ultra paranoid though as people on the yard are continually asking me now as to why I am peering up his sheath!!! (and coating him in Coopers fly spray - god knows how much this is all costing but at least he is fighting fit again!)


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