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It's late summer and if you own any animals, you need to know what Fly strike is and how to prevent it. Fly strike is the layman's term for Myiasis, a disease caused by fly larvae which feeds not only on dead tissue but can also feed on live tissue. Fly Strike is most common in sheep and rabbits but can affect any animal or human.

Fly strike occurs when flies lay their eggs on susceptible tissue. Some examples of susceptible tissue include open wounds, skin wet with urine or feces, eye drainage, matted hair or poor skin conditions. It takes only 8 to 12 hours for the eggs to hatch, becoming maggots or larvae. Once hatched, the larvae begin to tunnel under the host's skin by releasing an enzyme that liquefies the skin, causing fluid and protein loss and irritating, painful lesions which if left untreated can turn into a bacterial infection. Fly strike can be fatal making prompt action necessary.

Symptoms include shaking, rubbing, biting or scratching the infected area. Decreased appetite can also occur. If left untreated, symptoms include open sores with a foul odor and visible signs of maggots. This can quickly progress to sepsis which is an infection in the blood, a serious medical condition requiring immediate attention.

Treatment for Fly strike includes physical removal of the maggots, cleansing the affected area well, removing any dead tissue, clipping excess hair around the infected area to allow for a drier environment and antibiotics if sores are present. Further treatment for advanced disease involves intravenous fluids for re-hydration and extensive wound management. A trip to the veterinarian is recommended if you suspect Fly strike as the maggots may be buried deeper than you can visualize.

Increased risks for developing Fly strike include:

*animals who spend the majority of the time outside
*animals with diarrhea
*animals with vomiting
*animals with scratches or sores
*animals with matted hair
*animals with skin conditions
*animals with weakened immune systems

There are steps you can take to prevent Fly strike in your animals. These include:

1. Bathe and groom your animal regularly.
2. Treat cuts and sores immediately and observe closely for signs of infection.
3. Treat animals with diarrhea and vomiting promptly and keep indoors if possible until the diarrhea and vomiting have subsided.
4. Use an animal friendly pet fly control regularly. You should consult your veterinarian for this.
5. Keep all animals up to date on shots and worming treatments.
6. Inspect the area where the animal usually resides for signs of maggots. Keep the area as clean as possible.

The steps for prevention are much less expensive than treatment options for this disease. We should not assume our animal is not at risk just because it is not a type of livestock animal. Remember dogs and even cats are also at risk as are humans. Steps for preventing Fly strike are simple and easy to do and will go along way to protect our animals and ourselves from this potentially devastating disease.

Learn more about this author, Valerie Johnson.
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