by Adewale Olowode

Created on: September 02, 2008

A parasitic blowfly larva or maggot feeding on a pet's living tissue is the main cause of fly strike.Fly strike,also called myiasis in academic camps,is a problem of pets that are found outdoors,including cats,dogs,sheep,rabbit,cattle,and horses.And this is because outdoor activities expose them to blowflies of all sorts.Common during summer and fall,fly strike is a warm weather disease.

Development of the vector

The blowfly is attracted to the animal by the messy odor of an injured area or sore.Its sense of smell is longer,many times than that of man. Again,an ingestion of protein from carcass or dung is necessary for the female fly to lay her eggs.After the protein meal,the fly has the capacity to lay 150-180 eggs in a single batch.A female fly will live up to one month and lay 2-3 batches of eggs during her lifetime.

If conditions are favorable,as obtainable in the warmer months of the year,maggots would hatched from the eggs within 12 hours.And they may be fully fed and ready to drop off the animal within 4 days of hatching.The maggot feeds on the skin tissues of the animal and would mature to become a pupa by forming a cocoon(a solid crust) around itself.The pupa pupates (or moults) several times to become an adult fly.The whole cycle of development from egg,larva or maggot,pupa,and finally an adult is a process of within two weeks.

Symptoms

The symptoms of fly strike are many and may vary from one animal to the other,depending on the state of the infection as at the time an inspection is to be conducted.However,the following are generally common:
-obvious sign of distress
-a sore or lesion on the head,ear,or body
-egg patches on fleece
-visible sign of maggots
-traumatized skin
-foul smell from the wound
-reduced feeding or grazing activity
-frequent tail wagging
-rubbing of affected areas
-biting of the infected areas for wool

Secondary symptoms include:
-bacteria infection
-speticaemia
-toxiemia
-death

Diagnosis

In diagnosis,veterinarians are curious of quickly diffferentiating between fly strike and other skin diseases affecting the ears,and which looks similar.Some of these include:

-vasculitis

-mange

-atopy

-or systemic lupus erythematosis.

Veterinarian doctors would therefore recommend skin scraping,ear exam,skin biopsy,a complete blood count,chemistry profile,and urinalysis.Skin biopsy may become necessary if an abnormal skin area has changed color,and it is perceived as an onset of skin cancer.

Treatment

In many cases,the underlying problem may be a sore that has been neglected

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