12/11/2023 0 Comments Bunny fly strikeThis maybe painful, and the use of sedation or local anaesthesia may facilitate this procedure.Īvermectin preparations are commonly administered to kill any remaining maggots, for example injectable ivermectin, or authorised topical preparations (ivermectin or selamectin –off license). Once the rabbit is stable, then the wound area can be clipped, cleaned and any visible maggots manually removed. Crystalloids can be given intravenously at 2-4ml/kg/hour as long as the rabbit is carefully monitored. Should the rabbit present ins a state of shock, then fluid therapy, active warming and possibly even corticosteroids in severe cases, are indicated. While flurorquinolones are not first line antibiotics, many of these rabbits are unwell enough with significant enough infection to justify at least consideration of their use. It is preferable but often impractical in these cases to prescribe on the basis of culture and sensitivity results, so using a licensed medication initially is sensible. It is thought that maggots may excrete some form of local anaesthetic causing wounds not to be painful whilst they are active inside, however these wounds will start to hurt when the maggots are removed.Īntibiotics are indicated in cases of flystrike- both to address the immediate damage caused by the maggots but often also for some of the potential underlying causes (eg abscesses). Secondary treatment involves clipping and cleaning the affected area of skin, wound debridement and irrigation and topical treatment to encourage granulation and healing.Īnalgesia in these cases can comprise both non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for example meloxicam, as well as an opiate (buprenorphine) or tramadol. Initial treatment of flystrike must comprise analgesia, treatment of infection, addressing toxic shock if this is present as well as removing or killing and live maggots remaining. Definitive diagnosis of the inciting cause will lead to better ongoing management and ultimately prevention of recurrence. A thorough clinical examination, with additional diagnostics such as radiography, urinalysis and bloodwork are often warranted. However it must be noted that it is not sufficient to diagnose and treat flystrike without also addressing the underlying causes. Diagnosisĭiagnosis of flystrike may be made on clinical signs alone- finding maggots on or in skin wounds is sufficient. ![]() Once an owner looks more closely at their animal, wounds and often the maggots are generally visible. Most rabbits do not appear to experience pain from the wounds caused by maggots, however they often seem off colour and may well be lethargic and inappetant. Maggots will not develop if the environmental temperature is below 9 degrees centigrade, or is the humidity in the local area of the skin is below 90%. At this stage, the maggots are tiny and not harmful, however within 3 days these moult to 2 nd and then 3 rd stage maggots, which are larger and will cause direct damage to the skin. Depending on the weather conditions, eggs can hatch as rapidly as within 12 hours, to form 1 st stage maggots. Once the fly is attracted to the area of skin, it lays eggs on the surface. If the skin is not clean and dry either there is a disease process that is affecting grooming (eg head tilt secondary to inner ear disease or E.cuniculi infection, osteoarthritis, or spondylosis) or there is a disease process that is directly affecting the skin (urine scalding, cutaneous abscess, bite wounds). Understanding the pathogenesis of flystrike relies on the concept that clean, dry skin will not be affected. Because flystrike is multifactorial in nature, simply removing maggots and successfully treating wounds does not produce resolution of the underlying problem and certainly won’t prevent recurrence. In the UK most cases of flystrike are due to Lucilia sericata. Therefore, by definition there is likely to be an underlying disease process affecting the rabbit’s willingness or ability to eat caecotrophs or the skin integrity itself (eg urine scalding, abscesses, wounds). It is important to remember that normal dry, clean skin that is free of caecotrophs will not attract flies. ![]() When these eggs hatch and become maggots, further damage to compromised skin occurs as the maggots are feeding resulting in infected wounds. Flystrike refers to damage done to skin when fly eggs are laid on its surface. It is a preventable condition that compromises the welfare of the affected animal(s) and can be fatal. Flystrike in rabbits Dr Molly Varga BVetMed DZooMed MRCVSįlystrike (blowflystrike, myiasis) is a regular occurrence in pet rabbits during the warmer months.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |