Protect your rabbit from fly strike

By Pete Wedderburn

THERE is a very serious condition known as “fly strike” that commonly affects rabbits in the summer months.
The technical term for the problem is “myiasis”. The sequence of events leading to the condition is simple. Adult flies lay their eggs on the animal. The eggs hatch out into larvae, which resemble tiny white caterpillars, and which everybody refers to as “maggots”. These larvae feed on living tissue, burrowing their way into the animal, causing severe destruction and damage. Eventually, the larvae re-emerge, fall off the animal, and become pupae. After a dormant period, the pupae hatch out as young adult flies, and the life cycle is complete. Unfortunately, animals that are victims of the hungry young larvae are often seriously affected, and the condition can be very difficult to treat.
If a rabbit hutch is not cleaned out every day, faecal pellets accumulate. Flies are initially attracted to the faeces, and soon the rabbit hutch becomes a hive of busy fly activity. At some stage, the flies start to lay their eggs around the tail area of the rabbit. When these eggs hatch out, the young larvae burrow deep into the living tissue. A rabbit can appear to be healthy and active in the early stages of the condition. Sometimes owners do not notice that their rabbit has been “fly struck” until it is too late. By the time the rabbit is brought to the vet, there are hundreds of teeming maggots, and it can be impossible to cure.
Fly strike can be prevented by immaculate hygiene in the rabbit hutch. Dirty bedding should be taken away every day during the summer months. A fly repellent strip should be hung in the rabbit hutch, in a position safely out of reach of the rabbit. Some people even surround their rabbit hutches with mosquito netting, so that flies are physically kept away from their pet.
Even if the hutch is kept clean, some rabbits are prone to becoming dirty under their tails, and flies are frequently attracted to such contaminated areas.  This is the area that rabbit owners need to check very carefully. Sometimes the fur needs to be clipped off, or regular sponge-downs need to be given to keep it immaculately clean. If there is even a trace of dried rabbit droppings, flies will be attracted. During the summer months, all rabbits should be picked up and examined carefully every day, so that they can be kept as clean as possible, and so that the problem of fly strike can be detected in the earliest stages before serious damage is done.
I remember a situation where an owner was only alerted to the problem of fly strike when she noticed a swarm of flies following her rabbit as he hopped around the garden.  The poor rabbit had severe wounds at this stage, and unfortunately the problem was too advanced for successful treatment, and he did not survive.
Treatment of any animal with fly strike is difficult. Insecticide sprays and baths are used to kill the fly larvae. An injectable insecticide is also available to kill the unseen larvae that are deep in the animal’s tissues. Antibiotics are given to control bacterial infection of the wounds. Intensive nursing is a very important part of treatment, with a warm dry bed, hand-feeding and lots of gentle attention.
The fly season in Ireland is now here. It has now been warm enough for long enough for the insect population to build up to its annual peak. Rabbit owners should be aware of the risk to their pets from flies.