naturestee
Well-Known Member
Also see:
Fly Strike
What is it?
Excerpt from http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-3/maggots.html
Bot flies are not usually found indoors so a rabbit getting exercise outside is more susceptible than one kept strictly indoors. However, do not discount the possibility of one getting to an indoor rabbit, especially if you open windows on nice days. Unlike house flies, bot flies do not require the attraction of food, blood, or feces. They are attracted directly to the rabbit himself.
A bot fly looks like a bee (yellow with black stripes,) but it has a curved body that appears to be stinging its victim. There is no stinger. This extension of the fly is merely the tube for laying its eggs on the targeted area. Eggs look like separate, tiny yellow seeds stuck to the tips of individual hairs and are laid one egg at a time. Warm moisture (such as an animal licking himself) will pop open the egg hatch and release the larva to burrow inside its victim. If removal of all eggs cannot be accomplished, warm vinegar should pop the egg hatches and kill the larvae. One kind of bot fly attracted to rabbits in the wild will also lay eggs near rabbit habitat, on leaves or stems of normal vegetation. These eggs hatch when a rabbit brushes against them. When the eggs hatch, cuterebra prefer the area around the rabbit's neck or under the jaw where they burrow under the skin to eat flesh and grow.
Unlike other fly maggots that are small and white, cuterebra look like something out of a science fiction movie. They start out white but grow to reticulated black shells covering a slug type body tapered at both ends. They grow in size much larger than the adult bot fly and can be up to one inch long and H inch wide. A larva this size does considerable damage and where one is found, several others may also be present. Because they burrow under the skin as newly hatched larvae, the entrance hole, called a warble, is small and not easily seen. Since the skin is traumatized, the area around the entrance is slightly raised like a bump with inflamed edges. The edges of the hole, if visible, may be blackish. The small hole remains open for emerging when the larval stage of growth is complete. As the cuterebra grow, the area where they have burrowed resembles a tumorous growth and is called a warble tumor. All you may see or feel is the lump.
A rabbit who is having trouble breathing should be checked immediately for any of these lumps. At this stage, death could be imminent and rushing your rabbit to the vet will be the only way to save him. Trying to pull out the enlarged cuterebra on your own could rupture the larva causing toxins to enter the already infected area. The cuterebra may also be deep enough to require surgical removal by your veterinarian.
Articles
Links in Rabbit References: Flies
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html#fly
Cuterebra Infestation in Small Animals
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/71500.htm&word=cuterebra
Cuterebra Homepage
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/dxendopar/parasitepages/unknown/cutebra.html
(Broken link)
Hops: A severe case of bot fly infestation
http://hopperhome.com/hops.htm
Myiasis (botfly) in rabbits
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Cuterebra.pdf
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/parasites/f/FAQ_cuterebra.htm
RO Threads
Rabbit Outside
Bub's got something
Emergency!!!! Please Read! (Bulge in chest with brown bit sticking out)
Update on my baby bun's botfly ordeal
Maggot?
Bot fly in a shelter bunny's testicle
Gravy does NOT have cancer
Fly Strike
What is it?
Excerpt from http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-3/maggots.html
Bot flies are not usually found indoors so a rabbit getting exercise outside is more susceptible than one kept strictly indoors. However, do not discount the possibility of one getting to an indoor rabbit, especially if you open windows on nice days. Unlike house flies, bot flies do not require the attraction of food, blood, or feces. They are attracted directly to the rabbit himself.
A bot fly looks like a bee (yellow with black stripes,) but it has a curved body that appears to be stinging its victim. There is no stinger. This extension of the fly is merely the tube for laying its eggs on the targeted area. Eggs look like separate, tiny yellow seeds stuck to the tips of individual hairs and are laid one egg at a time. Warm moisture (such as an animal licking himself) will pop open the egg hatch and release the larva to burrow inside its victim. If removal of all eggs cannot be accomplished, warm vinegar should pop the egg hatches and kill the larvae. One kind of bot fly attracted to rabbits in the wild will also lay eggs near rabbit habitat, on leaves or stems of normal vegetation. These eggs hatch when a rabbit brushes against them. When the eggs hatch, cuterebra prefer the area around the rabbit's neck or under the jaw where they burrow under the skin to eat flesh and grow.
Unlike other fly maggots that are small and white, cuterebra look like something out of a science fiction movie. They start out white but grow to reticulated black shells covering a slug type body tapered at both ends. They grow in size much larger than the adult bot fly and can be up to one inch long and H inch wide. A larva this size does considerable damage and where one is found, several others may also be present. Because they burrow under the skin as newly hatched larvae, the entrance hole, called a warble, is small and not easily seen. Since the skin is traumatized, the area around the entrance is slightly raised like a bump with inflamed edges. The edges of the hole, if visible, may be blackish. The small hole remains open for emerging when the larval stage of growth is complete. As the cuterebra grow, the area where they have burrowed resembles a tumorous growth and is called a warble tumor. All you may see or feel is the lump.
A rabbit who is having trouble breathing should be checked immediately for any of these lumps. At this stage, death could be imminent and rushing your rabbit to the vet will be the only way to save him. Trying to pull out the enlarged cuterebra on your own could rupture the larva causing toxins to enter the already infected area. The cuterebra may also be deep enough to require surgical removal by your veterinarian.
Articles
Links in Rabbit References: Flies
http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/rabrefs.html#fly
Cuterebra Infestation in Small Animals
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/71500.htm&word=cuterebra
Cuterebra Homepage
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/dxendopar/parasitepages/unknown/cutebra.html
(Broken link)
Hops: A severe case of bot fly infestation
http://hopperhome.com/hops.htm
Myiasis (botfly) in rabbits
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Skin_diseases/Parasitic/Cuterebra.pdf
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/parasites/f/FAQ_cuterebra.htm
RO Threads
Rabbit Outside
Bub's got something
Emergency!!!! Please Read! (Bulge in chest with brown bit sticking out)
Update on my baby bun's botfly ordeal
Maggot?
Bot fly in a shelter bunny's testicle
Gravy does NOT have cancer
