Maggots on my Shetland

Dizzy Woo

Well-Known Member
Apr 20, 2008
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Dorset
Last night I noticed a couple of flies settling on my Shetlands back and when I checked her they had laid eggs along her dorsal stripe, it was still a bit damp from the rain and very very dense fur. YUK . Combed all the eggs out, hibiscrubbed the patch and sprayed fly spay on her but this morning there were maggots deep in her fur
Friend and I got all the maggots out, washed and ride her with fly free shampoo and trimmed back all the fur where the eggs had been laid so the fur would dry out better. It's very humid here too.
After couple hours caught another bl---dy fly on her further up her back at the base of her mane laying eggs again :banghead: cleaned all the eggs away and sprayed her with skin so soft.
Called vet but their attitude was pants. Apparently flies don't lay eggs on horses unless there is a wound. Well there is no wound and there are fly eggs/maggots.
Just praying there won't be any in the morning.
Anyone else ever come across this.
Feel awful for the poor little thing, worried the maggots will eat into her skin :cry::cry:
 
I have never heard of this happening either. How bizzare, on clean and unbroken skin? Could it be a warble fly do you think? That I have seen before and it is pretty ghastly when the maggots burrow into the skin.:frown:
 
Ewwww!! How horrid. Well done for getting the little blighters off, I would probably freaked a bit.

I have not heard of this with no wound though. Has she got sweet itch or anything that would make her skin more vulnerable?
 
Ewwww!! How horrid. Well done for getting the little blighters off, I would probably freaked a bit.

I have not heard of this with no wound though. Has she got sweet itch or anything that would make her skin more vulnerable?

No, sweet itch etc, 20 year old Shetland and I know her precious owner, no history of anything. Just big blue bottle flies. Like fly strike on a sheep really but I think the flies go for the Pooey bum and this is on dreamers back :unsure:
 
if you arent planning on showing her then i wouldnt hesitate to clip her out and possibly pop a fly rug on. With all the rain and them having such thick coats I have heard of some developing a fungal/rainscald type thing, could be something brewing like that that is attracting the flies?
 
if you arent planning on showing her then i wouldnt hesitate to clip her out and possibly pop a fly rug on. With all the rain and them having such thick coats I have heard of some developing a fungal/rainscald type thing, could be something brewing like that that is attracting the flies?

Yes, if they recur tomorrow she is going to be clipped, bless her :inlove:
 
Happened to my boy!!! Fly strike!!! on his back no idea how or why!!! Vet came and was great. so many years ago can't remember what I did. but think he had an injection incase of infection. was rather yukky! flies landing while I was trying to pick out the maggots. It was disgusting.
 
He is a Shetland pony too. The maggots feed on the skin and spit out something that smells like rotting flesh so more flies come and lay eggs. I googled fly strike at the time and this springs to mind. He was very itchy with it and constantly wanted to roll. My vet was great even though he had never seen this before.
 
Sorry to hear this was happening to poor lil' Dreamer!!! Flies can be really nasty littlle blighters!

Another vote for clipping out and putting a fly rug on, hopefully it'll stop the cycle. Will maybe give the skin a chance to air and be less attractive to the flies? It's been so warm and wet lately, it's perfect conditions for the little buggers!
 
Sorry I have no advice to offer but hope you get the problem solved.

Also, this thread has my nomination for "worst title ever" :wink:
 
I've used Spot-on too, my old boy used to get treated with it as if there was anything going he would get it, lice etc, at the time vets put it down to his immune system getting weaker and every little blighter taking advantage of it.
 
Just to say the flies and maggots all went once we trimmed back her coat so it ahead a better chance to dry out between rain showers, also plastered her with a nice thick stripe of yellow fly cream which I think is for sheep!
 
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