Fly strike is a serious condition in rabbits. It occurs mostly in the summer months. Not only is Fly strike (myiasis), extremely distressing, but it is also potentially fatal. All rabbit owners should be aware of Fly strike.
Fly strike is caused by flies that are attracted to damp fur, urine, faeces and the odour of the rabbit’s scent. The flies will land on the rabbit normally around the rabbits rear end and lay their eggs. Within a very short time of 2 hours the eggs will hatch into maggots. The maggots will then start to feed on the rabbit.
This process happens very quickly and is not always caught in time.
The flies will strike on any rabbits, but the rabbits most at risk are, Obese rabbits, females with large dewlaps, or skin folds around their abdomen-which makes if difficult to clean and groom themselves, rabbits with urinary problem
Elderly or arthritic rabbits, long coated breeds- such as Angora rabbits and rabbits with dental problems, making them unable to groom themselves also are at risk.
Rabbits with Fly strike will normally dig into a corner, they will be doing this to dig away from the pain, being very quiet and lethargic, not eating/ drinking, not wanting to move. You may also notice a strong smell coming from the hutch
If you notice that your rabbits behaviour has changed, the best thing to do is to pick them up and check around their bottom.
If you find a maggot on your rabbit you must take it to your vet immediately, as your rabbit can get ill very quickly. Fly strike bunnies are normally in shock from the whole experience and will need careful nursing to help them recover.
For prevention, doing two daily checks on your rabbit during the hot months (June to October) and once a day should be ensured.
If your rabbit cannot groom itself you should be grooming and cleaning him regularly to prevent any soiling of the fur.
Make sure your rabbit is eating normally. If not it may be good to get your vet to check the teeth as rabbit teeth grow continuously, and if they are too long the rabbit will not be able to eat normally and will not be able to clean itself.
Ensure that you keep your rabbit’s diet the same. Rabbits are herbivores and enquire a high fibre diet. Their diet should consist of 70-80% hay or grass, concentrates should be kept to a minimum.
If you change your rabbit’s diet, your rabbit my suffer from an upset stomach, causing him to have softer faeces , softer faeces is easier to get stuck to the fur which will then attract the flies.
A spot-on preparation which you can get from your vet can be applied to your rabbit to protect against Fly strike for 10 weeks. It is a ‘prescription-only medication’ so your rabbit will have to be examined by the vet before you can treat your rabbit.
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