A guide to flystrike in rabbits
Flystrike (myiasis) is a potentially fatal condition requiring urgent treatment. It happens when a fly (usually a green bottle fly) lays its eggs on a rabbit, or in a soiled area of their housing. A fly can lay up to 200 eggs, which hatch into maggots within hours. The maggots feed on the rabbit’s flesh, rapidly causing extensive damage, often around the bottom, tail, and abdomen, and infecting the rabbit’s insides. It is extremely painful and distressing – the rabbit is likely to go into severe shock, before almost certain collapse and death.
Flies are attracted to damp or dirty areas, so are drawn to:
· Litter trays or toilet areas.
· Any messy or damp patches on a rabbit’s fur, especially areas soiled by urine or faeces, and open wounds.
Tragically, flystrike was reported as one of the main causes of death in a recent study of rabbits yet it is often preventable.
Reduce exposure to flies
The best way to protect rabbits from flystrike is to reduce the risk of flies coming near them, by:
· Controlling flies – using nets, planting fly-repellent herbs, or using a product on rabbits which prevents fly eggs from hatching (always consult a vet).
· Eliminating any attraction to flies – keeping rabbits and their environment clean and dry.
Flystrike is most common on the area around the rear end, especially if a rabbit is dirty or damp. Rabbits can have a messy bottom for various reasons:
· Poor diet – a diet too high in carbohydrates (from pellets and vegetables), and too low in fibre (from grass/hay) – can cause an imbalance, resulting in excessive production of caecotrophs.
· Reduced mobility – rabbits with poor mobility may be unable to reach their rear end to eat caecotrophs or clean properly, they may urinate over themselves, and they’re more likely to stay sitting in a soiled area of their housing. There are many reasons why a rabbit might be less mobile, including obesity , arthritis, and sore hocks, so it’s important to consult a vet to address these issues.
· Inadequate housing – rabbits with restricted space may be forced to rest in or close to their toilet area.
· Dental disease – rabbits with overgrown or maloccluded teeth may have problems keeping themselves clean.
· Urinary tract infection, bladder stones, or sludge – these may cause the rabbit to dribble urine, soiling their fur.
Addressing these problems is a good way to start in the battle to keep flies at bay.
Here are some examples, for each of the Five Welfare Needs, to show how providing for rabbits’ welfare reduces the risk of flystrike:
o Provide enough space to allow rabbits to rest and eat away from their toilet area, and to hop away from flies.
o Provide large area to reduce the risk of obesity https://www.bunnymad.co.uk/p/obesity.html (obesity can prevent rabbits from being able to groom themselves properly).
o Keep living area clean by regularly emptying and cleaning litter trays and bedding (flies are attracted to dirty or wet housing).
o Install fly nets, if possible, over windows and doors – but out of reach of bunnies’ teeth!
o Ensure that rabbits’ diet consists of at least 85% fresh hay or grass (feeding too many pellets and greens can cause rabbits to develop a messy bottom)
o Encourage rabbits to eat hay or grass, to reduce the risk of dental disease and obesity (these can prevent rabbits from being able to groom themselves properly).
· Enabling rabbits to exhibit normal behaviour patterns behaviours:
o Ensure that rabbits have plenty of enrichment to keep them active and fit, so they maintain a healthy bodyweight (overweight rabbits find it hard to keep themselves clean).
o Provide enrichment to encourage rabbits to move around, for example scatter-feeding/hiding food to encourage foraging (they will be less likely be sitting still in an area where they may be prone to flystrike).
· Providing at least one rabbit companion:
o Bonded rabbits keep one another clean (particularly beneficial if one rabbit is less mobile and has difficultly grooming).
o Bonded rabbits are more active (rabbits are less likely to be an easy, sitting target for flies).
· Providing suitable health care:
o Ensure rabbits receive treatment to manage pain, if necessary, so they are not immobilised by discomfort (inactive rabbits are more likely to be victims of flystrike).
o Address any other problems which may reduce the rabbits’ ability to clean or cause mobility issues, eg. dental disease, arthritis, sore hocks (rabbits unable to clean their bottoms are more prone to flystrike, as are less mobile rabbits).
o Keep any wounds clean (open wounds can attract flies).
Check rabbits regularly
Unfortunately, the risk of flystrike is not eliminated by ensuring good welfare. It’s vital to remain vigilant – immediate treatment is critical to a rabbit’s survival, if a fly has laid eggs, as the eggs can hatch within hours). It’s our responsibility to regularly check rabbits’ rear ends, and any injury sites. Flystrike is particularly prevalent in the warmer months, when flies are more active, so rabbits should be checked at least daily, but it’s important to check them throughout the year. Rabbits suffering from conditions that make them prone to flystrike (eg. obese or less mobile rabbits) should be checked more frequently.
Observations and examination should include:
· Ensuring rabbits are clean and free from any matted faecal matter, especially around their bottom – if cleaning is necessary, just clean the soiled area. Remember never to submerge rabbits in water (it can cause hypothermia, sending them into shock – see our guidance here). Consult a vet if a rabbit frequently has a dirty rear end.
· Checking for any fly eggs or maggots, especially on rabbits’ rear ends and in any open wounds – if any are found, see a vet immediately.
· Monitoring for any other indicators of flystrike, including:
o Decreased appetite.
o Lethargy.
o Foul odour.
o Seizures or collapse.
o Changes in fur – eg. patches of fur loss, or wet fur.
If there is any indication of flystrike, it’s vital to arrange an emergency appointment with a vet, immediately. Do this before attempting to remove any eggs or maggots (they can be brushed off if you have time before the appointment). Flystrike can progress rapidly – within a matter of hours it may be too late to save the rabbit.
Veterinary treatment includes:
· Careful removal of the maggots and clipping fur, under anaesthetic (it’s important not to wash the rabbit’s fur before going to a vet, as it will make it difficult for a vet to clip).
· Providing pain relief and topical products.
· Intravenous fluids.
· Antibiotics.
· Treating or managing the underlying cause (eg. poor diet, obesity, or dental disease).
If veterinary help is received promptly, a rabbit can be saved. If it’s been left too late, the vet will recommend euthanasia.
It’s critical to remain vigilant and respond immediately!
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Feed plenty of grass/hay – too many pellets and greens |
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