Serving Valleyview and surrounding community with professional veterinary services.
03/25/2025
HORSES !
Bot flies (Gastrophilus intestinalis) affect our equine companions. These larva are introduced into the horses system after the Bot Fly lays its eggs on the horse, commonly the legs (pictured), and the horse then ingests the eggs when licking or grooming themselves. Once the eggs are ingested, they will begin to hatch and work their way to the horses stomach where they attach to the lining. Eventually when they are at a more mature stage, they will detach, pass through the p**p and eventually become flies and repeat the cycle. Typically these fuzzy little parasites do not cause many symptoms or problems to your horse, but if a large burden is present, weight loss, diarrhea or even colic may occur. Best prevention is to remove the eggs from the horses hair when noticed, but using an oral deworming product will help to remove larva that have already attached themselves
