# Flystrike on Meat Sheep



## bluejett (May 17, 2010)

Sheep is a whole new catagory for me,
a friend has some sheep who were attacked by a dog and one developed what sounds like flystrike shortly after.
I offered to come over later today to help clear out maggots but I don't know what is ok to use on meat animals as far as further treatment.
I'm planning on cutting the wool around the wound, I've read peroxide is good to flush out maggots? then use an iodine scrub after to help with bacterial infections.


----------



## beoircaile (May 2, 2006)

I usually just flush wounds really well with LOTS of fresh, cool water and if it's not bleeding but open to flesh- cover well but loosely with a telfa pad until it can start healing over. Make sure you get any maggots in the wool as they can hide really well.

If the surrounding wool is long enough, you can tie the telfa pad in place with dental floss.

Then- spray the area well with something like Catron IV if you can get it. It controls a whole host of flies, maggots, etc. It will need to be checked daily to make sure no new flies are getting in there.

http://www.ptmdemos.com/kmgChem/kmg/pdf/CatronIV.pdf

The other remedy that I've used to help coat wounds is Stockholm Tar. I got my last container from Premier. Great stinky, sticky stuff!

http://www.premier1supplies.com/detail.php?prod_id=67&cat_id=13

Good luck!


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Clip wash and disinfect but I use Boroform spray. Great stuff sends the maggots running...errrrr wiggling out.


----------



## DaleK (Sep 23, 2004)

Not sure about sheep but on the odd occasion I've had flies and maggots bothering wounds on cattle, I've frozen the area with Lidocaine and cauterized the heck out of it with a hot dehorning iron. Doesn't look all that pretty but it works better than anything I've seen.


----------



## StockDogLovr (Apr 13, 2009)

This is a gross topic, and I have a gross question: I've heard that maggots are actually a good thing in wound cleaning because they actually only consume dead flesh:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggot_therapy

Okay, there's other sites if you are skeptical of wiki info. And they used "sterilized" larva for the human studies; how you sterilize a larva without killing it, I don't know LOL!


----------



## beoircaile (May 2, 2006)

At certain times- to a point- maggots CAN be beneficial. I believe they were used in Civil War times for gangrenous wounds. However, (and someone please correct me if my memory is in error) they do leave toxins and it's generally the toxins that are what cause the severest problems in livestock.

Don't have time to research the answer tonite- another storm is descending and we're most assuredly going to be w/o internet for a while...


----------



## LibertyWool (Oct 23, 2008)

I've not had a maggot problem yet, but I've helped a friend trim ingrown horns that had maggots. She used tea tree oil to cause the maggots to leave the wound. Another Sheppard recommended using ether (starter fluid). The tea tree oil worked well and is also an antiseptic.


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Some maggots eat dead flesh and the bacteria some eat live flesh.


----------



## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

StockDogLovr said:


> This is a gross topic, and I have a gross question: I've heard that maggots are actually a good thing in wound cleaning because they actually only consume dead flesh:
> 
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggot_therapy
> 
> Okay, there's other sites if you are skeptical of wiki info. And they used "sterilized" larva for the human studies; how you sterilize a larva without killing it, I don't know LOL!


They can be but in the case of flystrike it is them that are causing the problem not relieving it. Maggots on sheep can, and will, eventually kill it and I can assure you it is not a pretty sight.

Bluejett, there are products available that are specifically for the treatment of flystrike in sheep and most come with a withholding period of 30 days - in other words, the sheep cannot be killed for human or dog comsumption within that time. Although I use preventative treatment on my sheep for flystrike, I keep a puffer pack of something going by the simple name of Flystrike Powder for isolated cases and you should be able to pick up something similar from you stock and station agents - Tractor Supplies perhaps? Failing that, clip the wool back until you are well into clean wool. Mix up a weak solution of disinfectant such as Dettol or Jeyes Fluid, and using something like a Spray and Wipe bottle, spray the infected area and all surrounding wool. If you haven't got a bottle available, liberally dab it on with a cloth. Don't cover it up, there is no need to and doing so can well lead to secondary infection, but if it is very sunny liberally smear the area with sun screen. We have something over here called Filterbac which is an antiseptic sun screen specifically for stock wounds of this nature and it is brilliant stuff.

Don't freak out about it, in small isolated patches of strike, once the initial injury area is cleaned up and exposed to air and sun, maggots have a hard job surviving.

Cheers,
Ronnie


----------



## bluejett (May 17, 2010)

I'll definately reccomend the tea tree oil, she's already spent quite a bit on antibiotics for the wounds the dogs caused, tea tree oil is pretty easy to find, I've never seen the other stuff around here, most likely be at a Tractor Supply and there's one about an hour away.
Has anyone used pine tar? I've read about using it and I'm pretty sure I might have some somewhere.

Edit: Thank you ronnie, that was great info, I'll tell her about it. 
Shes wanting to euthanizing it, she's never dealt with flystrike before so I'm thinking she thinks it's worse than it is.She said it was running so I think is should be able to be saved, but I can't tell her what to do so I'll just see what she decides.


----------



## Ronney (Nov 26, 2004)

Bluejett, I deal with flystrike on an annual basis, none of it caused by wounds. I never think to take photos because it's just something that goes with farming sheep here but perhaps I should. I've had sheep that have been struck down their sides, the breech, across the shoulder and the noise of the maggots sounds like rain dripping on leaves. These sheep survive and they will be 100 times worse than your friends. This doesn't come about by bad stockmanship but by a horrible fly called the Australian Green Fly. The first you know you have it is when a sheep exhibits a dark wet patch, usually running down it's side. If not found quickly, the next thing is that you notice a sheep doing a lot of sitting in shady areas, looking depressed and reluctant to move. The mess underneath that damp area has to be seen to be believed. The wool will have parted from the body and be matted and the damp area is usually only the worst of a much larger area. The sheep will quite literally be alive. The skin will have already gone and the flesh will be crawling and weeping. This can happen in less than 24 hours. In very bad cases I will give a shot of Engemycin to ward off secondary infection, but mostly ongoing treatment is with Filterbac to help stop the remaining skin and flesh drying out or getting burnt with the sun.

Your friends sheep is nothing like as bad as this and there is no need to have it put down. Tell her to keep an eye on it and let it get on with healing. I can assure you - and her - that it will happen.

Cheers,
Ronnie


----------



## bruce2288 (Jul 10, 2009)

I HAVe had had dog damage on sheep. You may need to sew the wounds. Large deep wounds down to muscle should be stitched. I agee catron to get rid of and prevent reinfestations and antiseptic. A penicillin shot would also be helpful. Enjoy yourself, I once spent 5 hours stitching up sheep.


----------



## beoircaile (May 2, 2006)

Stockholm Tar= Pine tar. I just pulled mine out today for a small head "ding" that the flies had already found. Just coat it up and it's good.

Our Romney ram got flystruck really badly 2 years ago- we thought we would lose him. Happened over 24H when we had some really awful rains and the grass gave him the runs. The green bottle flies (blowflies) are very opportunistic. But I cleaned him up, gave him some electrolytes and vitamins, and he's doing great. You'd never know to look at him that he was almost on death's door.


----------



## Ebenezer (Jun 5, 2010)

If the wound is nasty and smells rotten the hydrogen peroxide will eat away the mess and get you down to good flesh. Don't use it more than you have to because if there is not bad stuff for it to eat up it will eat up the good flesh or the part that is trying to heal. By all means get the maggots out and then get to the healing process.


----------

