VPA 221: Veterinary Entomology and Acarology (1+1)

Clinical signs in affected animals

CLINICAL SIGNS IN AFFECTED ANIMALS- MYIASIS

• IrritationAnimal stands with its head down
• Does not feed, moves away from flock
• Attempts to bite affected area
• If lesion is in tail region, animal stamps or jerks its hind legs, wags its tail
• Examination reveals discoloured moist wool with bad odour and presence of foul smelling liquid
• Trimming the wool reveals presence of maggots
• Progression of disease lead to
  • Malnutrition
  • Loss of production
  • Death
• A condition called lightning strike occurs when toxaemia / septicaemia occurs wherein the animals dies within few days of strike
• Animal does not feed properly
• Weak and debilitated
• Toxaemic (absorption of toxic substances from lesion)
• Septicemia and  death
• Financial loss:
  • decrease in the value of fleece
  • reduction in meat and milk production
• Death of animal
• Labour cost towards surveillance and handling of blow fly strike

Diagnosis

• Clinical signs
• Trimming the wool helps to reveal the presence of  larvae