What happens if a horse eats bot fly eggs?

lacy · 10-12-2008, 03:50 PM

I'm still learning about the different things with horses and environments and bugs between living down here in GA compared to being born and raised in MI.

We never really worried too much about bot fly eggs in MI and pulled them off or didn't pull them off, no big deal. I have never seen any of the horses get sick, I just assumed that either the eggs fell off or the flies hatched and flew away.

But, now that I am in GA for my first fall/winter/spring time, I am learning a lot about bugs. 1- fleas are absolutely HORRIBLE!!

My barn manager mentioned the bot fly eggs on my mares legs and everyone in the barn is running around with their little egg remover combs.

I shrugged and said- eh, no big deal. BO said, "You say that now... untill see eats them"

So... what happens when they eat them? Is it really that big of a deal? Should I be running around with my little bot fly egg remover??

er... lol, should I go buy one anyway?

4horsem0m · 10-12-2008, 03:51 PM

They get ingested, form into larva and attach themselves to the wall of the stomach. In a large infestation they can actually perforate the stomach.

cowgirlek7 · 10-12-2008, 03:53 PM

also if I remember my bugs right they can bore through the gums and ulcer the mouth. Bots are bad weather you are north or south in the country. You really don't want your horse to ingest them.

http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef504.asp
quick article on bots.

Heavenly Jumper · 10-12-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4horsem0m

They get ingested, form into larva and attach themselves to the wall of the stomach. In a large infestation they can actually perforate the stomach.

What she said.

They don't actually do anything to a horse that you can see from the outside but they are bad bad bad...

Dawn · 10-12-2008, 03:58 PM

They have to be ingested in order to hatch. They don't just fall off or hatch. (Well I guess one could 'fall' off, but they're really stuck on there. They usually come off when the hair that it is attached to sheds.) They are ingested (either by the horse they are on or by a pasture mate). The above illustration gives you a good idea of what happens from there on. The best time to target bot flies through deworming is just after the first frost and just after the spring thaw when grass starts sprouting up. This is also the best times to deworm for tapeworms.

lacy · 10-12-2008, 04:01 PM

Ahh, so I see.... guess I will pick more often when we are grazing...

I worm every 3 months as well, per vets orders for this time of year.

Cowgirlek7- I am in GA now.

Dawn · 10-12-2008, 04:02 PM

What chemicals do you use when deworming?

lacy · 10-12-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn

What chemicals do you use when deworming?

Ummmm...paste. Hold on, let me go track them down. I get the years supply from horse.com

Dawn · 10-12-2008, 04:06 PM

Ahhh....would you like to hear my thoughts on that? (Believe it or not, I am capable of occasionally keeping my opinion to myself.) Do you get the 'regular' set or the 'deluxe' set?

lacy · 10-12-2008, 04:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dawn

Ahhh....would you like to hear my thoughts on that? (Believe it or not, I am capable of occasionally keeping my opinion to myself.) Do you get the 'regular' set or the 'deluxe' set?

Lol, utohh, I'm in trouble aint I?!

I have always gotten this pack http://www.horse.com/Horse-Wormers/D...ack-BBK11.html but made a mistake and got this pack http://www.horse.com/Horse-Wormers/D...ack-BBK10.html

But... I looked on the DuraMectin and it says that it removes worms and bots.

10-12-2008, 03:50 PM	#1
lacy Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NW GA Posts: 3,082 Images: 896 Blog Entries: 4	What happens if a horse eats bot fly eggs? I'm still learning about the different things with horses and environments and bugs between living down here in GA compared to being born and raised in MI. We never really worried too much about bot fly eggs in MI and pulled them off or didn't pull them off, no big deal. I have never seen any of the horses get sick, I just assumed that either the eggs fell off or the flies hatched and flew away. But, now that I am in GA for my first fall/winter/spring time, I am learning a lot about bugs. 1- fleas are absolutely HORRIBLE!! My barn manager mentioned the bot fly eggs on my mares legs and everyone in the barn is running around with their little egg remover combs. I shrugged and said- eh, no big deal. BO said, "You say that now... untill see eats them" So... what happens when they eat them? Is it really that big of a deal? Should I be running around with my little bot fly egg remover?? er... lol, should I go buy one anyway? __________________ www.brechtstables.org Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can't eat it or hump it. **** on it and walk away. I've been snowballed- X3

10-12-2008, 03:51 PM	#2
4horsem0m Senior Member+ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Rainier, Oregon Posts: 1,110 Images: 202	They get ingested, form into larva and attach themselves to the wall of the stomach. In a large infestation they can actually perforate the stomach. __________________ I've been Snowballed

10-12-2008, 03:53 PM	#3
cowgirlek7 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Maine Posts: 823 Images: 39	also if I remember my bugs right they can bore through the gums and ulcer the mouth. Bots are bad weather you are north or south in the country. You really don't want your horse to ingest them. http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef504.asp quick article on bots. __________________ Erin Erin's Special Skittle (Skittles) - Yorkshire Terrier 10 lbs 2001 female

10-12-2008, 04:01 PM	#6
lacy Senior Member+ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: NW GA Posts: 3,082 Images: 896 Blog Entries: 4	Ahh, so I see.... guess I will pick more often when we are grazing... I worm every 3 months as well, per vets orders for this time of year. Cowgirlek7- I am in GA now. __________________ www.brechtstables.org Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can't eat it or hump it. **** on it and walk away. I've been snowballed- X3

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10-12-2008, 03:58 PM	#5
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,292 Images: 1386	They have to be ingested in order to hatch. They don't just fall off or hatch. (Well I guess one could 'fall' off, but they're really stuck on there. They usually come off when the hair that it is attached to sheds.) They are ingested (either by the horse they are on or by a pasture mate). The above illustration gives you a good idea of what happens from there on. The best time to target bot flies through deworming is just after the first frost and just after the spring thaw when grass starts sprouting up. This is also the best times to deworm for tapeworms.

10-12-2008, 04:02 PM	#7
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,292 Images: 1386	What chemicals do you use when deworming?

10-12-2008, 04:06 PM	#9
Dawn Senior Member+ Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tennessee Posts: 31,292 Images: 1386	Ahhh....would you like to hear my thoughts on that? (Believe it or not, I am capable of occasionally keeping my opinion to myself.) Do you get the 'regular' set or the 'deluxe' set?