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Conference noted::equitation

Title:Equine Notes Conference
Notice:Topics List=4, Horses 4Sale/Wanted=150, Equip 4Sale/Wanted=151
Moderator:MTADMS::COBURNIO
Created:Tue Feb 11 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2080
Total number of notes:22383

1829.0. "Bot Flies" by ANGLIN::DUNTON () Tue Nov 16 1993 16:24

    I was recently reading an article about external parasites of horses
    and it mentioned bot flies.  My horse has bot fly eggs on her front
    legs (they look like little yellow oblong specks bonded onto the
    hairs).  I just assumed that they would hatch and go away but my book
    says that in the late fall when they hatch, they burrow into the skin
    and eventually wind up in the stomach!  It suggested using white
    vinegar on them weekly to prevent them from hatching.  These things are
    really hard to pull off without plucking out the hairs, too.  My vet
    had never heard of the vinegar treatment but suggested getting a bot
    brush.  All the feed stores are out of them, and I'm concerned that
    they are going to start hatching soon.
    
    Does anyone know about this vinegar treatment or have another solution?
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1829.1razorBRAT::FULTZDONNA FULTZTue Nov 16 1993 17:288
    
    
    
    	I use a razor which takes most of them off.. 
    
    	Didn't get them this year.. 
    
    	Donna
1829.2POWDML::MANDILERainbow in my pocketTue Nov 16 1993 18:397
    
    One horse gets them, one doesn't.  The reason the one does
    is because he gets really long hair, which the bot flies like
    cuz it makes it easy to lay their eggs.  When he starts to get
    "fuzzy', I clip his legs.  Works well......
    
    Lynne
1829.3Another opinionCHEFS::ELKINLWed Nov 17 1993 06:519
    
    
    I was told the horse ingests the egss (when licking/nudging themselves)
    and they then hatch in their stomach.  My horse gets them all over in
    the summer so I use a bot knife, I don't know if you get them in the
    states.  If you'd like me to send one over to the originator then I
    will by all means.  Mail me at Liz Elkin @ reo and I'll send you one.
    
    Liz
1829.4POWDML::MANDILERainbow in my pocketWed Nov 17 1993 13:085
    
    Bot combs are readily available here in the U.S.  They have tiny
    teeth on the comb, which shears the eggs off the hair...
    
    
1829.5Another opinionCHEFS::ELKINLWed Nov 17 1993 14:183
    That sounds like the bot knifes we use here.
    
    Liz
1829.6Worming ProgramsWMOIS::BIBEAU_KWed Nov 17 1993 14:5014
    Many years ago I was told by a vet that with the proper worming
    schedule bott eggs can be eliminated.  Since I had always wormed
    faithfully I tried modifying my schedule.  I now follow one very
    similar to the one recommended by Tuffs.
    
    It has been seven years and I have not had a single bott egg on any one
    of my horses.  Each spring I have them checked for worms and it has 
    always come up negative.  My worming schedule is the only reason I
    believe my problem went away, I am from new England where the problem
    is very common.  
    
    If you are not on a regular worming schedule I would recommend one.  If
    you are I would recommend changing the wormer types or timing of each
    type to look for the right combo.
1829.7more questionsANGLIN::DUNTONWed Nov 17 1993 19:477
    Will Zemecterin eliminate the Bots effectively if administered on a
    regular schedule?  I know that some types of wormers are more suited to
    particular parasites...
    
    What is the duration of the cycle for bots from egg to adult?  How long
    should schedule be maintained to eliminate these?  I bought her 4
    months ago and gave her a wormer about 6 weeks ago.
1829.8POWDML::MANDILERainbow in my pocketThu Nov 18 1993 12:156
    
    The ingredients in Strongid are aimed at bots.  Zimecterin is
    aimed at large & small strongyles, but does cover pretty much
    everything.
    
    
1829.9Other way round...DECWET::JDADDAMIOSeattle Rain Festival: 1/1-12/31Thu Nov 18 1993 16:3116
    >The ingredients in Strongid are aimed at bots. 
    
    Not true! Strongid is aimed at strongyles and derives its name from
    that fact. Bots are one of the things that Strongid does *NOT* hit.
    
    Ivermectin(Zimecterin & Eqvalan are the 2 most common brands) does
    eliminate bots *in the horse's stoamch & gut*. No wormer will eliminate
    bot eggs that are on the horse's legs. 
    
    The success in eliminating bots reported through deworming earlier in 
    this string was due to killing of the larval forms in the gut. Repeated 
    deworming with a boticide agent would mean there are few or no adult
    bot flys around. That in turn means few or no bot eggs on the horse's
    legs.
    
    john