The Bot Fly in Waikato

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 108, 2 March 1893, Page 2

The Bot Fly in Waikato

Several farmers in the Ohaupo district have lost horses through the presence of bots in the Btomach. Mr R. Mears forwarded the stomach of a horse, which died after a very short illness last week, to the Farmers' Club at Cambridge. It was clearly a case of bots. They had eaten almost the whole of the membranous coating of the stomach away which caused it to burst. It was stated by members that the bot fly was becoming very plentiful in Waikato, and fatal instances of its ravages were referred to. The opinion was that physic was useless, that there was no-care for it other than to at once remove the eggs when laid by the fly upon the legs and other parts of the horse before they had been bitten off and swallowed. This, however, is a mistake. Mr S. Slessinger, the well-known veterinary surgeon of Dunedin, recently informed the press that while in America he had had extensive experience in dealing with the bot parasite; and that he invariably found the following treatment a radical cure :— ln a pint, or pint and a-half, of new milk dissolve thoroughly from one to two drachms of powdered alnm, and administer to the animal as a drench. The operation of the drench is such that the parasite leaves the membrane, and the animal experiences immediate relief. To rid the system of effete matter, take 7 drachms of powdered ginger, 2 drachms of savin, 2 drachms of oil of anniseed, and one pint of boiling water. Mix, and when cool give as a drench. While under treatment the horse should be fed on warm mashes, and its drink be water with the chill off. Mr Slessinger says that this treatment will secure a cure in 24 hours. A sure preventative is to rub the parts of the horse on which the eggs are laid with kerosene or a strong decoction of bitter aloes.