Myiasis is the medical term for a condition called fly-strike, when flies lay eggs that develop into larve (maggots) on an animal.

Contrary to widespread belief, maggots can live on living animals - eating wound or fecal debris, animal secretions, and other dead tissue. The activity of the maggots then kill living tissue on the host animal, creating more dead tissue to support the maggots. A very ugly and viscious circle. The host animal can easily be infested with thousands of maggots and have a large cavity of affected area. This is a very painful and uncomfortable condition. It can be life-threatening, too! Please seek professional veterinary care to remove the maggots and initiate proper medical treatment.

Myiasis warning: thick-coated animals and animals that have urine or feces on their coats can attract flies and have a maggot problem in a seemingly very short time (24 hours or less)! Additionally, animals with skin wounds must be watched closely if left outside. Proper care and sanitation are necessary to prevent fly-strike, and a "hygenic clip" in the perianal area may be necessary for some pets.

For more on Other Parasites, please see:

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