Archive Case #38: Ovine Fly Strike

Clinical Clues

1. A ewe is seen repeatedly biting at her rump during a period of warm humid weather.
2. The wool over the breech is damp, matted, and discoloured.
3. Flies are concentrated around a foul-smelling patch of fleece.
4. On parting the wool, the underlying skin is moist, inflamed, and crawling with larvae.
5. Nearby sheep are at risk because several have heavily soiled fleece.
6. Warm conditions and wet contaminated wool commonly predispose sheep to cutaneous maggot infestation.

Diagnosis

Ovine Fly Strike

This case is most consistent with Ovine Fly Strike because the ewe has irritated moist fleece with maggots present beneath the wool in fly-prone conditions. The most important clues are the breech staining, foul odour, and visible larvae, which clearly distinguish this from a simple dermatitis.

Educational Use

Vetdle archive cases are educational veterinary games for diagnostic reasoning practice. They do not provide veterinary advice, diagnosis, treatment, or professional medical guidance.