[Jacob-list] fly strike ick, ick, ick

[Penelope]

We've got our first case of fly strike.  Ick!  Did I mention 
Ick?  Ick.  Ick. Ick.

We leave tails long on our Jacobs.  This isn't in, around or associated 
with a tail.  This is all around the front base of our Senior ram's 
horns.  He's always liked to rub and scrape his head against things, and 
has often had an open scrape on his forhead.  Today, it looked 
different.  On inspection, it was, ahem, buggy.

So we got out the disinfectant soap, and a couple old tooth brushes.  And 
some superstrong Melaluca oil, and cleaned him up.  He didn't object as 
much as he could have.  The soap mostly just cleaned the area.  I could see 
a couple crawling critters, but nothing much.  Then I started dripping the 
melaluca oil on.  We have it because it is useful on people for cuts and 
things.  It drys, and disenfects and speeds up healing.  It will also 
disolve stitches, some bandaids, and has a powerful smell.  The bugs didn't 
like it.  We dripped it on and wiped it around, and covered all open areas 
and borders with it.  And removed all departing bugs ASAP.

Tomorrow we'll check in with the vet, and probably disinfect and clean etc 
again.  If we can catch him.  We bribed him with goat chow 
tonight.  Tomorrow, we'll see.

So does anyone have suggestions, tips, or comments on dealing with fly strike?

In closing, let me say, ICK!

Spouse has no ick factor, it doesn't bother him at all to deal with 
it.  But it's a two person job.


   --
Penelope pcj at efn.org : keeping busy in Oregon
chasing a small person, reading email and usenet, typing, knitting,
gardening, keeping Jacob Sheep and Dairy Goats,  nursing
a small person, putting on / taking off rain gear, taking small person 
everywhere,
starting with honeybees, running errands:   What free time?

www.dreamsandbones.net/blog