224 



Common Diseases of the Horse 



so exposes the parasites. On the second day, washing in a solution 

 of some good coal-tar disinfectant is carried out. The third day 

 should see the legs smeared over with a mixture of sulphur i part, 

 and train oil 6 parts. It may be necessary to repeat these dressings 

 three times to effect a complete cure. Precautions of disinfection 

 and isolation should always be most strictly attended to. 



Worms 



Among the internal parasites it is necessary to consider the bot. 

 large round, and hip or seat, palisade, and red or wire worms. 



Bots 



Bots are the grub stage in the life-history of the "bot fly", 

 " horse bee ", or " wasp ". They are found in varying numbers, up 



to a hundred or so, attached 

 to the anterior portion of the 

 stomach. They are about | 

 in. long, and divided into seg- 

 ments, each of which has a 

 row of small spines upon it. 

 They are usually found on 

 horses that have been to grass 

 or open fields within the pre- 

 vious twelvemonths. The fly 

 lays its eggs, usually on the 

 hair, on the horse's fore quar- 

 ters. When these hatch out 

 irritation is caused, and the 

 horse bites the part and so 

 swallows the bot. The bots 

 ultimately get fixed on to 

 the lining membranes of the 

 stomach, and after a stay of 

 about ten or eleven months, 

 J pass out by the rectum in the 

 chrysalis stage. The adult 

 fly emerges from this later. 

 Affected animals are often 

 said to show symptoms of indigestion, but usually nothing is 

 noticed until the bots are passed in the dung. In some cases they 

 have caused death by weakening the stomach wall, and so paving 

 the way for its rupture. There is really no satisfactory treatment. 



Larvae of Bot Fly anchored on to mucous 

 membrane of the stomach of the horse. 



