204 THE VETERINAEIAN 



GRUBS IN THE HEAD 



(Head Maggot) 



Cause: Grubs in the head of sheep are produced by 

 the Sheep Gadfly which is yellowish-gray in color with 

 five well divided rings around its body, covered over with 

 fine hair and the lower portion of the head white. This 

 fly is somewhat larger than the ordinary house fly. It 

 attacks sheep and goats during the Summer and Fall 

 and deposits its larva about the sheep's and goat's nos- 

 trils. This larva attaches itself to the mucous mem- 

 brane of the nostrils with two booklets by which it grad- 

 ually works into the air cavities of the head, remaining 

 there for about ten months. Then it again passes from 

 the nostrils, burrows into the ground and becomes a 

 fully matured Gadfly in six or eight weeks, which com- 

 pletes its life cycle, the head of the sheep or goat being 

 its intermediate host where the newly born Gadfly again 

 attaches its larva. 



Symptoms : When sheep or goats are attacked by this 

 Gadfly, they run, strike at the nose with their front 

 feet, rub the nose on the ground or against other sheep. 

 In case only three or four larvae gain entrance to the 

 sinuses of the head, they produce very little, if any, ill 

 effects, but where they become numerous, they cause the 

 animal to cough and sneeze continually, discharge from 

 the nose, which is occasionally tinged with blood. The 

 appetite becomes impaired, the animal shows signs of 

 emaciation, becomes very weak, raises the nose in the 

 air, but eventually becomes so weak it reels when walk- 

 ing and finally lies down. It becomes so weak it cannot 

 toss the head or rise, and dies. 



Prevention Treatment : Very successful. Paint the 

 sheep's or goat's nose with Pine Tar, or better still, place 

 salt in a trough, covering it with boards, with holes bored 

 in them just large enough for the animal to insert its 

 nose. Smear Pine Tar about the holes once or twice a 



