Take a moment to think of the peaceful, comforting sounds echoing throughout your barn — horses quietly munching on hay; shod hooves walking down the barn aisle. Now, enter the hum of a buzzing stable fly — your horse anxiously swishes his tail and defensively kicks his stall as he attempts to rid the terrible pest.
Horse dealing with flies and barbed wire on a summer day
Not only do flies annoy horses, riders and stable managers, they can carry serious disease that puts the horse's well-being at risk.
© 2013 by Loren Kerns
Peace and comfort? The moment has passed. The best flies are the ones that never hatch. Solitude® IGR is a feed-through fly preventive that helps keep flies away from your horses.
“Flies are more than just a nuisance,” said Kenton Morgan, DVM, managing veterinarian, Equine Technical Services at Zoetis. “Not only do they annoy horses, riders and stable managers, they can carry serious disease that puts the horse’s well-being at risk.”
Flies contribute to many equine diseases, including significant threats such as:
• Pigeon fever
• Strangles
• Influenza
• Salmonella
More than disease threats alone, flies impair wound healing, which can take away valuable time spent in the saddle.
“One horse’s manure can be a breeding ground for up to 10,000 flies per day,” Morgan said. “Fly management is key. By eliminating the flies before they hatch, you use less fly spray and have less stress, creating a more peaceful stable for you and your horse.”
House and stable flies lay their eggs in manure, and eggs subsequently hatch into the larval stage. Solitude IGR passes through the manure of treated horses to help prevent flies from developing into adults by inhibiting the development of the exoskeleton in fly larvae. In a study, Solitude IGR prevented 100% of house flies and 95% of stable flies from reaching adulthood.1
Know your fly control options to help defeat the enemy. Make sure to discuss fly management during your horse’s next appointment with his veterinarian, and visit SolitideIGR.com to learn more.
About Zoetis
Zoetis (NYSE: ZTS) is the leading animal health company, dedicated to supporting its customers and their businesses. Building on more than 60 years of experience in animal health, Zoetis discovers, develops, manufactures and markets veterinary vaccines and medicines, complemented by diagnostic products, genetic tests, biodevices and a range of services. Zoetis serves veterinarians, livestock producers and people who raise and care for farm and companion animals with sales of its products in more than 100 countries. In 2017, the company generated annual revenue of $5.3 billion with approximately 9,000 employees. For more information, visit www.zoetisUS.com.
Press release provided by Zoetis - Article originally published by EquiMed Horse Health June 2018