Is it safe to use Butox on llamas to help with the fly problem?

Hi, My vet has provided me with a fly repellant specifically for sheep and cows (new to me but as I expect you know, it is an ointment spread on the fleece along the spine, it enters the blood stream and is effective for up to eight weeks), she assures me that it is safe to use on goats (which I did on our pigmies with no ill effects) but she did not know about llamas. She advised not to use it without advise from other llama owners. My sheep and goats are now much more comfortable, but my poor llamas are still being pestered, particularly round their heads and eyes.

Can anyone advise me please?

Thanks for reading this,

Clare

Hi Clare
We have used the general fly repellents which are citronella based and just rub it on our hands and then hands on the llama ears - they are not keen, but it helps - fairly short term.
Regards
Vivienne

Hi Vivienne, Thanks for getting back to me - yes, I use citronella as you describe if I'm haltering and walking with them - one of my boys will let me use the "roll-on" citronella on his neck and between his ears - the other is a lot edgier about being handled, so with him I rub the citronella on the inside of the halter so that it gets on to him that way. However, this is only any good if I'm walking them, which in this heat is not so often.

When you say use Butox do you mean Butox 50 solution which is what we use here in France for treating mites. If it is Butox 50 then it is extremely toxic and needs to be handled with and used very carefully indeed. You dilute the liquid with water and spray it over the llama avoiding the nose, mouth and eyes (also making sure that you do not inhale it or get any in your eyes). For mites it is extremely effective but not for keeping flies at bay. Whenever we use it I wear rubber gloves. All the bottles we use for mixing and sprays are marked in big red letters "TOXIC". Very powerful stuff.

Regards, Mike L