Lice, ticks and mites infest buffaloes mostly during the winter season when farmers are by and large reluctant to take their animals for wallowing or to wash them at home. Flies and mosquitoes are a great nuisance for buffaloes during hot and humid weather. Shearing is the easiest and most economical method of control. Used motor oil is not recommended. Conjunctivitis caused by Thelazia sp. is very common in buffaloes.
High incidence occurs during the rainy season.
These parasites will cause conjunctival abscesses in many cases partial blindness, corneal opacity and lost or damaged eyeballs are commonly seen in Asian buffalo. They are very common in adult buffaloes. Snails of Lymnaea sp. are the vectors. In Nepal these are by far the most common parasite of adult buffaloes and caused high chronic losses and not a few acute deaths. In well fed animals, few clinical signs of the infestation are usually evident.