Myiasis In Dogs: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Myiasis in dogs is a disease that affects thousands of dogs each year, and it is not pleasant for the animal or for the eyes. Today we want to talk to you about the causes, symptoms and treatment of this disease.
You already know that being informed about everything related to your pet’s health before something happens will help it have a better quality of life.
Myiasis in dogs, what is it?
It is a parasitic disease that leaves an open superficial wound in which flies deposit their larvae. These, later, become worms that eat the skin tissue of the animal. As this happens, they produce an enzyme that damages the animal’s skin.
The presence of these larvae in the wound means that, far from being healed, it remains moist and even spreads through the skin, which causes great pain in the animal.
What are the causes of myiasis in dogs
Normally, for myiasis to appear, there must be an open wound that allows it to enter the skin tissues. Flies are always on the lookout and will soon discover its existence to quickly lay their eggs in it.
It should be noted that at first these worms are small, but as they feed on the tissues of the animal’s skin, they grow, and the wound and damage progress faster.
Then, as the wound grows and becomes more visible, it could lead to other flies laying their eggs and doing more damage to the dog. They could kill the animal, since the worms entering the body would have the possibility of reaching the brain or other vital organs.
Symptoms of myiasis in dogs
The symptoms in the animal suffering from myiasis are the following:
- Fever
- Pain
- Diarrhea
- Lack of appetite
- Boils
- Ulcers
- Itching and itching
Observing the skin of your animal on a daily basis will allow you to know if there are eggs or larvae in any area of the body. Look especially in the central area of the back, ears and any area that the animal cannot reach with its tongue. In this way, you may find them before they begin to damage your pet’s tissues.
Treatment and diagnosis of myiasis in dogs
To diagnose the dog that suffers from this disease, only a superficial examination will be necessary to see whether or not there is the presence of larvae. However, the vet will order some tests to make sure that the damage has not been greater than what is seen.
To treat myiasis in dogs, the wound must be cleaned. Beforehand, it is suggested to put a muzzle on the animal to prevent it from biting us, since when it feels pain from touching it, it could do so.
The first thing you should do with scissors and be very careful is to cut the hair that surrounds the wound. In this way, you will be freer to be able to disinfect it. The vet will recommend a product that helps, by spraying it on the wound, to get the worms out.
Once the product has been sprayed, with the help of tweezers, you extract the worms one by one. Once you make sure there are none left, disinfect the wound with betadine or another medication and relieve pain with antibiotics that your vet tells you to do.
The best thing to prevent the dog from licking or scratching the wound is to put a bandage, or even if necessary, a cone-type collar. If you think that you will not be able to do it, take the animal to the specialist to carry out the process. In this case, you will only have to give him the antibiotics.
