i need dog help PLEASE?

Question

we just got a puppy today and we realized he had a lump on his side. so.... i pinched it to get the blood out and a maggot looking bug called an"cuterebra" popped out! does any one know how to treat this and can it spread to other dogs or people? please help! he was an outside dog and lived in the wandered in the woods but now he lives in a fenced yard. it didn't seem to bug him when it came out and he hasn't been sick! what the heck is wrong with my dog?!:-) PLEASE HELP

Answer 1

Description and Distribution


Warbles are the larval stage of the botfly, which characteristically infect rodents and rabbits. They are found under the skin, usually around the legs and neck. They have also been reported from deer, cattle, cats, dogs, hogs, mules, mink, foxes and man. The adult botflies are large (20 mm or more in length) and dark blue or black with fine, dense hairs on the face, genae and thorax.


Only one genus, Cuterebra, is currently recognized from North America. Twenty-six species are known to occur in the U.S. and Canada. They are also found in Mexico and the neotropical regions. The taxonomy is poorly defined, and existing keys are for the most part inadequate for separation of the species.


In Michigan, warbles have been found in cottontail rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, house mice and white-footed mice. Undoubtedly, other mammals are infected as well. The parasites are usually not seen by the rabbit hunter since most of the warbles have dropped off before hunting season.


Transmission and Development


Under natural conditions, mating of Cuterebra takes place in the host's immediate habitat. In the spring and summer, male flies characteristically take up watchful positions on terminal stems of vegetation. Receptive females approach the site and mate with males in flight. Gravid females then deposit eggs, usually along runways or at entrances to the host animal's burrow. The eggs hatch into larvae in response to a sudden increase in temperature, and possibly to the moisture emitted by the host. The larvae enter the host by way of a natural body opening, commonly the nose or mouth, or a minute abrasion of the skin. They frequently remain in oral and nasal passages several days before migrating to preferred locations under the skin, where they develop into warbles. In the dusky-footed wood rat, C. latifrons will select the neck region and upper chest. Cuterebra horripilum tends to seek out the throat region in cottontail rabbits, and C. fontinella commonly selects the abdominal or caudal region in the deer mouse. The larvae encyst within the skin of the host and complete their development. Larval development within the host may last from 19 to 38 days in small rodents and from 55 to 60 days in jackrabbits. After leaving the host, pupation takes place in loose soil, debris or forest duff. The pupation period may be as long as 7 to 11 months or as short as 28 days, depending on temperature. Adults will mate within a few days after emergence and they seldom live more than 14 days.


Newly hatched larvae measure from 2 to 4 mm long and are grayish-white. As the larvae mature, this color changes gradually to reddish-brown, and finally to dark brown just prior to emergence from the host. Fully grown larvae will measure from 20 to 42 mm in length to 7 to 10 mm in width.


Clinical Signs and Pathology


The early stages of Cuterebra infection are rarely evident from external inspection, and they do not become noticeable until growth of the warbles can be detected by touch. In smaller mammals, such as chipmunks, the larvae often produce an obvious awkwardness in locomotion, which may render them more susceptible to predation.


The observed effects of cuterebrid parasites in mammals is still conjectural and varies considerably with the host species involved and the intensity and incidence of parasitism. In some instances, secondary bacterial infection may have a greater detrimental effect on the host than the primary attack by the Cuterebra warbles. It has been observed that, after larvae dropped from chipmunk hosts, the resulting wounds, with few exceptions, became purulent and the host's activity was markedly reduced.


Diagnosis


Recognition of parasitism involves recovery of larvae from host tissues or subdermal cysts. Determination of the species, particularly in mixed infections, is augmented by rearing the developed larvae to adult forms.


Treatment and Control


In wild mammal populations, control is usually impractical. Decreases in host populations ordinarily result in a lower subsequent incidence of the parasites. Treatment of infected captive animals consists of mechanical removal of larvae from the cysts. The opening should be enlarged by an incision and the parasite squeezed out. The wound should then be rinsed with an antiseptic solution and a topical antibiotic administered.


Significance


There is little doubt that the warble can have a debilitating and possibly fatal effect on some animals, particularly young ones. It has been suggested that warbles may actually depress cottontail populations during years when the incidence of parasitism is high and infections are heavy. This parasite is of no public health significance and properly cooked meat from infected animals is safe to eat.

Answer 2

Cutarebrea is a fly maggot. The fly usually lays its eggs around the burrow of small animals such as rabbits. When the egg hatches, a very tiny maggot burrows from the animal's hair into the skin. There is consumes layers of tissue until it's ready to pupate and fall out of a small breathing hole within the animal's skin It usually does not cause the animal much pain but is more irritating. Antibiotics help the sore heal up. No, People don't get this from the animal. There is nothing terribly wrong with your puppy. This is easily treated.

Answer 3

Diagnosis of cuterebra larva is based on physical exam findings and visualization of the larva. This means that you will have to take the dog to the vet.It is very important to NOT squeeze the skin in hopes of getting the larva out. This can cause the larva to break apart, and cause the host animal to have a chronic infection or perhaps an anaphylactic reaction.

Cuterebra is a normal bot fly of rodents and rabbits, but can also infect cats, dogs, and man. The adult fly looks like a bumblebee and is rarely seen. It may appear a shiny blue or black color. The third stage larva is dark brown to black with stout black spines.

I would take your dog immediately to your vet A.S.A.P.!! Hope this was of some help to you

Answer 4

Cuterebra Infestation in Dogs
By: Dr. Dawn Ruben
Edited by: Dr. Nishi Dhupa



Section: Overview

Cuterebra are large flies whose larvae (small worms) infest the skin of rodents, squirrels, rabbits, dogs and cats. The adult fly is seldom seen. The female deposits eggs near the nests of rabbits or rodents. The larva, which look like small worms, hatch from the eggs when exposed to the heat of the nearby animal. After hatching, the larva migrate through the nose, mouth or skin wound of the rabbit or rodent and burrow under the skin. A cyst, with a hole in the center through which the larva’s head can be seen, forms around the larva. Cuterebra larva can grow up to 1 inch long and ½ inch in diameter. After about a month, the mature larva emerges from the cyst and burrows into the soil to pupate. After a variable pupation period, the adult fly emerges.

Dogs can acquire cuterebra larva after curious investigations of a rodent or rabbit den. By investigating the area, the dog may come in contact with cuterebra eggs or larva. Migration in the body occurs in the same way as in the rabbit or rodent. After migrating to the skin, the larva will form a breathing hole where pus drains from the skin to the outside.

Most cuterebra larvae are found on the head and neck of dogs. Sometimes, the larvae migrate abnormally and end up traveling through the brain. This results in fatal brain and nervous system abnormalities, such as seizures. Typically, one larva is found per breathing hole.

What to Watch For

# Lump or mass under the skin often found on the head or neck
# Open area in center of lesion


please take your dog to the vet if possible

best of luck

Answer 5

It is from a fly bite, the maggot was the baby, there was only one in the sore, and you have removed it...not to worry, these things happen all the time in nature. The maggot would have eaten its way out, flown off and the dog would have been fine. Good luck

Answer 6

Are you sure it was a maggot looking thing? It sounds like a sebaceous cyst to me. In grooming we find them all the time, and some can be quite large and have to be taken out by a Vet and sutured up so they don't fill up again. The core is just dirt and oil and is usually yellowish with a very foul smell. Good luck!

Answer 7

Its a larvae which should be removed whole because rupturing it could infect the dog. Flush the area well with a solution of sterile saline. You may want your vet to see it in case the rupture caused a secondary infection. In and of itself its not a life threatening issue but should be cared for as soon as possible good luck

Answer 8

Well...sounds like you got the bug out. Keep the area clean to prevent infection. He's probably okay. If you notice more similar bumps....take him to your vet. Good luck

Answer 9

take it to the vet asap! that might be a maggot and u better run to the vet!

Answer 10

Go to this site. It is very explanatory regarding 'cutebra. There is an e-mail address as well where you can get more info
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/dxendopar/parasitepages/unknown/cutebra.html