My dog has a hole on her back from a botfly. What should I do?

This is suspicious of a bot infestation. This is a type of fly larva that lives under the skin and is very difficult to remove. You will need a veterinarian to surgically remove it and clean the wound, so I recommend scheduling a vet visit and let them know that you are suspicious of Cuterebra. They may want to schedule you for a drop-off appointment. Here is a link to more info about this condition: https://www.petful.com/pet-health/cuterebra-treatment/ I hope that helps and Paris gets better soon.

Bots typically do not have scabs as they need the to wound to stay open so they can breathe and get air. it is hard to tell by that picture but it does it seem deep enough for a bot fly. Keep it clean tonight with mild soap and water. If it is not Scabbed Over and drying by tomorrow, then take him to the vet to have it examined.

Oh great question! I bet that worm was surprising. Likely this was a bot fly larvae called a cuterebra. Part of their life cycle is completed in the skin of a mammal, just as you found with Diego. Usually once it has fallen out (or removed), the body heals the wound and no other treatment is needed. Occasionally I find 2 or 3 lesions on an animal, but typically it is just 1. Watch the area for swelling, redness, or discharge. I hope this helps- and thanks for using Pet Coach!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Baby! You can continue to clean the area and apply the ointment through the weekend. It will take several days for the bump to go down. If there is no significant decrease in swelling or redness in 3 days he should be seen for oral antibiotics and anti-inflammatories. Keep him indoors until healed and keep flies off him. Good luck!

It would help if you could upload a photo of the hole. Now, that you have removed the foreign body (egg) from your dog, the wound should heal. As long as there is no infection, purulent discharge or pain, you can just wait until it heals. If the hole does not heal within a few days, you may want to have the vet examine it. This may have been a pupa of a warble-type fly , although I do not know of any warble flies in the UK attacking dogs.

Hello, sorry to hear about Charlie. It sounds like he may have a local area of infection. I agree that the area itself will likely take a long time to heal, however, if he is vomiting and having a lethargy (systemic signs) then this is more concerning for an infection that may be spreading to other parts of his body. This does warrant an emergency visit today. There is a high possibility that his vomiting and decreased appetite is associated with his wound and infection, but there are also other causes for these clinical signs as well. Hope this helps and best of luck!!

It could be she has the famed cuterebra, also known as a warble. A lot of vets get excited about this because it's really cool to treat, but it's not so cool for the poor dog! They are painful, and it's certainly possibly that your dog has one. The best thing to do is take her into a vet first thing in the morning. This is something that needs to be treated at the clinic, and if she does have a cuterebra, the vet can removed it. I hope this helps!