Gadfly larva: how it gets under the skin, in animals, in humans, removal

Gadflies are unpleasant and rather large flying insects that are widespread throughout the world. Most of them are in the tropics and hot countries. Although they live in Russia, Europe, Asia. Are gadflies dangerous? And how. These insects harm livestock and farming, reducing milk yield and livestock weight gain. They also lay eggs on the skin and hair of animals. At the same time, there are species that a person can choose for this purpose.

In turn, larvae appear from the eggs of the gadfly, which lead a parasitic lifestyle and thereby cause significant harm to the health of their prey. Want to know more? Including understanding how to protect yourself from them? Then the information below will be useful to you.

How to notice and how to remove maggots from a dog

Maggots easy enough to notice with the naked eye

... These very unpleasant-looking insects swarm in the dog's fur, giving it unpleasant sensations. These parasites are famous for being
devouring the flesh of their victim alive
.
Maggots they are very fond of purulent, untreated wounds. There they eagerly eat rotting dog flesh that causes severe pain to the animal
... Same
maggot symptoms the dog is apathy, lethargy, possibly lack of appetite, fever due to intoxication of the body. In the wound, you can see oblong creatures of a light shade, which will stand out on the dark fur coat of the pet. And if this infection started in your apartment, then you should devote more time to cleaning. We will consider below how to remove maggots from a dog.

Where can you spot maggots, how to get maggots out of a dog

Maggots on a dog reproduce at a cosmic speed

, since it is in the dog's wool, in the feces, for them there are all the conditions for a comfortable stay:

heat;
constant food source;
the ability to move on a dog without spending your own strength;
a great place to lay the larvae.

How can we conclude feces, anus, open purulent wounds - are a favorite place for maggots... They are very active in absorbing already dead skin, meat, which has begun to decompose.

Danger of bites

A dog can be attacked by a large number of species of flies. Some of the most dangerous are flares. Bites come with complications. The animal has:

allergic reaction;
high temperature;
nausea.

The pest injects a substance into the wound that prevents blood from clotting. As a result, a whole swarm of flies will feed on the victim.

After a pest bite, serious complications arise:

sepsis;
anthrax;
tularemia;
staphylococcus aureus.

Also, some flies are able to lay eggs on the animal. As a result, maggots appear, which are eaten alive by the dog.

Treatment: how to remove maggots from a dog

Maggots on a dog must be treated

... How to remove maggots from a dog is a matter of life and death for a pet. On the Internet, you can find many folk recipes for getting rid of this scourge, ranging from tar to simple chlorhexidine. Nevertheless, you should pay attention to the pet's health from the inside. Remember
when was the last time the worm was carried out
... Call a doctor at home? As soon as possible.
Maggots in a dog pose a significant hazard to the animal.

Maggots can be removed

First of all, you need to proglist the animal with the appropriate drugs, which the veterinarian will recommend.
After the worm, the room should be thoroughly disinfected, and even better the entire apartment in which the dog lives.
All traditional methods of treatment should be used only after consulting a veterinarian.

Maggots though not infectious to humans

, but they have a fairly good appetite and
can eat the whole dog alive
... If these maggots are seen in the tail area, the situation should be observed in an open wound. In that case
if there are not many insects
you can try to cope on your own, and
treating the wound with chlorhesidine
proceed to the destruction of uninvited guests. This is done in the following way.
How to remove maggots from a dog, if there are not many of them:

Apply liquid tar. Within a month, this substance will completely destroy the maggots. The smell is not pleasant, but for the sake of the health of your beloved pet, you should be patient.

When wondering what to do if a dog has maggots, it should be remembered that the use of bleach is strictly prohibited. This extremely poisonous substance can lead to severe poisoning and death of a pet.

How does the infection take place

The subcutaneous mite is transmitted from one animal to another. If the pet is contagious, and the owner neglects precautions, any, even short contact with a healthy dog, will cause infection. It doesn't take long for parasites to move from one "victim" to another. They can jump over in a few seconds.

Representatives of any breed are not insured against parasites. Knowing how dogs become infected with subcutaneous mites can help prevent the disease as much as possible.

Many owners are interested in where the tick from a healthy dog comes from. The reasons for the appearance are different, they are all associated with the rapid multiplication of demodexes in the skin. An increased production of sebum is a favorable environment for them. Often this is due to a deterioration in the condition of the skin, which appeared against the background of weakened immunity.

When parasites are transmitted from one dog to another, there is a transfer of dead skin particles, sebum. Together with them, a healthy dog gets parasites, which quickly settle in a new place.

Should I call a doctor at home to get help on how to remove maggots from a dog?

If any parasites or foreign insects are found on the dog's body, seek veterinary advice immediately

... And the best solution would be to call a doctor to your home. This measure will help to save a lot of nerve cells in other visitors to the veterinary center and the owner. The visit of the doctor will help to take an analysis at home, carefully consider the parasites and prescribe adequate treatment tactics. With maggots, it also makes sense to adjust the diet. It should be light enough and at the same time high in calories. The veterinarian and his professional specialists will help in the fight against maggots.

How to prepare for the arrival of a doctor

A doctor's visit to your home can save you a lot of time.

, which can be spent with benefit, for example, inspect the rear opening of the animal for cleanliness. You should also carefully prepare for the doctor's visit. Prepare a clean towel, wet wipes, and a large, wide surface with a sterile sheet. When the doctor arrives, you should remain calm and not panic. Dogs are excellent psychologists and they catch the slightest change in their owner's mood.Panic is just as easily transmitted to them, and an agitated animal is quite difficult to investigate. Which doctor to call? First of all, you should invite a veterinarian who will conduct a general examination of the animal. In agreement with the owner, a dermatologist will be sent from our veterinary center.

You can further familiarize yourself with the list of our doctors who are ready to help on the first call:

classic doctor;

dermatologist;

surgeon;

dentist;

nephrologist;

neurologist;

optometrist;

ENT;

gynecologist for bitches;

ratologist (specialist in rodents and guinea pigs).

It is worth at least once to use such a convenient service as a veterinarian at home - you no longer want to come to the veterinary center on your own.

Ways to scare away pests

Treating dog bites is long and difficult, so it is best to avoid them. For this, it is recommended to treat the animal in advance. For these purposes, you can use:

drugs;
folk remedies.

The choice of method depends on the pet's lifestyle.

Chemicals

The stores sell a huge amount of products that can protect your pet from flies, mosquitoes and ticks. The most effective remedies include:

Flycide. The drug is sold as a spray. The active ingredient is diethyltoluamide. After processing, the flies will not touch the animal for 6 hours.
Neostamosan. The drug is sold in an ampoule. Before use, it must be diluted with water at the rate of 1 to 200 ml. The active ingredient is tetramethrin and transmix. A single treatment is sufficient for 3 days.
Neocidol. The drug is available in bottles. The main substance is diazinone. It is forbidden to use the product on sick and emaciated dogs;
Butox. The product is distributed in ampoules. The active substance is deltamethrin. The drug is used against bedbugs, flies, ticks and other sucking insects. The agent is diluted at the rate of 1 ml per 4 liters of water.

Important: before using the substance, carefully read the instructions or consult your veterinarian.

Folk ways

If you are afraid of harming the dog with chemicals, use proven folk recipes, namely:

A decoction of laurel leaf. For 100 g of dry leaves, 200 ml of boiled water is used.
Tea tree essential oil. One drop behind the ear is enough to repel pests.
With vinegar solution. 1 teaspoon in 200 ml of water.

Some pet lovers use solid oil to scare away midges. This categorically cannot be done, since the pets begin to roll on the grass. Doing so will cause the dog to hurt its ears.

Prevention, the best way to remove maggots from a dog

Required

carry out
preventive examination of the dog... Take her to the doctor every six months for a check-up. This simple measure will help to notice any pathologies in time and not lead to maggots. A competent doctor will also prescribe an adequate anthelmintic. If at least one maggot has started up in the house, it is necessary to carry out the most thorough cleaning with disinfection of the room, and it is also necessary to examine the animal. The back of the anus should be completely clean, without any obvious unpleasant odor. Pet your dog daily. This simple measure will help you spot intruders in a timely manner. Remember that veterinary doctors will do everything to restore your pet's health with maximum losses.
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Gadflies are unpleasant and rather large flying insects that are widespread throughout the world. Most of them are in the tropics and hot countries. Although they live in Russia, Europe, Asia. Are gadflies dangerous? And how.These insects harm livestock and farming, reducing milk yield and livestock weight gain. They also lay eggs on the skin and hair of animals. At the same time, there are species that a person can choose for this purpose.

What is myiasis in humans

The causative agents of myiasis are fly larvae. As a rule, their habitat is tropical latitudes. Found in Africa, South America. Often, tourists returning from these places bring this disease with them.

Tropical fly causing myiasis

The larvae enter the human body with untreated water. They penetrate not only into the damaged surface of the body, but also into healthy skin. They can get into the eyes, sinuses, auricles, causing a disease - myiasis.

Depending on the localization of the larvae in the human body, myiasis has different names:

cutaneous;
subcutaneous;
intestinal;
urogenital;
oral;
African tropical myiasis.

What is a gadfly larva?

After birth, the gadfly larva is rather small. However, under the skin of a mammal, it grows very quickly and after a couple of weeks it can reach a length of 20 mm.

Outwardly, the larva looks like a maggot. Only her body is pear-shaped with several transverse rows of spines resembling hooks. She uses them in order to securely attach to the skin, hair or wool. The main food is blood.

The development cycle of the gadfly larva does not exceed 5 weeks on average. But as an adult, it continues to parasitize the host for another 2-3 months, absorbing nutrients and receiving oxygen through the fistula formed in the epidermis. Then he tries to get out from under the skin to pupate.

Morphological features

It all starts with the appearance of small lumps and lumps on the surface of the skin. At first, their size does not exceed 1x1 cm, but within a few weeks the area of the lesions increases two to three times. Most often, these neoplasms are found on the lower surface of the abdominal wall, closer to the genital area. Soon the seals soften somewhat, becoming in consistency look like cysts... During their surgical removal, the inside of the cysts was separated from the "main" tissue by the demarcation line of inflammation (but not always). In addition, a worm is found inside the neoplasms. The length of subcutaneous parasites does not exceed 12 cm, their body is thin, grayish-white.

How does it get into the body of an animal or a person?

Many people mistakenly believe that the gadfly bite is the main pathway for the larva to enter the body of an animal or person. But most often it gets under the victim's skin in another way:

The female gadfly is actively in contact with mosquitoes, flies and other flying bloodsuckers, trying to lay their eggs on them.
After that, such "insect intermediaries" (gnat and midges), after a while, sit down on a person or animals. Some of the eggs attached to their abdomen remain on the skin or hair of mammals.
Feeling the warmth of the body, the larvae hatch.
Then they are introduced into the epidermis. At the same time, animals or humans practically do not experience painful sensations. Since parasites penetrate the skin through hair follicles, cracks, wounds or bites. The exception is the larvae of the so-called African gadfly, which begin to actively drill holes in the skin.

It also happens that parasites enter the body of the "host" through direct contact with the victim - a bite. That is, the female lays eggs in the wound. Those then burst, and from them larvae appear, which develop rapidly, parasitizing a foreign organism.

Please note that in some cases, human infestation comes from a pet or cattle. Also, the eggs and larvae of gadflies can get into the internal organs of a person. For example, by eating contaminated animal meat. Well, the gastric parasite is very dangerous. Even the subcutaneous gadfly larva does not do as much harm as he does. After all, its parasitism often causes serious disturbances in the functioning of the stomach, intestines, liver, etc.

For reference! For a year, from each affected by the larvae of the subcutaneous gadfly, the cows receive less from 80 to 200 liters of milk (this is about 4-5% of the total annual milk yield). As for the calves, on average they lose 13-18 kg of weight.

Types of subcutaneous mites

Subcutaneous mites, unlike external parasites, live inside the skin. They live there throughout the life of the animal, their manifestation is provoked by various factors. In other words, pests may not let you know about the existence at all. The intradermal mite is Demodex, its habitat is the sebaceous glands, wool bulbs.

The name of the disease caused by the subcutaneous parasite Demodex is demodicosis. It is one of the most common among tetrapods, and it is also dangerous to humans.

There are the following types of subcutaneous tick:

youthful - manifests itself in puppies up to two years of age;
adult - occurs in adult dogs.

At the site of the lesion, demodicosis is:

Localized. A certain part of the body suffers, the infected area has clear boundaries in which signs of a tick appear, usually located on the stomach, paws, muzzle. It heals quickly, often remission occurs after a few weeks of therapy. Localized occurs in about 90% of cases.
Generalized. It affects several parts of the animal's body at the same time. In such cases, a subcutaneous tick on the paws is often found. The treatment is longer, in half of the cases it is not possible to completely get rid of the disease.

Scabies - a disease similar to demodectic mange, there are two types:

Sarcoptic mange. The course of the disease is aggressive, the symptoms worsen quickly without proper treatment. The manifestation is similar to the signs of demodicosis: hair rapidly falls out, the animal suffers from severe itching.
Notoedrosis. This is an ear parasitic disease accompanied by severe scabies. The dog is combing so hard that blood and bruises often appear in the ears.

Scabies mites appear from the outside, but the manifestation of their stay, symptoms, consequences for the animal are similar to demodicosis.

The consequences of the penetration of the gadfly larva into the body of a person or animal

This "neighborhood" with parasites does not lead to anything good. The gadfly larva, after entering the host's body, begins to intensively feed on blood, drawing out useful substances. She also delivers a lot of painful sensations. Although in the first days of infection, the victim does not feel anything.

Only after a couple of days, the place of penetration of the parasite swells, the skin around it turns red. After some time, the skin becomes blue, swelling with suppuration in the center, itching and pain is often observed. The general state of health also worsens - weakness, vomiting, dizziness, sometimes increased body temperature, diarrhea and redness of the eyes appear.

If the parasites are not removed in a timely manner and the correct treatment is not received, then everything can end in such an unpleasant disease as cutaneous myiasis, which is often complicated:

allergies;
damage to blood vessels and bleeding;
numbness and cramps;
inflammatory processes;
osteomyelitis, etc.

The gadfly larvae cause great harm to the human body. The degree of exposure depends on the location of the parasites.Moreover, the most dangerous are those that penetrate the internal organs, mucous membranes and eyes.

Infection with gadfly larvae does not pass without consequences in animals. The most unpleasant of them:

restless behavior;
swelling, itching, painful conditions of the skin areas;
weight loss;
falling milk yield;
paralysis of the limbs (when a large number of larvae are parasitized in the spinal canal);
contamination of the coat due to profuse pus discharge.

For reference! The gadfly larvae secrete a harmful and highly toxic substance called hypodermotoxin.

Symptoms

Acute cutaneous myiasis is manifested by anxiety of the animal. Superficial wounds are easily identified and treated quickly and efficiently.

If the myiasis is subcutaneous, with many "pockets", then the animal is depressed or agitated, the cat may become aggressive. Festering wounds cause itching, the animal tries to comb, scratch, the affected area. If the myiasis has affected deep-lying muscle tissues, and the process has developed into a chronic one, there is an increase in body temperature and strong oppression of the animal.

Diagnostics

It is possible to determine that parasites have got under the skin of a person and an animal not only by the symptoms and reactions of an infected organism described above. Although an experienced dermatologist or infectious disease specialist, upon examination, will immediately make the correct diagnosis. If in doubt, a special blood test is performed, which shows the amount of antibodies. Do they exceed the norm? Then it is necessary to start pest control as soon as possible.

Development cycle

An adult worm lives in the subcutaneous tissues of the final host and ... this is where the difficulties begin. In some hosts, microfilariae appear in the blood, some do not. What this is connected with is not fully known. Recall that these parasites are dioecious. The subcutaneous form of existence for them in nature is not characteristic. Hypothetically, in such conditions, worms should not multiply, and they cannot. There are several explanations for this phenomenon:

First, microfilariae can appear in the dog's body. after "additional" bites of host insects. The presence of adult parasites for this, as you might guess, is not required.

Secondly, in the pulmonary aortas and heart your pet may already have parasites. Who said that microfilariae must necessarily settle under the skin?

The most exotic theory is that some parasitologists believe that under certain conditions, parasites of the genus Dirofilaria can "mutate", turning into bisexual. But this is very, very doubtful, in laboratory conditions this assumption has never been confirmed.

So, the developmental cycle of worms is closely related to mosquitoes and mosquitoes. In order for the larvae of the first phase to enter the insect's body, it must be pumped with blood from an infected host, in whose blood vessels there are already adult and actively multiplying parasites. "Komarina" the developmental stage takes about two weeks from the larvaefor which they mature to the third stage. After this period, they are introduced into the salivary glands of the bloodsucker and wait in the wings. When a mosquito bites a dog microfilariae of the third stageand enter its bloodstream and begin to travel through the tissues and organs of the host. It is believed that at this stage of infection there are no clinical signs, but everything is somewhat different ...

How to remove parasites?

Removing the gadfly larva is an unpleasant and difficult procedure. It is advisable that it be performed by a doctor - surgeon or ophthalmologist if parasites suddenly get into the eye (which also happens, albeit rarely).

If, for some reason, you cannot get medical help, then you should try to remove them from the body yourself as soon as possible. Moreover, it is best to ask relatives or friends - especially if the parasites are located on the back, head or in another hard-to-reach place.

The very same procedure for removing gadfly larvae will be as effective as possible if you follow the action plan below:

The first step is to get a thick, gooey product. Scotch tape, petroleum jelly, PVA glue will do. You need to apply it to the nodule. Moreover, it is quite abundant, because it is important to ensure that oxygen does not enter the formed fistula. If necessary, you can open the abscess with a scalpel.
Now we are waiting. The larva, deprived of air, will partially crawl out. Then you should carefully remove it from the body. It is best to use tweezers or cosmetic tongs. It is important not to crush or tear the parasite. Otherwise, part of it will remain inside, and in order to remove it, you will have to deeply cut the skin.
As soon as the "baby" of the gadfly is successfully removed, it is necessary to disinfect the wound. It will be useful to bandage it with a sterile napkin.
After that, it is recommended to consult a doctor - a parasitologist or an infectious disease specialist as soon as possible. He will see if you have completely removed the parasites from under the skin, and will also prescribe the necessary medications (including antibiotics) and anti-inflammatory ointments.

Treatment

When treating animals, a simple treatment of the wound surface cannot be dispensed with. Until all the larvae are removed, the "pockets" of the wound are excised, the exudate is removed and the pathogenic microflora is suppressed, the process of tissue granulation will not begin.

Surgical intervention and wound care should only be performed by a qualified technician, especially if muscle groups are affected. Feline wound care should be performed under local anesthesia.

After the toilet of the wound (mechanical removal of its contents), treatment is carried out, irrigation of the cavity with solutions of antibiotics (erythromycin or penicillin). Drainage is put into the treated "pockets". Vishnevsky's ointment is applied to the wound surfaces. In severe inflammatory processes, a course of antibiotic treatment is prescribed.

Treatment consists of surgically removing the larvae from the affected tissue.

When treating small animals, cats, dogs, after the manipulations, a fixing bandage must be applied.

For the treatment of wounds without removing the larvae, the drug "Wolfazol" is used. It contains chlorophos (FOS-organic pesticide - for the destruction of larvae), erythromycin (antibiotic - to suppress microflora), birch tar - a natural substance that enhances tissue keratoplasty. Release form - aerosol foam. The drug is easy to use and effective. For treatment, foam is applied to the inside of the wound and to the entire external wound surface. The waterproof film formed after application protects the wound from wetting, infection and additional invasion.

"Wolfazol" is used for the prevention and treatment of all farm animals, as well as cats, dogs and other carnivores.

Are gadfly larvae dangerous for pets?

We found out that humans and cattle can suffer from these parasites. What about our pets? Especially dogs and cats that periodically walk outside. There is a certain risk.

Moreover, the infection of dogs and cats occurs not only through contact with intermediary insects. These animals love to lie on the ground or in the sand, where the gadflies also often lay their eggs. It turns out that a dog or cat, having run over, lies down to rest, which makes it possible for the larvae to get on the body of a pet. Also, the most likely sites of infection are areas with high vegetation and areas with a fairly large population of rodents.

It is not difficult to notice the symptoms of infestation by gadfly larvae in dogs or cats. As a rule, the animal begins to behave passively, coughing, breathing heavily. Often he has a lack of coordination, fever and even paralysis of the limbs.If, at the same time, there are bumps and bumps on the pet's skin with an obvious opening for the vital activity of the parasite, then, most likely, this is really an invasion by gadfly larvae.

It is necessary to promptly seek help from a veterinarian. Aibolit is more likely to prescribe antiparasitic drugs that can neutralize insects and relieve symptoms. If possible, he will also perform surgical removal of parasites from your pet's body.

For reference! There is a known case when more than a hundred gadfly larvae were found under the skin of a dog. At the same time, the parasites managed to spread throughout the body. They were on the paws, back, stomach, lips and ears. Only timely medical assistance saved the life of the four-legged.

Signs of the disease and difficulty in diagnosis

Signs of a subcutaneous tick in dogs are often similar to those of bacterial and fungal skin diseases:

Itching, sometimes so severe that the animal scratches itself in the blood.

Hair loss is noticeable at an early stage in areas with short hair - muzzle, ears, hind legs, abdomen, genital area.

Anxious condition, aggression - diseases that cause itching are extremely painful for a dog.

In advanced stages - anemia, weakness, development of secondary pathologies.

Before treating an animal, you need to establish the true root cause. Most subcutaneous mites are microscopic in size, so it is highly discouraged to make a diagnosis "by eye". If you find suspicious symptoms, you need to give the dog an anti-allergy drug - it partially relieves itching and show the animal to the veterinarian.

Note! Some skin diseases have characteristic features, but most of them are very similar and the only correct diagnostic method is skin scraping.

An experienced veterinarian, after examination, can narrow the diagnostic range to the type of parasite (intradermal or subcutaneous), but it is possible to accurately identify the "hero of the occasion" only by examining a fragment of the epithelium under a microscope. The dog is given local anesthesia and a shallow incision, scraping should show not only the type of parasite, but also the depth of the lesion.

How to protect yourself from gadfly larvae?

Finally, we will discuss the most important thing - how to protect yourself from these parasites. At the same time, we note that there are quite a few of them. But you should start with prevention, which includes:

avoiding places where gadflies live in large numbers;
the use of clothing that protects against the bites of various insects;
the use of special repellents.
treatment of body parts that have been bitten by blood-sucking insects with disinfectants.

It would be nice to exclude visiting potentially dangerous countries, where you can meet many gadflies. These are the countries of Africa, South and North America.

Those involved in animal husbandry should also take preventive measures. They will prevent the spread of gadflies and significantly reduce the number of cases of infection of livestock with their larvae.

Regular examination of animals for the presence of fistulas and nodules typical when parasites enter the body. Particular attention should be paid to the back, rump and lower back.
Treatment of the entire livestock with special drugs, the action of which is aimed at destroying the larvae. The most preferred time for this is late summer or early autumn.
Livestock grazing in the morning (before 10:00) and in the evening (after 18:00), when the activity of gadflies decreases. During the daytime, it is advisable to keep the animals under sheds or indoors.
The use of special traps for gadflies and scarers on pastures and farms.

Clinical picture

So, what symptoms can indicate the presence of third stage larvae in a dog's body? First, a short-term increase in body temperature is possible. However, in 99% of cases this goes unnoticed.The dog may not look very good for a couple of days, he has several decreased appetite, but nothing more. But when analyzing blood, eosinophilia is often revealed, which, in principle, typical for all types of helminthiasis... It is interesting, however, that during clinical studies a curious fact was revealed: for some reason, an increase in the number of eosinophils is more typical for cases when a female Dirofilaria develops in an animal's body. What this is connected with is not very clear. Most likely, the point is in the cytological differences between the outer cuticle in female and male parasites. It is also interesting that in more than 70% of cases of subcutaneous dirofilariasis when the cyst is dissected, it is the female worm that is found... Again, why their survival rate in uncharacteristic conditions is so much higher is a question that needs further study.

Preventive measures

Increased attention to the dog, regular skin examinations and timely treatment of open wounds with foul-smelling agents will prevent flies from laying eggs. If at least one fly larva was seen in the house, it is urgent to inspect the animal and carry out a complete disinfection of the room. Regular fight against flying insects, keeping the dog's habitat clean and hygienic will prevent the development of miasms.

Maggots in a dog's wound usually develop if the animal is not properly cared for. Only absolutely irresponsible owners or difficult street life can bring a pet to such a state. A well-nourished and healthy dog, regularly examined by a veterinarian, can only in extremely rare cases be infected with parasites.