How To Tell If Your Dog Has Maggots & Why Early Detection Is Critical

It can be highly alarming if you notice that your dog might have maggots. While this health issue isn’t common in every area of the globe, it is unfortunately common in tropical countries where insects like botflies or screwworm flies live. Dogs are often also infected by infected rotting matter or feces.

If you believe your dog might be infested with maggots, addressing the issue as early as possible is essential. Maggots can cause devastating harm to your dog’s health, and the only way to prevent more damage once an infestation has occurred is to take your dog to a veterinarian.

Does My Dog Have Maggots?

It can be difficult to tell whether your dog has maggots in the early stage of the infestation. The skin infection often starts when a fly lays its eggs in a wound on your dog’s body. While these eggs later become enormous maggots, they are about as small as a grain of rice and difficult to see.

There are a few other ways that your dog can become infested with maggots, however. Certain species of flies are prone to laying their eggs near the eyes or ears, which can respectively cause ocular myiasis or auricular myiasis. Nasal myiasis and anal myiasis are also known to occur.

The first symptoms of a maggot infestation will appear when the eggs hatch and the maggots begin growing. As the maggots grow, they secrete an enzyme that often produces a dark and murky discharge from the wound. This discharge often attracts other flies to lay their eggs.

As the infection progresses, your dog may begin to suffer from other symptoms resembling other forms of illness. Nodules or abscesses will start forming on your dog’s skin and grow in size as the fly larvae mature. Here are some of the other symptoms you should look for.

• Skin irritation or skin lesions
• Ulcers, edemas, or boils
• Pain and discomfort
• Movement under the skin
• Intense itching or excessive licking
• Diarrhea or anorexia
• Areas of moist and inflamed skin
• Dark discharge from skin
• Uneasiness and frequent fidgeting
• Foul, decaying, rotten-flesh smell

It’s also worth noting that some dogs are more prone to developing maggot infestations than others. If your dog has a chronic skin condition or an open wound, they may be a prime target for flies who intend to lay eggs. If your dog is restricted to the outdoors or has a mobility impairment, they may not have the ability to escape from flies.

Lastly, if you suspect that your dog is suffering from myiasis, you should start by checking areas that your dog wouldn’t be able to reach. Maggot infestations frequently appear in areas like the upper back and behind the ears because dogs can’t groom these areas. Damp and warm areas, like between the toes or under the tail, are also common sites of infection.

How Are Maggot Infestations Treated?

If you suspect that your dog is suffering from a maggot infestation, taking them to the veterinarian as soon as possible is crucial. Providing the necessary level of care to remove the maggots and keep the wound infection-free at home is impossible. Once you take your dog to the clinic, the veterinarian will inspect the wound to confirm that a maggot infestation is present.

If the infestation is confirmed, the veterinarian will start by disinfecting and cleaning the area to reduce the likelihood of infection. The veterinarian will need to extract every maggot and extensively clean the area with an antiseptic solution. Removal of dead tissue may also be necessary to guarantee that your dog heals properly. Prescriptions are often given for pain relief and to improve the likelihood of recovery.

It’s important to note that you may need several follow-up visits to your veterinarian once the initial maggot extraction is completed. While veterinarians do their best to reduce the likelihood of the infestation recurring, finding every minuscule egg in your dog’s coat is difficult. Follow-up appointments allow your veterinarian to ensure that your dog is recovering safely and maggot-free.

Why Is Early Detection Critical?

There are two reasons that early detection is critical when your dog is suffering from a maggot infestation. Firstly, detecting the infection as early as possible will ensure that the infestation is addressed in a less severe stage and that your dog has a better outcome. Secondly, early detection will help you prevent the infection from spreading to other people or animals in your home.

The severity of a maggot infection often varies depending on how long it has been allowed to fester. As mentioned before, the maggots under your dog’s skin often release an enzyme that is pushed out as a dark discharge. Unfortunately, this foul-smelling discharge can attract other flies to lay eggs — eventually, a monstrous infection can occur.

It’s also important to note that maggot infestations aren’t an issue that only affects dogs. If you don’t maintain the right level of hygiene in your home, you, your family members, or other pets in the home can also become infected with myiasis. Addressing suspected cases as soon as possible and maintaining extensive hygiene will protect you from a terrifying infection.

Stay Vigilant for Maggot Infestations

Maggot infestations can be a terrifying issue. When the insects are allowed to fester under your dog’s skin, they can often cause severe damage to the underlying healthy tissue. But if you catch the problem early, your dog can often make an incredible recovery.

The best treatment for cutaneous myiasis, however, is preventing it in the first place. You should always keep your dog hygienic through a regular checkup and cleaning routine, particularly if they have an open wound or have feces in their fur.