
The parasite wolf worm is the larva of the Botfly. The botfly (or botflies) belongs to the family Oestroidea. It’s larva, the wolf worm, live in the bodies of mammals. Around 150 known species of botfly exists around the world, but only one is known to attack humans. When the botfly finds a suitable host – any animal ranging from rodents to outdoor cats and horses, the fly deposits its eggs in the animals skin. The animal’s body heat causes the eggs to hatch almost immediately. The eggs are yellow in color and once hatched, the wolf worm will migrate deep into the skin tissues or the digestive tract. The wolf worm known as “screw worm,” is around half an inch long and tan in color. It has one brown spot on one end of the body.
How to Get Rid of Wolf Worms in Pets
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Wolf worm infestations can cause a number of symptoms in house pets. In cats, the parasite wolf worm can cause heavy breathing, lethargy, and lumps on the skin with holes in them. Once you have determined that your pet has wolf worms, you should take him or her to a vet immediately. It’s never a bad idea to seek professional help. Your vet can provide a definite diagnosis and effective treatment options.
If you can’t make to the vet right away, you can apply a warm compress to the lumps, then squeeze the area very gently. More than likely, the wolf worm will make its way to the surface. When it appears, you can pluck it from the skin using a pair of tweezers. You should clean the site area with an antibacterial product for several days, again, if you cannot make it to the vet right away. Unfortunately, your pet can be infected with more than a few wolf worms, so this method might not get rid of all of the worms. And more importantly, if you apply too much pressure to the lump, the worm can actually burst within the pet’s muscles. This can create a deep tissue infection. In most cases the infection can be severe, leading to anaphylactic shock. This condition can even be fatal. So again, please take your pet to a vet as soon as possible.
Countries Where Botflies are Common
Africa (several small provinces)
Argentina
Australia (Adelaide)
Belize
Bolivia
Brazil
Canada (Southern Ontario)
Chile
Coast of Ecuador
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
England – mainly Surrey
Honduras
Hungary
Mexico
New Zealand
British Columbia, Canada (Northern)
Panama
Peru
United States (Southern U.S.)
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I thought I had gotten rid of what I was told wolfworm. The swelling had gone down and started to callus. It is starting to swell again. Beside myself, vet isnt an option at the moment. Hes been with about 8 years. Any suggestions would be most appreciated. His name is Grudge…. Story behind that
Bot flies wolf worms are now located in northern Canada. I live in barrie Ontario. Every time I kill a mouse in a trap. A bloody worm pops out of it. I’m up to 12.
How would a little human grade diatomascious earth work? It is supposed to work well in humans for removing parasites. Thanks, Alan
Vickie….I will start saying PRAYERS for your cat & her kittens right this second that they don’t have ” wolf flies ” and their all going to be okay..BUT PLEASE get them to your VET ASAP…KEEP US UPDATED & AGAIN PRAYING FOR YOUR FURRY BABIES.
My new kitten had a wolf worm, so I poured peroxide in the hole and it finally killed it and it fell out of the hole in her skin. If it doesn’t, it has to be removed.
I have a dog that we thought had been shot, or bitten, just to find out that it was a wolf! He’s doing great now! We had access to Ampicillin and a pain reliever.
I believe my cat has a wolf worm or wolf worms. she has a nasty sore on the side of her neck but she also has a hole in her throat! what is this? also, she just had kittens 10 days ago. I cant take her to the vet until the 3rd! please tell me she is not gonna die?