Cases of Botfly Infestation in Dogs Reported: How to Protect Your Pet?
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
Two new cases of New World botfly in dogs are among more than 30 confirmed cases in Texas and New Mexico, prompting veterinarians and animal welfare organizations to warn pet owners on Wednesday to stay vigilant in protecting their animals. The parasite re-emerged in livestock in the United States in June, more than 50 years after it was nearly eradicated from the country. It is actually the larva of the New World botfly, which feeds on living flesh and fluids rather than dead matter, as most fly larvae do. Here’s what you need to know about the parasite, the threat it poses to pets, and how to protect them: Larvae can infest any mammal. The fact that the fly has migrated north from Panama starting in 2024, and through Mexico in 2025, has led agricultural authorities to warn that it poses a threat to the $113 billion livestock industry in the United States, but the larvae can hatch and reproduce in any mammal, including wildlife, dogs, cats, and occasionally humans. The problem arises when a female fly lays her eggs in open wounds and mucous membranes. After the eggs hatch, the larvae feed for about a week before maturing, falling to the ground, and continuing to develop into an adult fly. The American Veterinary Medical Association notes that newborn animals and those with open wounds or that have recently undergone surgery or other medical procedures are especially vulnerable. Even a tick bite can harbor an infestation, said Aaron Grady, executive director of the Houston Humane Society— a nonprofit dedicated to animal welfare— during a webinar on botflies. Signs of infestation. Animal health experts indicate that pet owners in areas where the botfly is present—southern and southwestern Texas, and southeastern New Mexico so far—should closely monitor their animals and regularly check for wounds, cuts, and bites. Pet owners should examine them for larvae or movement in a wound. Other signs include a foul odor and restlessness or anxiety in an animal, or the animal becoming “obsessed with looking at or nibbling a specific area of its body,” explained Melissa Stansell, a veterinarian at Austin Pets Alive! Any of these signs is sufficient reason to consult a veterinarian. The affected animal is likely in significant pain, which can lead to death from shock. The larvae can also cause death if they migrate to vital organs or cause infections that become fatal. Medications to prevent infections. Officials from animal welfare organizations and veterinarians noted that shelters across Texas are trying to prevent infestations in animals by administering prescription medications for fleas and ticks. They recommend that pet owners do the same. “It will kill the larvae as they ingest blood and tissue,” Stansell said. “The chemical compositions of these products are what kill the larval stages of these flies.” Veterinarians can also treat infestations, and animals can recover if owners contact them promptly. Stansell indicated that treatment may include antibiotics. “It’s only fatal if left untreated,” she added. What is being done to eradicate the fly? The New World botfly is a tropical species. Decades ago, it would disappear each year when the colder autumn and winter weather arrived. But state authorities and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) are not waiting for the weather to change. They have resumed an eradication method that worked decades ago: breeding sterile male flies and releasing them into the wild. The female New World botfly mates only once in her lifetime, which lasts several months, and if her mate is sterile, her eggs will not hatch, causing the population in an area to decrease and eventually disappear. For years, the only factory breeding sterile flies in the Western Hemisphere was in Panama, but the USDA invested $21 million to convert a site in southern Mexico—previously breeding fruit flies—to recently start breeding botflies. The agency also plans to spend $750 million on a new fly factory in Texas, which is expected to open next year.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
