Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Dog intestinal infection by Lucilia cuprina blow fly larvae
By Lazo-Láscarez, Sabrina et al.Ā·Published in Parasitology internationalĀ·2025Ā·Private Practice in Veterinary MedicineĀ·View original on PubMed ā
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Original publication title: Canine intestinal pseudomyiasis by blow flies and first documented case report caused by Lucilia cuprina in Central America.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog was brought to the vet with gastrointestinal issues after ingesting fly eggs or larvae, which led to a rare condition called pseudomyiasis. This condition occurs when the larvae survive the digestive system and can cause health problems. In this case, the blow fly species Lucilia cuprina was identified as the culprit. It's important for pet owners to be aware of this condition, as it may be more common than previously thought. Treatment typically involves addressing the gastrointestinal symptoms and preventing further exposure to flies.
People also search for: dog vomiting fly larvae Ā· what to do if my dog ate fly eggs Ā· gastrointestinal issues in dogs
Abstract
Pseudomyiases occur when vertebrates ingest eggs or larvae of flies that survive gastrointestinal passage and may result in pathological reactions, but they are usually unable to continue their life cycle in the host. Many blow fly species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are associated with facultative cutaneous myiasis in humans and animals; however, very few cases of blow fly pseudomyiasis have been published in animals. In this report, two cases of canine pseudomyiasis caused by blow flies are documented, and Lucilia cuprina Wiedemann was confirmed as the species responsible in one of them. It is likely that cases of pseudomyiasis in dogs are being underestimated, so it is important to consider and identify these events as a differential diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease to prevent recurrences. Recognizing the particularities of blow fly behavior should be a priority for sanitary authorities to establish control strategies and prevent their impact on public health.
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Search related cases āOriginal publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40345641/