Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Traumatic myiasis from Wohlfahrtia magnifica in dogs near livestock
By Farkas, R et al.·Published in Medical and veterinary entomology·2009·Department of Parasitology and Zoology·View original on PubMed →
PetCaseFinder translated the abstract of this peer-reviewed paper into plain English so pet owners can read it. We do not publish original research — every detail traces back to the citation above. How we work →
Original publication title: Traumatic myiasis in dogs caused by Wohlfahrtia magnifica and its importance in the epidemiology of wohlfahrtiosis of livestock.
- Species:
- dog
Plain-English summary
A dog in Morocco was found to have a severe infestation of larvae from the Wohlfahrtia magnifica fly, which can cause traumatic myiasis, leading to tissue damage and welfare issues. The dog, along with others in the area, lived near livestock, where this condition is more common. Symptoms included infestations on the limbs, ears, and other body parts. It's important for dog owners and veterinarians to regularly check for wounds and signs of fly infestations, especially during warmer months, to prevent serious health problems in dogs and protect livestock from this parasitic fly.
People also search for: dog fly larvae infestation · traumatic myiasis in dogs · how to prevent fly bites on dogs · symptoms of Wohlfahrtia magnifica in pets
Abstract
In the province of Al Hoceima, northern Morocco, and on two farms in Hungary, dogs were inspected for the presence of traumatic myiasis. Nine and four infested dogs were found in Morocco and Hungary, respectively. All the larvae and adults reared from them in the laboratory were identified as Wohlfahrtia magnifica (Schiner) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae). To our knowledge, these are the first cases of wohlfahrtiosis in dogs to be reported in these countries. All infested animals lived close to livestock, where wohlfahrtiosis was endemic. Infested body sites included limbs (six cases), external genitalia (two), ears (three), nose (one) and neck (one). Developing larvae caused severe welfare problems and tissue destruction in most cases. Although the number of cases reported here is small, wohlfahrtiosis in dogs may be very important from an epidemiological perspective because farm and stray dogs can act as both reservoirs and carriers of this parasitic fly species. Therefore, education of dog owners concerning the risk factors in endemic regions is recommended in order to reduce the prevalence of wohlfahrtiosis in dogs and thereby in livestock. Both owners and veterinarians should pay regular attention to any wounds and to the natural orifices of dogs, especially during the fly seasons.
Find similar cases for your pet
PetCaseFinder finds other peer-reviewed reports of pets with the same symptoms, plus a plain-English summary of what was tried across them.
Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19335833/