It looks like a warble, which is the larva of the botfly. The larva breaths and excretes through the hole in the skin and remains there until it matures - at about 3 weeks. They can get quite large. You don't want to try and pull one out, because they can easily break up and cause massive infection and almost always death. Covering it with vaseline or using alcohol CAN kill it, but if it dies before it backs out of the host, it will release the same toxins that it would release if it was broken by trying to remove it.
I have had kittens infected by these. Usually the botfly has to be on the host for some time to lay the eggs, which develop into the larva, which burrow under the skin. Often the animals are already weakened by disease, or are very young (like young kittens) and can't swat the fly or get away from it.
The hole looks pretty large. How long have you seen the hole?
It's a delemma for sure. Unless you want a vet bill to take it in and get it surgically removed, your best bet is to treat for infection, then wait and see. If you treat for infection and it is a staph infection, then it will help this too.
I have had kittens infected by these. Usually the botfly has to be on the host for some time to lay the eggs, which develop into the larva, which burrow under the skin. Often the animals are already weakened by disease, or are very young (like young kittens) and can't swat the fly or get away from it.
The hole looks pretty large. How long have you seen the hole?
It's a delemma for sure. Unless you want a vet bill to take it in and get it surgically removed, your best bet is to treat for infection, then wait and see. If you treat for infection and it is a staph infection, then it will help this too.
Last edited:
