This doesn't seem like a bug bite...

Okay, so I made a post about Cali having an itchy bug bite a couple days ago.. fast forward to now, it doesn't really look like a normal bug bite.

It's still swollen up, and it has a hole in the top. I think it's full of fluid or something, because if you look at it, it seems like fluid comes up out of the hole and goes back in. She also doesn't like it being touched for too long.

I don't know if it's just infected from her continuously licking at it or what, but she's had bug bites on her stomach before and they looked nothing like this. It's on her upper right front leg and is pretty large considering she has very tiny legs.

I'm going to see if we can take her up to the vet, just to be sure it's nothing out of the ordinary.. but does anyone have any ideas?

Google cuterebra and see if that's what it looks like. The fact that you're seeing the fluid seem like it's going in and out makes me suspicious. If that's what it is, you should be able to watch closely and see it moving into and out of view.

That's exactly what it looks like. My mom is overcross right now but I'm going to show her the images and get her to call the vet and see if we can take her over. I have no sweet clue how she could've gotten one of those.. we haven't gone for walks since it's been too hot. She's gone to the barn and swimming and that's really it.

WELP, I googled "cuterebra" and now I need brain bleach, please.

Where's the smiley with the twitching eye?

That's disgusting and I wish I didn't just google that...

My mom isn't really convinced.. but she said we can take her to the vet tomorrow as today as New Brunswick Day and the vet is closed apparently.

Apparently they're botfly larvae which makes perfect sense since boteggs are really common at the barn during summer months. I usually take a few off Major everyday.

I also admit that I am now disgusted at the fact that I was trying to squeeze and prod it early. Disgusting. I can't believe I didn't notice it earlier.. but hopefully it'll be fine until tomorrow and it won't get too much bigger.

Yah it's Civic Holiday here, yet I'm at work, and almost everything else is open. I only remembered cause I tried to call my vet

The more I read about this, the more I hope that it's just a coincidence. It doesn't seem it though. It says that the fluid drainage causes the excessive licking.. and it just looks a lot like the pictures I looked at.

It said that the infections can even be fatal. Plus they could get anaphylactic shock and die from that. I know it probably isn't likely *knocks on wood* but now I'm worrying myself to death.

So vibes please for Cali?

I'm also printing off a couple pages of information on it to give to the vet's because that might be able to better explain my worries before they go prodding at it or aren't too familiar with it. Seeing as how Cali has been known to have allergic reactions, I'm going to see if they can have something ready in case they end up damaging the larvae and she has a reaction. (as the websites have said that it's very possible and even the slightest damage can create one)

That was my thinking too, but we just had a puppy come in last week that had a cuterebra removed so its super fresh in my mind. Unfortunately lol.

Definitely vet the soonest you can. It wasn't a big deal with the pup we had though. Just pulled it right out after taking lots of pics and video of it squirming around lol.

Thank you for not posting video here

Haha! Come on, it's cool

So Cali got to the vet today, and it turns out that Sassafras was right! It was about 3 to 4mm long (apparently). Cali is now stuck with some bandages on her leg for a few days and hopefully it'll look a teensy bit better by then.. although I'm sure I'll be a bit squeamish.

.... lets all say it together. EWWWW!!

I'd rather spend a afternoon deticking a dog than dealing with one of those.

As would I.. even the vet told my mom (as I was working so I couldn't come) that it's one of the grossest things they have to do, and that's saying a lot. She also said she was glad that we caught it early because it only gets grosser because it turns dark and basically grows a spine.

So Cali has to keep her wrap on until her next appointment on Friday morning.. so hopefully she keeps it on because I sure as heck don't want to see what's underneath nor do I want to worry about cleaning it.

Did they pull it or are they removing it Friday?

Don't search for videos of it though. You end up on the weird side of YouTube when you do

They got it out. They waited to see it poke it's head out of the "breathing hole" just to confirm it was in there, then they numbed her leg and made a small incision to get it out.. then disinfected it, gave her a convenia injection (I think that's what it's called) and wrapped it up.. we're just going back on Friday to see how it looks and get the wrap changed and get it cleaned again.

Poor Cali! I'm so glad you found out what it was and had it removed. Ick.

I've seen videos on Youtube of these before... when I was looking into going to South America, I read about them and of course had to watch the videos. I couldn't imagine having one inside of me :yikes:

Me too! I was just thinking how much worse it'd be if it had fully matured and came out on it's own.. it'd probably be bigger than the width of her leg! I'm still so curious as to how she got one though.. especially since my riding instructor has her two dogs out all the time there. Cali is much closer to the ground though so maybe that's why.

Either way, she won't be going exploring around the barn anymore unless she's picked up.

And neither can I.. apparently there's a larger variety of them that latch onto people. I didn't want to see pictures of them though.. I'm too squeamish. I had a maggot on my lead rope one day at a riding clinic and I screamed and flung the rope around.. with Major on the other end. I also had one on one of his boots.. and just about died all over again.