Health & Fitness
Gross, it's Cuterebrae Season!
Beware of cuterebrae this time of year. Cuterebrae are larvae that cause a swelling under the skin of animals.
Reader beware, this blog is gag inducing. It is cuterebrae season! Cuterebrae are fly larvae that grow under an animal’s skin. The fly lays an egg on the skin, and the larve burrow in. The evidence that a pet has a cuterebrae is a swelling that forms under the skin. Sometimes there is bruising or other discoloration of skin, but always there is a small hole that the larvae breaths through and will sometime poke its head in and out of. The larve is about 1 inch long, chubby and white. When it matures into a fly, it leaves its host and the cycle continues. These larvae cause local irritation or infection, but sometimes they can cause more systemic problems in the pet like a fever, or allergic reaction. Even Edina dogs can get Cuterebrae! If you see a mysterious sore on your dog, bring him down to the clinic and we can investigate it. If it is a cuterebrae, we’ll remove it, clean the area and likely prescribe an antibiotic.
