# We need to dicuss wolf worms again



## NancyinArkansas (Dec 13, 2002)

I brought this up 5 years ago when one of my cats had a wolf worm. It was the frist I had ever seen in all the years I have ever had cats. Now my very old tom has one . It has came out and now he has a big hole in his leg. I put medicated powder on the last one and am doing that for this one too, but it takes a long time to heal and it looks so awful. Does anyone have anything new to offer this time? Do you think honey on it would be better? Nancy


----------



## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

I don't think I even want to know what this is. :Bawling:


----------



## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

Rose said:


> I don't think I even want to know what this is. :Bawling:


YIKES, me either! Flesh eating worms? *shudder* Someone tell me it isn't quite *that* bad...


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

It's a botfly larvae, also known as a warble. 

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26354--,00.html

Nancy, if the "wolf" is gone, I think your cat will be fine with what you are doing. You might want to get him some antibiotics since he is elderly.


----------



## Cashs Cowgirl (Jan 26, 2006)

We always made sure to keep them scraped off the legs of our horses. They are nasty little critters!


----------



## country_wife (Sep 24, 2004)

gross Gross GROSS!!!!! 

One of our cats had a botfly larvae. The larvae died and the poor cat smelled sooooo nasty. I took her to the vet and he cut out the infected tissue. She didn't even need antibiotics.


----------



## jill.costello (Aug 18, 2004)

I think in the cattle world they are called "screw worms". When the worm is in the flesh, it looks like a lump the size of a walnut with a bubbling air hole at the top (eww, I know), after the worm leaves, it just an oozy, hard-to-heal sore about as big around as a pencil. Where you get into problems is when the worm dies in the hole= stinky, infected, yuck!

I have had success with opening the air hole a bit wider with a razor blade (warning: your dog/cat will NOT like this!), and then GENTLY pulling the worm out with tweezers. KILL THE BUGGER!!! And then I squirt peroxide in with a needless syringe; really flushing the empty pocket until it stops frothing. Wipe clean with gauze and smear on your favorite wound cream.


----------



## AR Cattails (Dec 22, 2005)

I've never heard of this. Can they get in humans, too?


----------



## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

Yes they can AR Cattails.

http://www.worsleyschool.net/science/files/bot/fly.html


----------



## Jillis (Sep 11, 2005)

That was a gruesome link, Ravenlost! Thank God those only occur in Central and South America!

YICK!


----------



## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

screwworms are not botflies. They were eradicated in the US in the 1950's by release of oodles of sterilized male flies to mate with the females (who mate only once) who then produced infertile eggs.

Proponents of biological controls point to this as one of their great success stories and one that could not have been accomplished in later eras due to 'environmental impact' concerns. (I mostly support environmental impact but if you know about screwflies they were one case where you'd have waived limitations too...)

Search on 'screwfly control' to read more about screwflies and their eradication. (This search will also turn up the 1977 short story 'the screwfly solution', a sci-fi classic that will give you nightmares for years by applying the 'biological control' concept to human beings)


----------



## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

Jillis -those worms are in the US and most active in spring and ending about late summer they infect cats dogs rabbits horses MICE (sad) and humans coughs here* ( it takes time for those larvae to burrow into your skin so the term Cleanliness is next to Godliness is worth tons !!!) you can take them (animals) to the vet and have them removed or if your brave remove them yourself with tweezers they are VERY fat and difficult to remove however, and EVERYTHING Jill Costello says is true i treated my cats the same way removal- peroxcide- neosporin those worms make them soooo sick 
and when they are removed it is INSTANT relief from the pain bless his poor little heart i have an affinity for the kitties


----------



## NancyinArkansas (Dec 13, 2002)

My old cat is doing much better . The hole is done closing up. Hope I dont see another one of them things for a long ,long time. Nancy


----------



## bgraham (Jun 30, 2005)

I had a cat with one a few years ago. It is really disgusting. Thank goodness your cat is doing better!

Beth


----------

