Any dedicated dog owner knows the dangers of parasites. Mango worms are no exception. These pesky larvae, also known as mango flies or skin maggot flies, like to make their home underneath the skin of your beloved pet. Untreated, a mango worm infestation can lead to all sorts of problems.
How do dogs get mango worms?
Female mango flies typically lay their eggs in soil that has been contaminated with feces or urine. When your dog rests, rolls or walks on this bare contaminated ground, young larvae can burrow their way into their skin. This process is often painless, and your dog likely won’t even notice anything is different. Once the mango larvae have successfully entered their host, they continue to grow for 2-3 weeks by feeding on the dogs’ tissues.
After around three weeks, you may notice your dog’s skin erupting in red boils. Unfortunately, these boils contain maggot worms that will soon burst from the skin to continue their life cycle outside of your dog.
Can mango worms kill dogs?
While mango worms are often not a fatal parasite, they’re still not something you want your dog to come in contact with. It’s important to seek medical attention for your dog as soon as you notice signs of an infection. If left untreated, serious consequences can arise.
Removing mango worms: How it’s done
The process of removing mango worms from your dog’s skin is certainly not for the faint of heart, and you may decide to leave the heavy lifting to your vet. I recommend seeking professional help as your dog may need to be prescribed antibiotics following the removal of the maggots. Typically, mango maggots are removed from your dog by squeezing and popping the boils that form on his skin. This will subsequently eject the maggot from its residency.
The wound should be cleaned immediately following this extraction. The removal process may be more or less involved depending on how many bumps have formed on your dog’s skin, as each bump contains a maggot. Each wound should be inspected carefully to ensure that no maggot parts have been left behind in the skin.
How to prevent mango worms
1. Observe your dog
Mango worms are tricky to notice until it’s too late. Oftentimes, you may not even realize your dog has contracted the parasite until his skin erupts with new adult worms.
Therefore, it is important to watch your dog in areas where there’s a high amount of feces and urine.
2. Avoid contaminated areas
3. Use a fly repellent
4. Wash bedding in hot water
5. Remove rotting fruit
6. Bathe your dog
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