# Beefworms are gross. Really. *gross pics alert*



## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

My hands are now purple. I just went down an squeezed 15(actually 15 is when I lost count) it was at least 20 beefworms out of my neighbour's dog. Poor little girl. She was pretty good. A lot of squirming and wiggling and trying to get away, but she never once tried to bite even when I was squeezing out the ones on her nose and under her eye. Good dog considering it was the first time we met.









He had actually asked me to give her an IM shot of Ivermectin which would just kill them all, but I refused as I have no medical history on her as to her anti heartworm dosing schedule. I think he was a little pissed off that I wouldn't but I told him I just didn't feel comfortable taking that risk even if he was. If he gets a history from the last owner(he's had her a week) I will give the shot but not till then. 

*stands her ground*

Just so y'all understand what I'm talking about, here are some pics of me squeezing one out of Cocoa's leg about 6 weeks ago.


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)




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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

Final one for scale next to my index finger. Ewwwww










Now imagine 20 of them in a 25 pound dog. 

Surprised I didn't get bit really. I wouldn't have blamed her.

I almost forgot...like, the 8th one in or something? It popped out and popped at the same time and I got squirted in the face with pus and worm guts. Ick.


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## Bikhi Akhbar (May 26, 2009)

eewww! how does a dog get them and how can i prevent them?


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

Oh Blech! OK, u win the gross photo contest LOL
You'd better go wash dem hands before u get here haha


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## meghf (Jul 12, 2009)

I just threw up in my mouth a little. Yuuuuuuck!!!!!!


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## L_E23 (Oct 10, 2009)

That is slightly disturbing. 
I didn't even know there were these kind of worms that dogs could get...How do they get them, and what kind of shots do I need to get my dog? :/


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## misty073 (Mar 31, 2009)

Bikhi Akhbar said:


> eewww! how does a dog get them and how can i prevent them?




Ewwww exactly what I was thinking!!


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## MoosMom (Sep 15, 2009)

Um HOLY COW! How do they get those!! I've worked with dogs for over 8 years and I cant say Ive ever seen anything like that. Very interesting and kinda gross....


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

<-----Psst. Check my location.


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## meghf (Jul 12, 2009)

I was wondering if it had to do with the fact that you're in Central America. So dogs can't get those in the States?


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

Pretty sure all you northerners are safe. 

Humans get them here too. I've had them. I couldn't let them get that big though. They hurt waaaaay too much when they're feeding. 

They're a lot easier to squeeze out when they're big like that though. The small ones are a real bitch.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

ChrissyBz said:


> Pretty sure all you northerners are safe.
> 
> Humans get them here too. I've had them. I couldn't let them get that big though. They hurt waaaaay too much when they're feeding.
> 
> They're a lot easier to squeeze out when they're big like that though. The small ones are a real bitch.


Ok, so I won't be coming for an extended visit any time soon BZ.... sorry.


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

Awwwww, K, they're a great souvenir. Just imagine how long you could work that story. 

Think of the panache you would gain. 

Besides, as long as they're alive in you they maintain an antiseptic environment. They're really very clean. They even poop outside the hole. Plus once they get big enough to see you can even see them coming up for breath every couple minutes.


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## Dieselsmama (Apr 1, 2007)

ChrissyBz said:


> Besides, as long as they're alive in you they maintain an antiseptic environment. They're really very clean. They even poop outside the hole. Plus once they get big enough to see you can even see them coming up for breath every couple minutes.


OMG!!!!!!!!!!!
I think I just had a HA envisioning this.


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

Ok yeah, you're right, they're a giant maggot and they eat you. It's gross. But I had seven at once. Once. It wasn't that bad till they hit my sciatic nerve...(yes, they were all in my ass)


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## digits mama (Jun 13, 2007)

YucK. We have what they call the bot fly,or wolf worm that dogs and cats can get here. I wonder if it is the same thing as..that.. I have seen the infected nasty holes they make on stray dogs. They get so infected sometimes.. and have even seen where a dog had the worm, it expelled itself, then regular maggots sat in. Nasty little critters.


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

digits mama said:


> YucK. We have what they call the bot fly,or wolf worm that dogs and cats can get here. I wonder if it is the same thing as..that.. I have seen the infected nasty holes they make on stray dogs. They get so infected sometimes.. and have even seen where a dog had the worm, it expelled itself, then regular maggots sat in. Nasty little critters.


That's why my hands are purple. We used purple spray that has Diazinon :eek added to kill any that may still be alive and dry up each hole so it can stop any other bugs from making an opportunistic home. 

Really she was so good. There were 7 on her muzzle and under her eyes and I sprayed my hands so I could wipe it on that area. 

She was scared and I KNOW we were hurting her but she was so so good.(not as good as my dogs, but hey, she had never met me before so I was really impressed)

and yes, it is a bot fly but this one is called the human bot fly even though it infects a range of species. It uses ticks and mosquitoes as the vector most times. (Catches one and lays eggs on it then releases it and the eggs hatch when the mosquito lands on a victim.(they apparently hatch from exposure to body heat)


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## melgrj7 (Sep 21, 2007)

Eww . . . . . . .


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## DJsMom (Jun 6, 2008)

That's just gross.
When we took the stray kitty we are caring for into the vet for the first time for vaccinations, he also had a bloodied wound on his neck & the vet later told me they had to remove a couple nasty worms - I wonder if it was bot flys.


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## harrise (Jan 9, 2008)

*PICS!!!

*Folks, this is why a thread is worthless without pics. If there was a "Thread Of The Year Award" here Chrissy, I would campaign on your behalf. Classic.​


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

LOL Hey Harris. How are ya? With all your amazing picture threads I think you'd sweep that one.

Done anything fun lately? I just hauled two horses from Oklahoma to here. Since then life has been pretty uneventful.


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## BooLette (Jul 11, 2009)

ChrissyBz said:


> Pretty sure all you northerners are safe.
> 
> Humans get them here too. I've had them. I couldn't let them get that big though. They hurt waaaaay too much when they're feeding.
> 
> They're a lot easier to squeeze out when they're big like that though. The small ones are a real bitch.



Wrong. Your animals CAN get them in the states. They are called warbels. Animals get them from a fly called a bot fly. It lays its eggs on the skin of the dog or cat and when the egg hatches it burrows in under the skin. The results are the pictures that Chrissy posted. Some years ago we found a kitten that had one that was way too big and the infection from the giant hole it had bored in her chest killed her. They are extremely disgusting and more prevalent in wetter seasons. 

Yeah, gross.


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## wolfsnaps (Apr 27, 2007)

Parasites are disgusting and creepy. This was gross but it opened my eyes. Thanks...

and you had 7 in your butt? ewwwww oh my. Did you have to squeeze your butt? or did you take meds to get rid of them?


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## zimandtakandgrrandmimi (May 8, 2008)

that has been my worst nightmare for a long time...i had ONE and ONE was ENOUGH.


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## 5 s corral (Dec 31, 2007)

yuk
poor furbabie

jamie


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## Mdawn (Mar 3, 2007)

I can't even find the words to describe how GROSS that is...that poor dog. 

I hate worms. It is the ONE thing that grosses me out. My cats have had worms several times...its the only thing that I actually can't deal with. I can handle poop, vomit, blood...just NOT worms. It makes me want to puke just thinking about it...your much braver than me Chrissy...I don't think I could have squeezed them out like that.


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## PandaCakes (Sep 25, 2009)

ChrissyBz said:


> Pretty sure all you northerners are safe.
> 
> Humans get them here too. I've had them. I couldn't let them get that big though. They hurt waaaaay too much when they're feeding.
> 
> They're a lot easier to squeeze out when they're big like that though. The small ones are a real bitch.


I have seen bot fly removals that are quite similar, except they usually have to be pulled out with tweezers, or suffocated with tape before you pull them out, or they'll just burrow deeper down when you try to extract them.

Glad I'm not a breakfast person.


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## Renoman (Mar 20, 2007)

BZ, the horses must get them alot don't they?


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## spugs (May 4, 2009)

Thats horrible  Im glad Im in the UK, I think we only get something over here that effects rabbits called fly strike and I dont have any bunnies


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

Renoman said:


> BZ, the horses must get them alot don't they?



Actually no. and our dogs don't get many. Depends on the level of care I guess. I think the heartworm meds and the fact that my dogs don't spend a lot of time(AKA: ANY time) running around loose in the jungle.

With the horses it's less beefworms and more vampire bats and possums that I worry about.  It's always something though.

I am drenched in sweat today just from turning the two out for the day. It's icky hot and humid.


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## harrise (Jan 9, 2008)

ChrissyBz said:


> LOL Hey Harris. How are ya? With all your amazing picture threads I think you'd sweep that one.
> 
> Done anything fun lately? I just hauled two horses from Oklahoma to here. Since then life has been pretty uneventful.


Wow. Talk about a road trip! We haven't been up to much of anything lately. Just fall cleaning and winterizing. I do have cross country skis now, just need a belt and some snow.



ChrissyBz said:


> I am drenched in sweat today just from turning the two out for the day. It's icky hot and humid.


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

I bet the dogs are Loooooooooving that! It's about 88* here right now. I just checked... 73% humidity.

Ick. WHERE ARE MY OCTOBER COLD FRONTS AND 60* WEATHER???????


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## Foyerhawk (May 7, 2009)

Oh My God. I'm not really a wuss. I have thirty snakes, and I pick ticks off my self with barely a shrug anymore.

But... that. is. freaking. heinous.

*dies* 

lol


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## Eris13021 (May 16, 2009)

*looks around for puke bucket*

gawd i was going to puke...i am gagging. I cant stand worms, well except earth worms but thats because by the time im through with them they've been put ona hook and eaten by a fish...lol. total revenge for being creepy and icky.


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## naturegeek (Feb 13, 2008)

I'm really quite glad that I didn't see this before we went to Belize. The description in the guide books and on Belizeforums was bad enough, but did not do justice to the absolutely barf-tastic reality of these critters! Where is the puking emoticon when we need it?


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## Dakota Spirit (Jul 31, 2007)

Foyerhawk said:


> But... that. is. freaking. heinous.


Ditto this, lol. 
I'm not overly squeamish but having something moving beneath my skin would probably be a little much for my brain to handle. I just imagine having one of those crazy breakdowns you see in the movies or something and wanting to cut it out with a kitchen knife.

Someone would have to be really good at calming me down


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## ChrissyBz (Aug 10, 2007)

I was actually let the ones in my...heinie get bigger. ( for scientific curiosity)Till one of them had my sciatic nerve for dinner at 2 am and woke me up screaming with a seized leg. Some kind of nerve in that area anyway. Don't really know if it was my sciatic.

They laid me out on a table in the back and mom stood guard while one of my waitresses performed the extractions next day.

Did I mention I may be on Animal Planet soonish? I took one out of a friend's back on camera in August. For some show that is apparently going to actually air. Only a 30 second spot.


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