Bot Fly Gone or Not

[RockyPops]

So Coco has had a big bot on her chest under her left arm. I've been watching it develop and it seemed to different than the ones I see posted.

It was in a spot where she could scratch it and she kept the area bloody and irritated. But it kept getting bigger.

Thursday evening it looked to be ready to come out but it looked like it was coming out back first. The bump was huge, like a marble under the skin.

Friday around noon she came around and it looked like it may have came out. The knot was about half the size of the day before. It was still poned up though, just not as much, still had a pone feeling to it and was scabbed over.

Today, Saturday, the knot is still there. I'm worried that she may have ruptured the bot and it's still inside her. She does seem to feel a lot better...back to normal.

I'm attaching a video...best I could get... to get other opinions.

If it'd still in there will it take care of itself?

How long should I watch for the swelling to go down before intervening?

What antibiotics would I need to be looking for?

Best view of area at 2 seconds in and 12 seconds in.

Thanks!

https://youtu.be/x3iW0xGi7X0

[HRT4SQRLS]

I’m not sure but I think it might still be there. Is the hole black? I thought it looked black like the bot was right at the opening. Usually they exit without incident but I had several get infected this year. I used SMZ/TMP to treat them. It worked well. I think it’s early to consider antibiotics. I would continue to monitor it at this point.

[RockyPops]

Thanks HRT.

That is a scabby type dark spot.

Today, Sunday, the knot has gone down more and looks a little better. I'll continue to monitor.

What is SMZ/TMP?

[CritterMom]

Thanks HRT.

That is a scabby type dark spot.

Today, Sunday, the knot has gone down more and looks a little better. I'll continue to monitor.

What is SMZ/TMP?


It is a combo of sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, sold to humans as Bactrim and Sulfatrim (usually a suspension for little kids).

[TubeDriver]

I agree with HRT (who has much more bot experience than me), I would watch and wait for now. Bots can look AWFUL, all goopy and disgustingly large. They look so gross that it makes me freak out sometimes when I see em. Bots are often in place where animals can scratch and mess with them but the VAST majority seem to work out fine without any intervention. Having AB on hand is always good in case you need them but I would give this a bit more time.

[RockyPops]

Thanks TD.

Checked on Coco again this afternoon. That crazy little girl has been so playful the last couple of days, like she feels so much better.

So while I was wrestling with her I kinda held her on her back and looked at and felt the bot wound. It has gone down more but still has a hard knot feel to it.

Could it be like scar tissue or swelling around the wound?

And on a side note HRT. Are you still using the revolution pre-treatment in spring? I'm thinking about next spring now.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Thanks TD.

Checked on Coco again this afternoon. That crazy little girl has been so playful the last couple of days, like she feels so much better.

So while I was wrestling with her I kinda held her on her back and looked at and felt the bot wound. It has gone down more but still has a hard knot feel to it.

Could it be like scar tissue or swelling around the wound?

And on a side note HRT. Are you still using the revolution pre-treatment in spring? I'm thinking about next spring now.

It might be residual inflammation or even some infection but I would still give it a little time.
I haven’t used the Revolution in the last few years mainly due to not being able to get it accomplished but I still think it’s a good idea. I think Spanky tried it and I would be interested to hear his results. It was a terrible bot season this year. I just hate those disgusting things.

[RockyPops]

Thanks HRT!

Coco's swelling does seem to be getting better each day so I'm gonna wait it out a while.

Meanwhile I have a young male about Coco's age that is covered in a belt line all around his body. I'm guessing a minimum of 8 bots, up to 12.

He comes to eat about every other day. I try to keep him fed so he doesn't have to forage so much.
He is so weak some days. He's pitiful. But after he eats he seems a little stronger.

I came very close to trying to catch him but I am so scared the stress would do more harm than good.
He has two or three about ready to drop out, the rest probably another week or so.

:fish bots
:soapbox bots
:gun2 bots

[TubeDriver]

That is a dangerous amount of bots (8+) and could weaken and kill him. If he can last another week or so, it sounds like he may be alright. Definitely try to give him extra food and fresh water. Removing bots is not for the feint of heart but I think HRT can give you directions if he needs this.



Thanks HRT!

Coco's swelling does seem to be getting better each day so I'm gonna wait it out a while.

Meanwhile I have a young male about Coco's age that is covered in a belt line all around his body. I'm guessing a minimum of 8 bots, up to 12.

He comes to eat about every other day. I try to keep him fed so he doesn't have to forage so much.
He is so weak some days. He's pitiful. But after he eats he seems a little stronger.

I came very close to trying to catch him but I am so scared the stress would do more harm than good.
He has two or three about ready to drop out, the rest probably another week or so.

:fish bots
:soapbox bots
:gun2 bots

[HRT4SQRLS]

Yeah, that’s a lot. If there is any chance at all of capturing him it sure would be helpful. A few day would literally make the difference between life and death. I learned to pull those nasty suckers because it was literally a matter of life or death so I JUST DID IT.

Here is the problem. I saw it with my own eyes. While I was dealing with Susie’s bot ordeal I saw a squirrel in my yard that was almost dead with bots. It was pitiful. My heart was crushed. I was literally in the car with Susie taking her for the last surgical visit. I tossed the squirrel some avocado and said, hang on baby, when I get home I will help you. When I got Susie back home, I started looking for the squirrel. To my absolute horror, a hawk had taken the squirrel and was having a meal. I was devastated. The bottom line is that if you have noticed the squirrel, so have the hawks. They prey on the weak and vulnerable. I won’t make that mistake again. :sadness

[RockyPops]

Thanks TD and HRT. I wish I had caught him and intervened. Some have started dropping out now but he still has several.

As far as removing them, I could handle that but I couldn't handle killing the baby in the process.

I'm still monitoring him.

And Coco's wound is looking a lot better now. I think she's gonna do fine.

Thanks for the advice!

[RockyPops]

Coco's bot wound is practically gone. The bot was out after all I guess. She is healed and back to normal.

The little wild boy that was covered has finally turned the corner. A few days ago when the bots were at peak and ready to start coming out, I was giving him a slim chance of making it. He seemed to survive on will power alone. He was one sick baby.

Now after five or six +- have exited, he only has 3 or 4 more that should be exiting in the next day or so. He is already more active and perky.

He still looks bad with fur missing but he is definitely on the mend.

[RockyPops]

Little bot boy is bot free finally!!! Yay!!!

And, though he looks rough, he is feeling and acting like new.

He even buried a nut after eating today. And chased away a 12 week old that was getting to close.

[RockyPops]

I may have spoken too soon.

Little bot boy has been doing so much better that I started backing off on worrying about getting his daily nutrition. Last couple of days he has left hopping off like a healthy squirrel. Even burying some of his almond treats before he goes.

Today around lunch he showed up early and unexpected. I started trying to get a few treats to him. He was on a hickory stump about 15 feet into my neighbors yard.

I'd toss him one and he'd act as he didn't see or hear it hit near him. I kept inching closer as I talked to him and tossed more treats. The right side of his face was towards me and I noticed he looked like an old, old squirrel. And his right eye was almost completely cover by a white film. Like a cataract.

I think he's blind in that eye. Seemed perfectly normal yesterday. From the left side he appears normal like a teenager should. His eye and face are normal on that side.

He appeared lethargic and sickly. However when he went home, he hopped off with some gusto.

I got the release cage all closed up and ready in case I need to catch him. I tried to catch him today but he went up a tree out of reach.

I also think he still has a bot on his side and maybe one between his penis and rectum. Hard to see for sure.

Anything I can do for him?

antibiotics, pain, inflammation? IF I can catch him and IF he's still alive!

Poor little boy!!

[lukaslolamaus]

Poor little boy, I can't give any medical advice, but catching him if you can, possibly safes his life.

[TubeDriver]

Sometimes, an eye with that appearance recovers and sight is restored, other times not. It sounds like if you can catch him, he would benefit from a week or two of rest, good diet, fresh water and any needed treatment (perhaps systemic oral AB, AB cream for the eye). He might rally on his own in the wild if he can get food and water too. Can you post up a photo? If in doubt, probably best to try to capture him and give him some help, you can always release him if he does not need extra help.

[Mel1959]

I agree catching him would be the best option.

I have a wild female that comes pretty regularly to my yard. She has a white dot of fur on one of her rear hind leg, so she’s easy to spot. She showed up one day after a couple days absence with one eye completely covered by a white film. I assumed she injured it. We fed her some boo balls and made an extra effort to give her some Henrys blocks. Within a week when she returned the eye was completely normal again. :dono:dono

Extra nutrition can help improve a bad situation.

[RockyPops]

I'll try to get a closeup. He's hard to pin down and get close to for a pic.

Here's the only two photo's I have of him when this ordeal first began...

316758

316759

I'm wondering if his weakened state from the stress of so many bots, maybe dehydration, has compromised him.

I'll also try to catch him. I have a trap but I doubt he'll go near it. The other squirrels probably will though. I got pretty close to him today so maybe tomorrow. I may have to use my fishing net.

I have the rc ready. It has a nest box and can be kept safe during recovery.

I'm wishing now that I had intervened earlier.

It's a cool, rainy night here. I feel so bad that I missed a chance to catch him today. He could've been tucked away dry, fed and safe tonight.

I'd like to request prayers for this little boy.

I so hope and pray he's strong enough to make it another day or two and to get back to my yard again.

[lukaslolamaus]

Don't beat yourself up, you have been doing your best by providing food and water.
It is strange that his eye condition appeared so quickly.
I'll definitely be praying for your little friend:grouphug

[Chirps]

Ditto! :please