# Bot fly removal!?



## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

So as many of you know, one of my babies went in to the vet on Thursday to have a bot fly removed from her side.
This morning I checked her out and she's got another one coming out from under her leg. The vet is closed for a week and I can not get her in, they've suggested I remove it myself using tweezers, but I have NO idea how.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Like I said getting her to the vet is NOT an option, they are closed and do not take emergency appointments for rodents.


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## Mrs.Brisby (Jan 4, 2014)

If you rub petroleum jelly on top of the botfly larvae, it won't be able to breathe and it will make its way to the surface of the skin where you can grab it with the tweezers.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Ugh, those things are awful. Good luck!!


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## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

Mrs.Brisby said:


> If you rub petroleum jelly on top of the botfly larvae, it won't be able to breathe and it will make its way to the surface of the skin where you can grab it with the tweezers.


It's already making it's way out, it's right inside her leg in her "crotch" area. I'll have to get one person to hold her while I attempt to get it out. There's no way she'll stay still while I fiddle with her, she's barely tame.

Once it's out, should I flush/irrigate the hole? And what should I put in/on it?
I can't get her on antibiotics until the vet opens next week. But I do have triple antibiotic ointment that I can put on it. That's what they had me putting on her other wound


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## relken0608 (Jul 11, 2013)

I was going to say that she may sit more still if she's eating a treat or licking up yogurt but even then, you wouldn't be able to reach the spot. I would make a saline solution, boiled saltwater that's left to cool back to room temperature. Then use a straw to suck up the water, then release it over the wound. Afterwards, apply the triple antibiotic with a q-tip. When my boy got a hole the size of a dime in his shoulder, this is what I did to help seal the wound. It took about 6 days for it to seal itself and there's not a scar at all. 

I would definitely do the saline wash though, since this hole (i saw a documentary on botflies *years* ago, but if i remember right removing one will leave a wide hole) will have been 'lived in' by a parasite, i'd want some saltwater as a cleanser just in case. I'd repeat the saline wash and the antibiotic daily until it heals up. If she tries licking the antibiotic away, maybe only do the wash. 

And extra-special treaties afterwards!!


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## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

relken0608 said:


> I was going to say that she may sit more still if she's eating a treat or licking up yogurt but even then, you wouldn't be able to reach the spot. I would make a saline solution, boiled saltwater that's left to cool back to room temperature. Then use a straw to suck up the water, then release it over the wound. Afterwards, apply the triple antibiotic with a q-tip. When my boy got a hole the size of a dime in his shoulder, this is what I did to help seal the wound. It took about 6 days for it to seal itself and there's not a scar at all.
> 
> I would definitely do the saline wash though, since this hole (i saw a documentary on botflies *years* ago, but if i remember right removing one will leave a wide hole) will have been 'lived in' by a parasite, i'd want some saltwater as a cleanser just in case. I'd repeat the saline wash and the antibiotic daily until it heals up. If she tries licking the antibiotic away, maybe only do the wash.
> 
> And extra-special treaties afterwards!!


Thanks, I'll give that a try! I'm still working on finding a second person to help me with this, I will NOT be able to hang on to her on my own. And incase I need to take a puke break, I'll need someone to hold her lol


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Kayepaye if I was close by I would volunteer to come help you. Hope you manage to get it out. I've also seen botfly removal online before ( one out of a woman's head! ) it's really disgusting. Thinking of you!


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## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

lovemyfurries said:


> Kayepaye if I was close by I would volunteer to come help you. Hope you manage to get it out. I've also seen botfly removal online before ( one out of a woman's head! ) it's really disgusting. Thinking of you!


Thanks for the offer haha, my friend is coming to help me, she's more squeamish than me, and nervous of rats, so it should be an interesting experience....
I'll let everyone know how it goes!

I've googled a few videos of bot fly removals and I almost puked at every single one. SO disgusting


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Ah shame man! Yes please let us know how you get on, if you get it out. Ugh ... Some of the things we do for those we love.


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## deedeeiam (Apr 8, 2014)

Rats have amazing healing, so you don't need to "inject" anything in there to flush the wound. I saw where you said you didn't have betadine. Alcohol might burn a bit. I've always used betadine, so that's something I keep in stock. Vinegar is a disinfectant. Does it burn? I'd have to nick myself to find out.

Don't use peroxide.


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Take great care to not break the larvae when removing. Petroleum jelly over the hole will coax it to leave, and you can assist it with a tweezers when it is ready.

Flushing is important. Saline will do the trick.

NO antibiotic ointment! It isn't necessary and will cut off airflow to the wound. It needs to breathe to heal. Just keep it clean, and it will heal.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

cagedbirdsinging said:


> Take great care to not break the larvae when removing. Petroleum jelly over the hole will coax it to leave, and you can assist it with a tweezers when it is ready.
> 
> Flushing is important. Saline will do the trick.
> 
> NO antibiotic ointment! It isn't necessary and will cut off airflow to the wound. It needs to breathe to heal. Just keep it clean, and it will heal.


Good advice.


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

I was going to suggest raw honey or silver solution once it's out as it'll help the healing


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## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

Well unfortunately I wasn't able to get it out, I could see the larvae but wasn't able to get the tweezers in to grab it.
The wound also appears to be very infected, so I didn't want to play around with it too much.
I called another small animal vet about 3 hours away and they can get her in tomorrow morning, so I'm going to be taking her there first thing tomorrow.
There was no way I was going to get that thing out by myself, and I think she has a 3rd one in her neck, so a vet visit will definitely be better for her.

Poor baby, she's NOT in a good mood. I've been giving her infant motrin for pain, but the vet said not to do anything with the wound, incase it disturbs the bot fly, just keep it clean and dry


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Oh my goodness the poor little baby. Thank goodness you found a vet to go to, pity so far away. Let us know what happens. Good luck!


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## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

lovemyfurries said:


> Oh my goodness the poor little baby. Thank goodness you found a vet to go to, pity so far away. Let us know what happens. Good luck!


I'll definitely keep you posted.
I think there might actually be 2 in her stomach, and there's 2 openings. This poor girl has been through so much. I think I'm going to leave her at the vet's for the weekend incase any more pop up


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Oh poor baby. Good idea if the vet can keep her just in case. Hope she gets through this ordeal. I just keep thinking of the big holes those things leave once they're out and so many on one little rattie. So sad


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

This is getting to be a not very good number of holes for a tiny body.

I read back in your posts to find her story, and it's likely that she'll have very tiny ones (eggs laid just before you found her) that will keep growing over the next few weeks.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Caged, she lived under a deck until finally being captured and coming to Kaye


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

nanashi7 said:


> Caged, she lived under a deck until finally being captured and coming to Kaye


I went back in posts to read about it. If botflies are just now maturing in her skin, she's been under there for weeks at the very least. She probably has very tiny eggs brewing in her skin that will continue to mature over the next few weeks.

It's worth having a serious talk with the vet about what the plan of action is here over time.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Oh no that doesn't sound good


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Thinking of you today !!!!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Kayepaye what happened??


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

Any news?


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

Any news?I


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## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

Hey everyone sorry for the lack of updates recently! I've been extremely busy.
The little rat is doing really great; she had 3 botflies removed from her, and the vet said she doesn't appear to have any more. I have had her for a month, so anything that was in her probably would have shown itself by now.
She's just finished her antibiotics, and is feeling so much better! She will be going off to her new home as soon as her stitches come out.


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## PawsandClaws (Jul 22, 2014)

That is great news! I feared that when the updates stopped that something awful had happened. Yay!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

PawsandClaws said:


> That is great news! I feared that when the updates stopped that something awful had happened. Yay!


Same here, I was thinking it was too much for and she didn't make it. Such a relief to know that all is fine


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## kayepaye (Jul 31, 2014)

lovemyfurries here is the picture I was trying to post


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Aw she's beautiful!!


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