Oestrus ovis infestation of a dog in the UK

Abstract

In March 2011, a dog on a sheep farm in the Cotswolds, UK, expelled a mature live third-stage larva of the sheep nasal botfly, Oestrus ovis, after a violent and traumatic sneezing episode. The dog had been infected with first-stage larvae deposited by an adult fly the previous autumn; larval development had progressed throughout the winter and spring with few apparent clinical signs and possibly masked by ongoing immunotherapy for an unrelated condition. Identification of the parasite at the Liverpool School of Veterinary Science was made from a submitted puparium, the "chrysalis" stage to which the larva had progressed within days of its expulsion from dog's nose. To the authors' knowledge this is the first report of nasal botfly infestation of a dog in the UK.

Oestrus ovisL. (Diptera: Oestridae) Induced Nasal Myiasis in a Dog from Northern Italy

“…As to dogs, it should be noted that in domestic carnivores (dogs and cats) O. ovis infestions are less common than in humans, having been sporadically described in dogs from India [ 11 ], Spain [ 12 , 13 ], New Zealand [ 14 ], and UK [ 16 ] and in a cat from Australia [ 15 ]. Low occurrence of O. ovis infestions in domestic carnivores might be due to peculiar sheep bot fly preferences and, in general, due to the strong relationship between oestrids and herbivores.…”

“…O. ovis infestions in ovine and humans in the most northerly parts of Italy are reported below 45 degrees north latitude: in Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, and northern Tuscany. Reports of O. ovis infestions in domestic carnivores are sporadic [ 11 – 16 ] and have not been yet described in Italy. The aim of the present study is to describe an autochthonous case of O. ovis infestion in a companion dog bred in northern Italy.…”

FIRST REPORT OF CANINE MYIASIS WITH SHEEP NASAL BOT FLY, Oestrus ovis, IN SLOVENIA

“…The sheep ectoparasite, Oestrus ovis L. (Linnaeus 1758) is commonly known as nasal bot fly of sheep, goats, and other wild ruminants (1), although infestations of dogs (2,3,4,5,6), humans (7) and a cat (8) have also been documented. It has a worldwide distribution, with a preference to warmer climate, where adult flies can be active year-round (9).…”

“…If the infestation is severe, the animal may suffer further complication of the respiratory system, such as chronic pneumonia unresponsive to antimicrobial treatment (15). Reports of dogs with O. ovis infestation are rare but show that dogs can harbor all stages of larvae, including mature larval instar (5). Clinical signs in dogs are mild in the early stage of infestation (4) but can become severe if symptoms go unnoticed, even leading to euthanasia of the animal (3).…”

“…Clinical signs in dogs are mild in the early stage of infestation (4) but can become severe if symptoms go unnoticed, even leading to euthanasia of the animal (3). With some exceptions (3), most cases are associated with the dog or cat living on a sheep farm or in an area of high sheep density (4,5,8).…”