Expert: Dr. Louis N. Gotthelf - 8/19/2009

Question
What does a bott fly infection on a dog look like? Does it look like a big scab? My dog has a scab that is circular and is risen around the edges, hair is still growing in the crater, And it still looks new.

Answer
I am not aware that dogs get Bot Flies.  Bot flies lay eggs on the surface of horse skin and the horses lick the eggs, where they hatch in the stomach.  They can get Cuterebra fly larvae deposited in the skin and can cause a large lesion with a hole in the middle for the larva to breathe.  HAve your vet check it to see what this is.