Keep an Eye Out for Botflies on Your Mid-Michigan Pets [PICTURES]

As if you didn't have enough to worry about when it comes to your pets this tick season, there's another bug (or gross, creepy thing) to keep an eye out for.

Botflies in Mid-Michigan

According to the Eaton County Humane Society, botflies have been bad this year.

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In the last week alone, they treated at least two cats suffering from a botfly attachment. Now, below are the pictures, but I warn you, they are not for the faint of heart. One cat had to have surgery to have the botfly removed.

Some of the pictures are pretty gross...

Okay, if you're still with me, here are the pictures.

Granted these are rescue kittens, and not indoor cats, but it's still not something to mess around with.

If you have a cat that spends time outdoors, or a dog (or dogs), this is certainly something to be aware of.

What are Botflies?

Botflies are a type of bug "whose larvae embed themselves as parasites in a [host]’s skin, eyes, upper respiratory tract, or central nervous system (brain/spinal cord)." According to PetMD, the symptoms your pet is displaying will differ depending on where the larvae attaches.

Symptoms range anywhere from lethargy to vomiting, difficulty breathing to swelling, blindness to seizures, and more. You can check out the full list of symptoms here.

Botfly Treatment

If you have a pet that is experiencing a sudden combination of these symptoms, the veterinarian will look for evidence and possibly perform various tests (like a CT scan or MRI) to determine where the infestation is coming from, and how to treat it.

If the larvae is attached to the skin or eye area, it can be manually removed and the area cleaned. Other, internal, infestations will be treated with various medications.

At the end of the day, we all just want the best when it comes to the well-being of our pets. And if you see any sudden changes or onset of symptoms, you should always call your vet!