You don’t know how close to right you are with your diagnosis of Buddy’s wound. More than likely Buddy has been infested with the larvae of a Cuterebra or bot fly. These flies lay their eggs around rabbit or rodent burrows where unsuspecting dogs and cats can encounter them. When the pet grooms, they can ingest or inhale the eggs which go on to hatch into larvae or young worms. These larvae move to the space under the skin, create a large cyst called a warble, and eventually burrow out creating a breathing hole. This is likely when Buddy started scratching it and when you saw what you thought was a caterpillar coming out for air.

Taking Buddy to the veterinarian is the right thing to do. It is important that you not try to treat this condition at home as grabbing the larvae or squeezing the cyst can lead to severe allergic reactions and even anaphylaxis.

Click here to read the article Cuterebra Infestation in Dogs to learn more about Cuterebra flies and how to protect your pets from being infested.

Humans don’t like the crotch sniffing thing, but I’m with Buddy on this one. The best way to figure out who’s coming to visit is to get up-close and personal by smelling their nether region. Humans often want to look us right in the eyes, which for us canines is rarely the smartest way to greet a stranger.

We get important information on who’s visiting us by smelling them. Truthfully, we can do it from a distance, but it’s canine nature to go right for the crotch.

Read this article about why dogs sniff privates to learn more about why we do it and what you can do to create a good balance for all.