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Eyeworms of Small Animals |  |
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Thelazia
californiensis
and
T
callipaeda
are found in dogs, cats, and other animals, including humans, in the western USA and Asia, respectively. They are whitish, 7-19 mm long, and move in a rapid serpentine motion across the eye. Up to 100 eyeworms may be seen in the conjunctival sac, tear ducts, and on the conjunctiva under the nictitating membrane and eyelids. Filth flies (
Musca
spp
,
Fannia
spp
) serve as intermediate hosts and deposit infective larvae on the eye while feeding on ocular secretions.
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| Clinical signs include excessive lacrimation, conjunctivitis, corneal opacity and ulceration, and rarely, blindness. After local anesthesia, diagnosis and treatment are readily accomplished by observing and removing the parasites with forceps. Some have reported the successful elimination of
Thelazia
spp
infections from dogs with SC injection of ivermectin at 0.2 mg/kg. Ocular solutions (2% levamisole) or ointments (1% levamisole or 4% morantel) also may be effective. |
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