Hidden beneath a matted coat or in the folds of a forgotten wound, fly larvae can quietly take over an animal’s body. In warm, humid air, a single fly’s eggs can become a colony of flesh-eating intruders, burrowing deeper as the animal grows weaker and more withdrawn. The smell changes first, then the skin opens into raw, weeping holes that never seem to heal.

Yet this horror is preventable. Clean, dry bedding, regular grooming, and quick attention to even small cuts can stop flies from turning a minor injury into a living wound. Elderly, injured, or neglected animals are most at risk, relying entirely on human eyes and hands to protect them. When myiasis is caught early, a veterinarian can remove the larvae, treat infection, and give back what the infestation slowly steals: comfort, strength, and the quiet dignity of a body at peace.