September 2016

Parasite migration gone "awr-eye"

A veterinarian in Arkansas City, Kansas was presented with a cat with an ocular lesion. Surgical intervention was opted for. See video of the procedure below. ​

What is your diagnosis?

Many thanks to Dr. Melissa Raymond, the veterinarian that provided this case and video, who is currently in practice at Ark Veterinary Associates in Arkansas City, Kansas.

Answer

The parasite extracted from the cat’s left ocular orbit was a Cuterebra sp. larva. The cat became infected by contact with a rodent or rabbit burrow, at which point a previous Cuterebra larval stage adhered to the fur and was able to migrate to enter the nares or the mouth of the cat. The larva then penetrated the tissue there to begin its migration to a subcutaneous location. Typically, subcutaneous cysts containing larvae are found on the neck, but sometimes larvae can migrate to aberrant locations, including the eye or central nervous system.