Mango Worms in Dogs: Causes, Affected Body Parts, and Treatment

Mango worms, also known as tumbu fly larvae (Cordylobia anthropophaga), are parasites that infect the skin of dogs and other animals. They do not come from a dog’s body but from fly eggs that hatch and develop under the skin.

How Dogs Get Mango Worms

Adult mango flies lay eggs on soil, bedding, clothes, or fur that has been soiled with urine or feces. When a dog lies on that surface, the tiny larvae attach to the skin and enter through hair follicles or small wounds. Once under the skin, they grow by feeding on tissue fluids and form swollen bumps filled with pus.

After about 1 to 2 weeks, the larvae mature, come out of the skin, and fall to the ground, where they become adult flies