UKC Forums - Coon Worm Question?????????

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Posted by JEFFHESTER on 01-25-2012 05:30 AM:

Coon Worm Question?????????

I was skinning a coon out this morning, I made a cut around one of it's back legs and a white worm ran out from under it's hide. I also found another around it's under side. They were about 3 to 4 inches in length. What kind of worm is this? I've seen ring worm or wouves in the hides of animals but never anything crawling in under the hide. Thanks!!
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Posted by l.lyle on 01-25-2012 05:39 AM:

I believe ring worm is a fungus and wolves is an insect mass like blowflies or bot flies in horses so you are definately back to worms but I don't know which . I have caught a bunch of bream after the water was warm and they stumack was full of worms . I couldn't make myself eat the brim though.

Posted by JEFFHESTER on 01-25-2012 06:15 AM:

Ring worm

On the ring worm, I've seen guys take a coke bottle and apply pressure to the ring worm area and force it into the bottle. I've seen it done on cattle. I've never seen anything crawl between the hide and the flesh though, but then again our weather is so messed up, I'm sure it didn't get cold enough to kill all the parasites.

Posted by l.lyle on 01-25-2012 06:25 AM:

Re: Ring worm

quote:
Originally posted by JEFFHESTER
On the ring worm, I've seen guys take a coke bottle and apply pressure to the ring worm area and force it into the bottle. I've seen it done on cattle. I've never seen anything crawl between the hide and the flesh though, but then again our weather is so messed up, I'm sure it didn't get cold enough to kill all the parasites.

Ive seen that same thing done but it was on a big old wolf larvae not a ringworm . A ringworm is more like an athaletes foot or a jock itch . There isnt anything in particular to see with your eyeball . I think it ain't a roundworm cause they, I think are in the stomack and a hookworm to travel around is not inches long. I'll see if I can narrow it down on the internet search , you got me interested now.

Posted by JEFFHESTER on 01-25-2012 06:38 AM:

Re: Re: Ring worm

quote:
Originally posted by l.lyle
Ive seen that same thing done but it was on a big old wolf larvae not a ringworm . A ringworm is more like an athaletes foot or a jock itch . There isnt anything in particular to see with your eyeball . I think it ain't a roundworm cause they, I think are in the stomack and a hookworm to travel around is not inches long. I'll see if I can narrow it down on the internet search , you got me interested now.

Yea... we always called it ringworm or wouves, never knew the difference??? Yea that kinda freaked me out seeing that long, white worm crawling out from the leg I ringed around. Thanks!

Posted by skeets on 01-25-2012 08:26 AM:

i aint ever seen a coon with wolfs, i been told wolfs come from cattle somehow another and gets to the squirrels or rabbits.i cut one out of a rabbit and ill never be the same lol.

Posted by l.lyle on 01-25-2012 08:39 AM:

quote:
Originally posted by skeets
i aint ever seen a coon with wolfs, i been told wolfs come from cattle somehow another and gets to the squirrels or rabbits.i cut one out of a rabbit and ill never be the same lol.

90% of squirrels have them around here up till frost , so they are left alone. I saw one one time in september when the things hatched out and the Bot? flies, I don't know ,it was driving that squierrel crazy with that swarm around it I was going to shoot it to get it out of it's misery but it got away. If you kill a squirel thats got a wolf in it in suummer or early Fall it is a one big worm about the size of a ground grub under the skin. don't seem to worry the meat .But sickening non the less.

I ain't ever seen a wolve in a coon either.

Posted by skeets on 01-25-2012 08:50 AM:

a gamewarden told me that they are safe to eat with them things in them , i tell you what ill have to be might near starved to death to eat a squirrel with a wolf in it lol. i usually wont squirrel hunt until frost because of them things. i killed squirrels during the winter that had the scars from wolfs, but for the life of me i couldnt stomach eating them lol.ive heard it came from flys to.

Posted by kayapellijed390 on 01-25-2012 12:48 PM:

It is a trichina worm like what is in hogs that causes trichinosis. This worm is the reason they say to cook pork until well done. Not as big of a concern since the advent of ivermectin but it still can and does get passed to humans through pork consumption. Dogs can also easily get it from eating coon meat so if you feed any to your dogs make sure you worm with ivermectin. I make sure the dogs stay as far away from my carcass pile as possible. Hope it gets my wifes cats though. L.o.l.

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Posted by Lone Pine JB on 01-25-2012 01:15 PM:

none of the above.

It's a parasite called Dracunculus insignis.

I see it pretty frequently.

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Posted by JEFFHESTER on 01-25-2012 02:17 PM:

THAT'S IT!!!!

quote:
Originally posted by Lone Pine JB
none of the above.

It's a parasite called Dracunculus insignis.

I see it pretty frequently.

That's it!! Never heard of it, no treatment to remove it, besides surgery. You ever known a dog to get these? According to the article if a dog eats the contaminated meat, he can contract them. I guess a person wouldn't know unless he skinned his dog. Thanks for your help everyone.
Jeff

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Description

The North American guinea worms are nematodes found in numerous furbearing species in the U.S. and Canada. Two species of worms, Dracunculus insignis and D. lutrae, are recognized under this common name. The slender worms reside in the subcutaneous spaces of the legs, resulting in ulcerations in these affected areas.

Distribution

D. insignis has been reported in the raccoon, mink, striped skunk, fox, muskrat, fisher, short-tailed weasel, opossum, badger, Bonaparte weasel and dog in the U.S. and Canada. Raccoons are the most favorable definitive host for D. insignis in North America. In Ontario, surveys found infections of D. insignis as high as 50% in raccoon and mink.

D. lutrae has only been reported in river otter in Ontario, New York, and Michigan. Eighty-eight percent of the river otter in Ontario surveyed in one year were infected with D. lutrae. In Michigan, dracunculosis has been diagnosed in the raccoon, mink, red fox, river otter, fisher, and pine marten.

Transmission and Development

Gravid adult female D. insignis and D. lutrae are found in the subcutaneous space of the front and hind legs, thorax, abdomen and groin. The worms are generally in the fascia in the tibial region of the hind leg. The anterior end of the viviparous female penetrates the dermis resulting in the formation of a blister. The blister soon ruptures and an ulcer forms. When the ulcerated area contacts water, the skin over the gravid female ruptures. First-stage larvae are liberated into the water and are ingested by suitable intermediate copepod hosts, the cyclops, Cyclops vernalis and C. bicuspidatus, and possibly other species. The infected cylops may contain from 1 to 23 larvae, but usually has only 4 or 5 present. After larval ingestion, the copepods may become lethargic and may live only 50 days. The first-stage larvae develop to the infective third-stage larvae in a few weeks.

A paratenic host, such as frogs (leopard frog, Rana pipiens, and green frog, R. clamitans) or fish (rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, and white sucker, Catostomus commersoni) may serve as an accumulator of the D. insignis and possibly D. lutrae infective stage larvae by eating the infected cyclops. The accumulation of infective larvae maintains the high prevalence of the worm in the definitive hosts. The infective third-stage larvae probably remain viable in frogs for extended periods of time, so that large numbers of larvae can be ingested by eating a single frog.

The definitive hosts become infected by eating infected reservoir hosts or by drinking water containing parasitized cyclops. The infective larvae are released in the intestinal tract. The larvae penetrate the wall of the host's intestine and migrate through the body cavity to the connective tissues of the abdomen, thorax and groin. In these preferred locations, the larvae mature, with the prepatent period usually being a year but possibly being as short as 77 days. Following maturity, the worms mate, and egg development in the female occurs.

The males and immature females remain in the above locations but the egg-bearing females migrate to the legs with larvae developing within the eggs during the females' migration. Viviparous females may be found as early as 120 days post-infection in the infected animal's legs.

After larval production, the exhausted female, in addition to the adult male and immature worms, may die and become calcified and resorbed by the host.

Maximum numbers of D. insignis in raccoon and mink from a study in Ontario were 54 and 17 respectively with averages of 5 and 3. In this same study maximum numbers of D. lutrae in river otter were 63 with an average of 7 worms.

Transmission of D. insignis in raccoons is confined to only a few weeks of the year. Adult worms are usually patent in late spring or early summer thus corresponding with changes in the definitive host's food habits. Mink infections are not as seasonal as raccoon infections due to the mink's year-round feeding on aquatic life. Raccoons may serve as a reservoir host for this parasite and there is a higher incidence of infection with D. insignis in mink when raccoons share the same area. River otter probably would not show a seasonal infection rate because of their year-round food habits.

Clinical Signs

Raccoons infected with D. insignis have been observed inactive for 30 to 60 minute periods and move slowly and only then with difficulty and distress. The animals frequently raise affected legs for short time intervals and occasionally scratch the skin overlying the viviparous females.

No clinical signs have been reported in river otters infected with D. lutrae, nor in mink infected with D. insignis.

Diagnosis

A D. insignis or D. lutrae infection can be diagnosed by finding and identifying the adult worms in the subcutaneous space. They are more likely to be found if both the pelt and carcass are examined, not just the carcass. Rarely can larvae be found in the circulating blood.

The adult worms differ from each other in appearance. The males measure 1.5 to 4 cm in length and are dark and extremely slender. The female worms are long and slender, measuring up to 28 cm in length and are white.

The long, tapering tails of D. insignis and D. lutrae larvae differentiates them from Dirofilaria
immitis and Dipetalonema reconditum microfilaria.

Pathology

Externally, there is local hair loss and skin damage to the extremities due to self-inflicted trauma (scratching). These lesions are usually on the lateral surface of the carpal and tarsal regions of the legs.

There are no gross lesions in the subcutaneous space adjacent to the adult worms. Lesions are found on the extremities where the viviparous females reside. The skin over these worms is inflamed and hemorrhagic. Small, round, shallow ulcerations form when the female worms place their heads into the dermal layer of the skin. After larvae are released from the adult female worms, the ulcerations contain a purulent exudate and bacteria. Following the production of larvae, the female worm dies. The lesions heal rapidly; 14 to 21 days after the female dies and the only visible signs of an infection are yellow patches of necrotic debris in the subcutaneous tissues of the legs.

Microscopically, areas of localized edema, hemorrhage and a connective tissue capsule surrounding the viviparous females are seen on the legs. At the site of ulcer formation there is a preponderance of eosinophils and neutrophils and a purulent exudate. The epidermal and dermal layers of the skin are often obliterated and the result is a hyperkeratosis, paraketosis and a perivasculitis.

Treatment and Control

The adult female worms may be removed through the skin opening on the legs or by surgical dissection. Removal of the worms is very difficult and usually not done. Therefore, there is essentially no treatment.

In wild mammal populations, control would be impractical and unnecessary.

Posted by maryk on 02-03-2012 04:22 PM:

Flies do carry a lot of bacteria. Do they have anything to do with problem??? Is it possible they are the catalyst for this worm???

Posted by maryk on 02-17-2012 05:05 PM:

Coon worm ?

Earlier in the thread you were talking about bot flies. I was curious, did you find out what that thing was for sure? I went looking around and found a great site for fly control, thought it might help.

Posted by Larry Atherton on 02-17-2012 05:45 PM:

Nematodes are round worms. There are 1000s of species of round worms. They exist virtually everywhere.

Lone Pine is probably right with the genus species he listed.. I know I have seen them in nearly every fur bearer I have skinned including otter.

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Posted by plentyofpossum on 02-17-2012 06:19 PM:

quote:
Originally posted by Lone Pine JB
none of the above.

It's a parasite called Dracunculus insignis.

I see it pretty frequently.

I thinking spaghetti for supper.

Posted by stonehill on 02-17-2012 11:23 PM:

Been coonhunting over 50 yrs. and I've seen jillions of those worms .I remember them way back when I was a kid cause they're gross.They pop out when You make that first cut around the back ankles and I have rarely seen them in the front ankles.I've seen them be three or four inches long and as many as six in one ankle joint.I just figured everybody knew about them.I call them "ankle worms" and they look very much like the worms that come out of puppies when you give them their first worming.I always thought they were a type of roundworm.They are nothing like warbles or bots that rabbits and sometimes squirrels have.

Posted by PlottChaser on 02-18-2012 12:04 AM:

I've seen them lots of times as well. Never knew that I was supposed to be interested in them...now I know and it skeers me...lol.

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Posted by Dan Dogs on 02-18-2012 02:16 AM:

Re: Ring worm

quote:
Originally posted by JEFFHESTER
On the ring worm, I've seen guys take a coke bottle and apply pressure to the ring worm area and force it into the bottle. I've seen it done on cattle. I've never seen anything crawl between the hide and the flesh though, but then again our weather is so messed up, I'm sure it didn't get cold enough to kill all the parasites.

lol that is not ringworm, the larvae you are popping out of a cows back is cause from heel flies.

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Posted by hillbilly56 on 02-18-2012 02:36 AM:

Re: Ring worm

quote:
Originally posted by JEFFHESTER
On the ring worm, I've seen guys take a coke bottle and apply pressure to the ring worm area and force it into the bottle. I've seen it done on cattle. I've never seen anything crawl between the hide and the flesh though, but then again our weather is so messed up, I'm sure it didn't get cold enough to kill all the parasites.

WHEN MY GRANPAP WAS ALIVE ON THE FARM IF WE SEEN A WARBLE ON A COW WE GET IT IN A CATCH PEN AND POP IT OUT WITH A PAIR OF PLIERS OR VISE GRIPS

Posted by breezyoaks on 02-18-2012 03:00 AM:

Re: Re: Ring worm

quote:
Originally posted by Dan Dogs
lol that is not ringworm, the larvae you are popping out of a cows back is cause from heel flies.

Give it up Dave.......yer wastin yer time........

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Posted by Dan Dogs on 02-18-2012 03:07 AM:

Re: Re: Re: Ring worm

quote:
Originally posted by breezyoaks
Give it up Dave.......yer wastin yer time........

ya, i suppose

Posted by hillbilly56 on 02-18-2012 03:21 AM:

Re: Re: Re: Ring worm

quote:
Originally posted by breezyoaks
Give it up Dave.......yer wastin yer time........

DIDNT SAY RING WORMS ITS CALLED A WARBLE HERE IN MY STATE JUST STATING WHAT WE DID WHEN I WAS GROWING UP ON THE FARM AS FAR AS THIS POST GOES IF HE REALLY WANTS TO KNOW FOR SURE TAKE IT TO A RESEARCH LAB THEN HE WILL GET THE TRUE ANSWER WHAT KIND OF WORM IT IS END OF STORY

Posted by Mntn T Kennels on 02-18-2012 03:22 AM:

I killed a coon that acted like it had this according to the description above. It was in the middle of the day I thought it had rabies so I shot it. I skinned a little bit and sure enough the same happened.

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Posted by maryk on 02-27-2012 03:08 PM:

Coon Worm question

You say these are like a worm when you first get when d-worming a puppy. Does anyone know what causes these worms? Do the y harm the hide?

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