Molly and maggots

[Joy]

If you're squeamish you may not want to read this. I got up and took Molly out to toilet around 6.30 am yesterday (Sunday) as I was going to a show with Tess. Molly looked normal but while I was away for the day apparently maggots suddenly erupted from a place on her skin. My husband and son cleaned them all off but when I got home late afternoon she had an open sore on her back and we found more maggots. I washed her with shampoo, dried her, bathed sore area with dilute disinfectant and covered it with a sterile dressing.
This morning she had more maggots on her skin which we got off with a comb. I rang the vets as soon as they opened and they saw her straight away. Apparently a fly has laid eggs burrowed into her skin. The vet shaved a biggish area and washed it with hibiscrub. She then spent about 20 minutes going through Molly's coat but couldn't see anymore grubs. She gave me two different insecticidal tablets, one for today and one for tomorrow and told me to wash the area with hibiscrub three times a day and at the same time to go through her coat looking for maggots. She also told me to put and old T shirt on Mollyt to prevent anymore flies getting at the wound. The vet said to give it a few days and see if it's healing, and if not Molly will need a general anaesthetic so that they can open the wound to clean it out.
Fingers crossed this conservative treatment does the trick
The vet was wonderfully kind and gentle with Molly and only charged us £124 which I thought was good.
In herself Molly seems fine (well as fine as she ever is these days), eating normally and not wanting to scratch or bite the wound.

 

[Selina27]

Goodness, what an unpleasant thing to happen to Molly and to you all.
It's been such excessive period of hot weather which I imagine has made things worse.
I' m pleased to read you had good care from your vets, here's hoping the wound heals without further intervention xx

 

[Atemas]

Oh bless her and you. I’ve never heard of this before - sounds horrible. Truly hope the treatment does the trick and a general anaesthetic is not required

 

[Selina27]

Actually- maggots are used these days to clean up a chronic non healing wound in humans. They are specially bred in laboratory conditions and are sterile and come in gauze pouches so they are controlled and can't escape
The idea came about after it was noted in the First World War that wounds infested with maggots healed well once they were removed!
Just a little snippet of information for you!

 

[Candy]

Poor Molly! I had no idea this could happen, it sounds awful. I do hope the current treatment is enough to get rid of them all. Thinking of you and sending some Lambies. .

 

[Candy]

Actually- maggots are used these days to clean up a chronic non healing wound in humans. They are specially bred in laboratory conditions and are sterile and come in gauze pouches so they are controlled and can't escape
The idea came about after it was noted in the First World War that wounds infested with maggots healed well once they were removed!
Just a little snippet of information for you!

Come to think of it, I knew this too, but had forgotten. The thought still makes my skin crawl though!

 

[Stacia]

I know sheep and rabbits can get fly strikes and maggots, never heard of it in dogs before. Poor Molly, all should be well now after treatment.

 

[Granca]

for Mollie. I hope the wound heals quickly.

 

[Joy]

Actually- maggots are used these days to clean up a chronic non healing wound in humans. They are specially bred in laboratory conditions and are sterile and come in gauze pouches so they are controlled and can't escape
The idea came about after it was noted in the First World War that wounds infested with maggots healed well once they were removed!
Just a little snippet of information for you!

Yes I had heard of this too, but I imagine there are different types of maggot/lavae. Molly's seem to be from house flies. We did have a lot of flies around during the very hot weather last week and because Molly can no longer manage the beach we were keeping her coat damp by sprinkling water on it very frequently (to try to keep her cool) which on reflection perhaps wasn't sensible - warm, damp skin presumably is attractive to flies. (Our council now only collects rubbish fortnightly which doesn't help - I've now doused the bins with disinfectant!)

 

[Cath]

Poor girl I hope she is alright now. Bless her. I know sheep can get fly strikes, but they they other have said never heard it in a dog before.
Hope she gets better soon

 

[Jacqui-S]

Oh poor girl, how horrid for you all.
Medical maggots can certainly be invaluable, but not something like this.
Hope you've managed to zap them.

 

[Cath]

How is Molly this morning @Joy

 

[Atemas]

we were keeping her coat damp by sprinkling water on it very frequently (to try to keep her cool) which on reflection perhaps wasn't sensible - warm, damp skin presumably is attractive to flies.

Well I was doing exactly the same with Red last week. There is so much ‘advice’ about at the moment about what not to do to keep them cool - it’s not helpful really as bottom line we want to keep our dogs cool in anyway we can that is acceptable to the dog. I also saw other dog owners on the campsite taking their dogs to the water tap and sprinkling them with water.

i hope all is well with Molly this morning

 

[Joy]

How is Molly this morning @Joy

Thanks for asking Cath. Thankfully no maggots (and I've looked very carefully) for 24 hours now and the wound looks ok. Second tablet today and continue regular inspections and hibiscrub use. Molly, bless her, is taking it all in her stride. So looking hopeful.

 

[Cath]

Well that's good Joy. Sending love and hugs to you all and lambies for Molly

 

[edzbird]

That was a bit of a shock. Poor gal, I'm glad Molly is now free of the pesky maggots. We had a lot of flies last week too.

 

[Candy]

Well I was doing exactly the same with Red last week. There is so much ‘advice’ about at the moment about what not to do to keep them cool - it’s not helpful really as bottom line we want to keep our dogs cool in anyway we can that is acceptable to the dog. I also saw other dog owners on the campsite taking their dogs to the water tap and sprinkling them with water.

i hope all is well with Molly this morning

I spray Joy with cold water in hot weather too and she hasn't acquired any maggots so far. I think Molly's experience was more down to bad luck than bad management, so please don't blame yourself. Ultimately we need to do whatever we can to prevent heat stroke in hot weather, particularly as they're getting older and their own heat regulating systems may not be as efficient as they once were.
I hope lovely Molly continues to take it all in her stride and makes a good recovery.

 

[Emily_Babbelhund]

Oh my goodness, poor Molly! And poor you to have to also deal with that. I had no idea such a thing could even happen. Very glad the conservative treatment is working and she is on the mend.

 

[Selina27]

I spray Joy with cold water in hot weather too and she hasn't acquired any maggots so far. I think Molly's experience was more down to bad luck than bad management, so please don't blame yourself. Ultimately we need to do whatever we can to prevent heat stroke in hot weather, particularly as they're getting older and their own heat regulating systems may not be as efficient as they once were.
I hope lovely Molly continues to take it all in her stride and makes a good recovery.

Totally agree with this xx

 

[SwampDonkey]

Glad she's on the mend hopefully she'll be ok now.