Maggot therapy for treating tough wounds in cats and dogs

Abstract

Wound care is a common problem in small animals. Antimicrobial resistance, biofilm, time constraints, and the cost of surgery or specialized dressings hinder efforts to deliver prompt wound healing. Maggot therapy has been very effective in human and equine wound care, but very little research has evaluated its safety and efficacy in dogs and cats. This study was initiated to evaluate the utility, efficacy, and safety of maggot debridement therapy for wound care in a small animal veterinary practice in Mexico. Six cats and four dogs were treated with maggot debridement therapy when their wounds failed to respond to conventional therapy. Treatment was administered by applying 8-10 larvae per cmsurface area directly on the wound bed and covering the wound with a sterile polyester mesh, sutured to the skin. These were left on the wound for cycles of approximately 48 h (24-72 h); the cycles were repeated if >20 % necrotic tissue remained after treatment. Review of these cases revealed that 80 % of treated wounds achieved 100 % debridement within 48-96 h of treatment. An additional 10 % (one wound) achieved 80 % debridement within only 24 h of treatment. One animal failed to show improvement: a 3-year-old cat with an infected bite wound, which drained voluminously and drowned the maggots. This animal was deemed not to be an appropriate candidate for maggot debridement therapy, and treatment was terminated after just 12 h. Ultimately, this wound was debrided and closed surgically. No complications were encountered other than mild discomfort in one cat. These results support claims that maggot debridement therapy is relatively safe and effective for treating problematic dog and cat wounds. Veterinarians should consider including maggot debridement among their treatment options for problematic wounds. Controlled clinical trials should be performed.