Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Treating wounds in small animals with maggot debridement therapy: a survey of practitioners.
- Journal:
- Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
- Year:
- 2007
- Authors:
- Sherman, Ronald A et al.
- Affiliation:
- Department of Pathology · United States
Plain-English summary
Some small animals can develop serious wounds that lead to infections and other complications, which can be tough for both the pet and the owner. A treatment called maggot therapy, which uses live fly larvae to clean wounds, might be a simple and cost-effective option. Between 1997 and 2003, eight veterinarians in the U.S. reported using this therapy on at least two dogs, four cats, and one rabbit, mainly when other treatments weren't working. The vets found the treatment to be safe and often helpful, potentially preventing the need for amputation or euthanasia. Overall, the study suggests that maggot therapy could be a useful option for small animals and deserves more research.
Abstract
Many small animals succumb to complications of serious wounds. Sometimes infection and sepsis overwhelm the animal; sometimes the costs of intensive care overwhelm the owner. Maggot therapy, a method of wound debridement using live fly larvae, could provide effective, simple, low cost wound care. All eight US veterinarians who had been provided with medicinal maggots were surveyed to determine if this treatment was being used for small animals, and for what indications. At least two dogs, four cats and one rabbit were treated with maggot therapy between 1997 and 2003. The most common indications for using maggot therapy were to effect debridement and control infection, especially if the wound failed to respond to conventional medical and/or surgical therapy. Practitioners reported the treatments as safe and often beneficial. Amputation and euthanasia may have been avoided. It is concluded that maggot therapy may have utility for small animals, and should be evaluated further.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16386439/