How to help dogs with maggot wounds
Updated: Jan 24, 2022
Monsoon always brings an increase in cases of animals with maggot wounds. Wet and humid weather means fur and skin may stay moist, wounds don't heal as quickly, and even tiny openings in the skin can attract flies which lay eggs.
A single fly can lay 75-100 eggs and maggots hatch within 48 hours so it's important to deal with small wounds as soon as you see them, and inspect your dogs regularly.
Maggots can be killed with a maggoticidal spray such as D-Mag or Topicure, or medicinal turpentine, or failing that, a crushed up ivermectin tablet in the wound. (Veterinarians may inject ivermectin into the wound.)
The maggots can then be removed with forceps, and the wound cleaned and dressed with the normal wound cleaning procedure.
