Herping (found someone who needs Help)

[saxon]

Hi all,

Up at the farm at the moment and it has been a herpers dream, so far have seen coutless juvie green tree frogs a breeding pair of leaf tailed geckos and a big land mullet who needs some help......anyway she looks to have been attacked by a fox or somthing and has a puncture wound above her front leg, the problem is its got lots of maggots ( it seems to be in good shape other than that). The question is how do i get rid of the maggots and help the big fella heal up I havnt released it (will after I get it a bit better).

Cheers
Saxon

[africancichlidau]

Wipe 'em off then Betadine, then wipe 'em of then Betadine and so on and so forth until they are all gone. You could otherwise euthenaise it or feed it to a BHP.

[alexr]

I am no vet so don't quote me - but I thought maggots only eat dead flesh. In fact in the past some doctors used to use maggots to help clean wounds. So I would assume that if you left them alone (once again I no vet) they would leave when the wound was "all cleaned up".

[foxysnake]

I know in the world of horses, maggots are a welcome guest to help clean a wound. I can't see how it would differ with reptiles. I think the main concern would be whether it could walk properly or not. I'm sure some1 who knows more medicallly about snakes will come online soon enough and tell us all! I'm curious now!

Yep, i reckon under very sanitary conditions you could leave the maggots there to do their job but under a very watchful eye so once they are gone you can then flush the area with betadine to promote healing and keep any nasties at bay. But if you arent in the position to monitor it too often, just flush the whole lot maggots and all with the betadine and keep applying it till there is no bare flesh left open.

Although, leaving the maggots there to help the process takes a very strong stomach.

Or you could ring WIRES or an organisation along those lines and have them take it to one of their vets to decide if treatment or euthanasia is the way to go.

Choice is yours in the end anyways.

[Wrasse]

Maggots might be ok, if this is a soft tissue injury only, if the animal wasn't already stressed and the extent of it's injuries were well known.

If the injury is infected, is too deep and may affect bone or vital organs, and the animal is not well enough otherwise or is stressed, you are just fighting an uphill battle.

[peterescue]

Sorry Saxon but it needs to be taken to a vet if possible.
The maggots need to be removed as the wil eat the living soft tissue.
We use ether to kill the maggots. This involves putting the lizard into a plastic bag with its head out and filling the bag with ether. Then using tweezers remove all the maggots. After this all the dead tissue is removed and the wound flushed with saline.
It is then dressed using a topical antibacterial ointment and covered with a dressing like Opsite.
It will probably need antibiotics as well.
It will probably also be dehydrated.

[NCHERPS]

Originally Posted by peterescue

Sorry Saxon but it needs to be taken to a vet if possible.
The maggots need to be removed as the wil eat the living soft tissue.
We use ether to kill the maggots. This involves putting the lizard into a plastic bag with its head out and filling the bag with ether. Then using tweezers remove all the maggots. After this all the dead tissue is removed and the wound flushed with saline.
It is then dressed using a topical antibacterial ointment and covered with a dressing like Opsite.
It will probably need antibiotics as well.
It will probably also be dehydrated.

I agree with peter, good advice mate!
Neil

[saxon]

thanks for the answers I dont know at this stage if it will make it. the maggots are gone and its been treated with pink spray, if its still alive tomorrow ill take it to the vet.

Cheers,
Saxon

[pike1]

Maggots only eat dead tissue????I had a friend who thought that and left them in a blue tongues tail until it was hollow and they were crawling out its vent.The pink spray is good if its the one Im thinking of because it has an insecticide in it.Have you ever seen fly blown sheep, they get eaten alive.

[africancichlidau]

Excellent advice Peter Reptiles are ectothermic so to a maggot they are comprised of 100% dead tissue even though they are still living. God, maggots are dumb!!