First aid for maggot wounds in dogs

What is a maggot wound?

Myiasis is an infestation of living tissue by fly larvae (maggots). In India it is extremely common in stray and community dogs during warm, humid months. Flies lay eggs in any open cut, tick bite, ear-tip injury, or skin fold; within 24 hours the larvae hatch and begin to feed on the dog's tissue, releasing a strong, sweet, rotting smell.

How to spot it early

• A foul, sweetish odour from a specific part of the body.
• A hole, crater or "bubbling" patch in the skin — often near the ears, neck, base of the tail, paws, or genitals.
• Constant licking or scratching at one spot.
• Visible white or cream-coloured maggots moving inside the wound.
• Lethargy, loss of appetite, fever in advanced cases.

What to do — step by step

1. Restrain the dog gently and safely. Even the calmest community dog may snap from pain. Use a soft muzzle or a strip of cloth tied loosely around the snout. Work with a second person where possible.
2. Clip the fur around the wound. Use blunt-tipped scissors to expose the full area — maggots burrow far beyond what you can see on the surface.
3. Flush the wound with clean saline or boiled-and-cooled water. Do not use hot water, kerosene, petrol, turpentine or phenyl — these cause severe chemical burns and can kill the dog.
4. Apply a vet-approved maggot-killing dressing. The two products used most widely in India are Topicure (D-Cure) spray and Negasunt / Lorexane powder. Spray Topicure directly into the wound — the maggots will start emerging within minutes. Wear gloves.
5. Remove emerging maggots with blunt forceps or tweezers. Never dig with sharp instruments. Drop the maggots into a closed container with detergent so they cannot re-infest the dog or other animals.
6. Dress lightly and keep the dog in shade. Cover with a clean gauze only if the dog will tolerate it. Flies must be kept off the wound.
7. Repeat morning and evening until no maggots emerge for two full days, then continue antiseptic dressing until the wound granulates and closes.
8. Get veterinary support for antibiotics and pain relief. Deep infestations need systemic antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and sometimes ivermectin — these must be prescribed.

What NOT to do

• Do not pour kerosene, diesel, petrol, phenyl, Dettol-concentrate, turmeric paste or salt into the wound.
• Do not try to "burn out" maggots with a flame or hot needle.
• Do not stitch or fully bandage a maggot wound — it must be allowed to drain.
• Do not give human painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen — they are toxic to dogs.

Preventing re-infestation

• Check community dogs regularly — especially during and after monsoon.
• Treat tick infestations early; tick bites are the most common entry point for flies.
• Sterilise (ABC) community dogs — fight wounds in unneutered males are a major cause of myiasis.
• Keep feeding spots clean so flies are not drawn to the area.