maggots on abscess?

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ma larkin

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We just went to feed our live out horses, and when checking them over, noticed (very quickly) our elderly section d had a smallish circular patch on his back crawling with maggots. These definately werent there this morning. I fed etc at around 7am this morning. We bought him in and hosed them off, and cut away the hair around where they were. He is quite a hairy horse, and when we cut it away there was a horrible smell and a patch wich looked quite sore. There is a hot lump there, but no obvious open wound. I am thinking this may be an abscess or infected puncture wound? He didnt seem bothered when we touched it though. And let us mess around quite happily with the area. Surely and abscess would be painful? I have never had to deal with an abscess before. Would maggots be attracted to it? And hatch that quickly? Also the smell isnt great. I have put purple spray on it and a bit of my own tea tree cream. He is stabled for the night now. Any advice to what this may be I would be very grateful. Thank you.
 
Maggots will clean out all the necrotic tissue from a wound, they have probably done a good job. You have done what I would do, and if the horse is covered for tetanus, I would just keep the wound clean and monitor.
 
I had exactly the same on an ancient pony I was looking after this summer- no abscess there but his coat is quite long and the flies had chosen it as a nice warm soot to lay their eggs. The maggots had made it very sore very quickly. I washed them all off, smoothered it in antiseptic cream and kept it covered with a fly rug until it healed which it did within about a week
 
hayinamanger said:
Maggots will clean out all the necrotic tissue from a wound, they have probably done a good job. You have done what I would do, and if the horse is covered for tetanus, I would just keep the wound clean and monitor.
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they will clean the necrotic tissue and then keep going into healthy tissue, If it smells bad that indicates infection-I would be calling the vet for advice and wanting a vet to visit tomorrow.
 
I havent thought about fly strike. Tbh I always associate it with sheep. Just done a quick google and maggots can appear with in 8 hours. Scary. We have removed all the the maggots, and will keep the area clean and keep up with purple spray etc. I think it was a small abscess which has burst, hence the smell. Vets are an issue with this horse- he has a real fear of them and will need sedating just for a vet to look at him. But if it gets any worse or doesnt get any better within a day or two, he will need to be seen for sure.
 
ma larkin said:
I havent thought about fly strike. Tbh I always associate it with sheep. Just done a quick google and maggots can appear with in 8 hours. Scary. We have removed all the the maggots, and will keep the area clean and keep up with purple spray etc. I think it was a small abscess which has burst, hence the smell. Vets are an issue with this horse- he has a real fear of them and will need sedating just for a vet to look at him. But if it gets any worse or doesnt get any better within a day or two, he will need to be seen for sure.
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just phone and speak to them if they know his history with vets they may well suggest a product to use on the wound.

as amandap says fly strike is unusual in horses and it suggests that there is possibly something else going on-maggots can do a lot of damage by traveling under the skin especially if there is no large open wound.

i hope it is all ok but I really would be speaking to the vet

as far as i am aware purple spray will not kill any hatching maggots
 
Just cleaned it all up again. There were literally 3 maggots on there this morming, and so I hope we have got rid of all of them. The wound looks quite clean. It is not a wound as such, but a nasty sore. It does have a white puss coming out, but the smell is not offensive, and you have to get right up close to smell anything. There is no heat around it now, and the bump around it has gone down. I was surprised when I was cleaning it this morning that Chips was enjoying it! I think it is quite itchy, and so me washing it etc was like having a good scratch! I am pretty sure its an abscess or infected bite. I will call the vet, but tbh a vet may distress him so much, (he is 36 years old, so no undue stress at his age!) I think I will treat it for an abscess. Its the maggots which have freaked me out!
 
Hi i recently had a problem with maggots in my horses feet, my vet suggested using a cream called "summer fly cream" it kills and repels maggots and also helps healing, its fab stuff, i painted it on my lads feet and have had no more maggots since :)

it is bright yellow though so you do end up with yellow hands hehe! I got it from my local horse feed shop but you can get it over the internet xx
 
ma larkin said:
Just cleaned it all up again. There were literally 3 maggots on there this morming, and so I hope we have got rid of all of them. The wound looks quite clean. It is not a wound as such, but a nasty sore. It does have a white puss coming out, but the smell is not offensive, and you have to get right up close to smell anything. There is no heat around it now, and the bump around it has gone down. I was surprised when I was cleaning it this morning that Chips was enjoying it! I think it is quite itchy, and so me washing it etc was like having a good scratch! I am pretty sure its an abscess or infected bite. I will call the vet, but tbh a vet may distress him so much, (he is 36 years old, so no undue stress at his age!) I think I will treat it for an abscess. Its the maggots which have freaked me out!
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Get some manuka honey on it - this will draw out the muck, but cover it or you will attract the flies!. Don't blame yourself for not spotting it earlier - I was teaching a group lesson once and was holding the reins of the smallest pony at the end of the lesson, and noticed a small mark on her neck, right where the reins would touch. I gave it a little poke, then a squeeze and a load of stinking yellow pus blew out of it leaving quite a large hole. It was disgusting and I was amazed what came out of it, yet there was almost nothing to see before it burst.
 
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