First Ever Botfly Removal...

[Bad Habit]

So, that was an experience I could have gone my entire life without having...

Poor little Faith, one of the rescues I picked up on Tuesday, an adorable little New Zealand mix doe, had what looked like an abscess or infected bite on her side today. I hauled her out to take a look, and noticed that whatever it was, there was a lot of pus. So, I gather my wound cleaning supplies, take a deep breath, and start squeezing the pus out.

Except it wasn't pus.

It was the biggest, most disgusting maggot I've EVER SEEN.

Half an inch long, at least, and half that wide. It was STILL MOVING when I got it out of her. Of course, I killed it with fire, because that's what you do with the stuff of nightmares.

And then I freaked out a bunch, because OMG GROSS.

Also, Faith has a HUGE hole in her side. I did what I could to clean it, without fishing around inside her to scrape pus out. I gooped on a bunch of antibiotic ointment. Then I checked over each any every single other rabbit picked up on Tuesday for any other lumpy bumps. Didn't find anymore, but I will keep an eye on them, to be sure.

Faith was alert and eating after her treatment, so I'm taking that as a good sign. If she heals up okay from this, she has a home lined up - I am glad my friend didn't make it down to pick her up yet, though, because I'd have felt awful if she'd found, and had to treat, the wound.

That makes 2 rabbits that need regular care from the batch of 13(plus 10 kits) picked up on Tuesday.

Of course, I have photos if anyone wants to see them...

 

[Phacelia]

:x

Poor rabbit. I've never had bots in my rabbits, but we've found them while cleaning deer carcasses. I'm not easily creeped out by things like that, but those things gave me a serious case of the willies! :x

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Welcome to the Bot Fly Club, Bad Habit! It's one membership that we all could do without, but you are "in" now! :lol:

I've only dealt with a Bot in one of my rabbits, and hope to never have to do so again.

I did also have a kitten once that had a maggot in it's forehead- I am not sure if it was a Bot or something else... it looked like a big zit, but turned out to be a tiny maggot. Maybe it was a very young Bot? It was gross, but nothing like dealing with one of the big ones.

Instead of antibiotic ointment (which can cause the wound to close too soon), I would use raw honey. Fill the wound tract with it. You also might need to flush it if it gets reinfected. Even though hydrogen peroxide is not optimum because of the damage it does to new cells, in the case of rabbit abscesses it is a good choice since it loosens the pus. A weak solution of Betadine and water is also a good option for flushing the wound tract.

Good luck with her! I hope she heals up without too much nursing on your part. :clover:

 

[the reluctant farmer]

Of course, I killed it with fire, because that's what you do with the stuff of nightmares.

That may be one of my favorite lines ever. :lol:

And then I freaked out a bunch, because OMG GROSS.

:shock: Just the thought makes me have to quiet my stomach. I send much, much empathy, and have put a protective hex around myself because I've noticed over the years that some of the topics I read about on RT tend to happen to me sooner or later. :hex: op: :clover: :indian: riest: :hex: I will also put it out into the universe and towards the Powers that Be that I have learned deeply from the botfly experience of the others on this site, and truly do not need to experience this part of life in order to have a deeper understanding of the Ways of the Universe.

Of course, I have photos if anyone wants to see them...

Nope, no thanks, I think I'm good for my part.

Great job taking care of Faith with a really revolting situation!

 

[Bad Habit]

The wound seems to be healing from the inside out, thankfully. Mostly I went with the ointment because I knew it wouldn't burn like peroxide or rubbing alcohol, but would help with the pus I couldn't get out. I gooped it in and kind of mushed it about on the inside, and have been keeping a close eye on it since.

She's alert and active though, and there seems to be no hard feelings about the treatment, as she still comes to me when I open the cage and demands pets.