Maggots on a burst CL lump-gross!

Barbara Osborn · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:30 pm

Today I go to the interior designer's house (Sandy) that I do the bookkeeping for two days a week.

She got two girl GP's from PETCO (GAG) last Thursday. (First of all I should have told her I had two lovely girl's I'm trying to rehome, but I didn't know she was thinking of getting GP's for her daughters).

Anyway, I pick up the first girl, treat her for mites, weigh her, -so far so good.

I showed her how to pick up the GP's, weigh them, treat them with invermectin, etc. I showed her how to navigate around the care and medical guide at GL. Sandy seemed interested in learning it all but then...

When I picked up the second girl she had a ruptured CL lump and a huge one still not ruptured. I got pus all over my Ralph Lauren jacket, poor little girlie (Noodle is her name)

There were maggots on the pus coming out of the ruptured lump!

My stomach is still doing flip flops 5 hours later.

Sandy (the interior designer) is overwhelmed. I begged her not to take them back to PETCO because that would be a death sentence.

So guess what, they are home with me. They are in the mud room across the house from my herd. But I am still scared that my herd will again be exposed to CL. We beat it two years ago and I dread to think that it might take hold again.

Sandy wants them back after they are recovered.

I know I was a schmuck to bring them home but Sandy and I both knew that she was clueless on how to care for them.

I know how to treat CL but how do I treat the maggots?

Mr Willis · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:37 pm

I feel a little ignorant, but in order to educate myself I have to ask--

What's CL?

Whatever it is, I can't imagine dealing with maggots--those poor pigs! Good luck and kudos to you for doing the right thing, as overwhelming as it is.

Josephine · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:40 pm

You need to remove them manually. That's the only way to get rid of them. I'm not kidding.

You can certainly try flushing the wound with tons of sterile isotonic saline first. That may get rid of some of them.

That is the part of veterinary medicine I hate. Maggots. I can here them and smell the necrosing flesh now!

Barbara Osborn · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:47 pm

How do I do that? With tweezers or cotton swabs?

Is there an ointment to kill or smother them?

Would the maggots go into the blood stream or tissues?

Talishan · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:49 pm

Poor little girl. Bless you and thank you for helping her, Barbara.

If it were me I would have Sandy sign an authorization form for 1) you to treat them, and 2) you to take them to a cavy-knowledgeable vet for proper care and treatment. I am assuming she will reimburse you for any costs.

Then, take the bills to petno and raise 400 sam holy Moses hell until you are paid. Take pictures of their present condition.

Guinea pigs do not develop maggots in 6 days' time. They came from petno that way, and I'm sure they came through their mill breeder/broker/distribution system that way. I'd also be pretty confident they'd just as soon you not call a newspaper or TV station with it.

Barbara Osborn · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 4:52 pm

GL info on Cervical Lymphadenitis
http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160439#160439

Thank God for Guinea Lynx and it's information.

SylvesterPiggie · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:01 pm

I found this. Its povidone iodine and water.

Josephine · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:04 pm

Either would work. Hemostats. Gloved hands. They do give off toxins (can't remember from where). Can't remember if their excrement is the problem or what.

Ointments will only make it worse! Believe me. Big maggot infestations not only have to be flushed and treated once, but often every 8 hours or so until the wound is healing and all the maggots are DEFINITELY gone. It is a problem. If I were you, I'd stock up on flush and get a flushing!

Mum · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:04 pm

Oh no - I'm so very sorry you're having to deal with this.

As you've already battled with CL, I'm sure you know how contagious is it. And, of course, without a culture you don't really know if it is in fact CL or something else.

You could probably vet the vet to deal with the maggots for you!

Josephine · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:05 pm

Oooh! Great site SP!

Josephine · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:06 pm

Oh, but we charge very, very much, Mum. It is one of the most labor intensive and gross operations we do.

Mum · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:08 pm

Josephine · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:10 pm

It might be worth the money, though. Imagine a dog losing 30% of the skin on his back from infection and teeming with maggots. Not fun. Ah, I miss my early days in Veterinary Medicine...

PiggieMamma · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:10 pm

Would the maggots go into the blood stream or tissues?

Josephine is more qualified to answer than I. I believe the maggots can live on the dead (necro) flesh, but I do not believe they can enter the blood-stream.

I once saw a Discovery Health Program - maggots used for therapeutic purposes. A young woman had terrible lacerations all over her legs, and the maggots were used to insure they wounds were 'cleaned' of pus and dead flesh.

I think you know, be very careful with the pus. CL can be highly toxic to humans too. If you have some - I'd where gloves while handling the sick piggy - and be sure to wash up well afterwards.

I'm sorry you have to be the one to do all this - but thankful at the same time you were there. Good luck!

Talishan · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 5:13 pm

You may also want to call animal control, Dept. of Ag. or whoever polices/regulates pet stores in this store's jurisdiction and tell them about it. How many more are in the store's back room with the same conditions?

May be helpful:

http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=2645
http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=34351

Barbara Osborn · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:11 pm

Armed with the povidone iodine and water and baytril, I just brought her out for a closer look.

The rupture spot has scabbed over and no sign of maggots.

I syringed the iodine mixture over the scabbed area.

I can tell that there is still a lump under the scab. Poor thing, I assume that it will form up again.

Should I treat the other pig with Bactrim or just watch her?

salana · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:17 pm

You will need to soften the scab so you can open it to flush. Fun!

salana · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:22 pm

Einstein had a cheek abscess, not CL, but it had to be reopened for flushing twice a day. I still wasn't able to get it out, even though it seemed to be healed up, and the abscess recurred a month later. The vet dug out more of it the second time and it healed fine (although his tooth root was infected and eventually died).

http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?p=525329&highlight=einstein+abscess#525329

If you could possibly swing it, I would definitely want to have the abscess and other lump taken out. If the maggots are in the encapsulated lymph node abscess, hopefully they won't have spread too far.

salana · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:42 pm

There's some evidence that ivermectin may help kill maggots:

Good article

I would give it orally or injected. Or else squirt it into the wound after you clean it out.

(Edited to shorten link. Talishan)

Barbara Osborn · Post » Tue Jan 30, 2007 7:45 pm

Wow, thank you Salana. I do think it warrants a vet visit.

I just want to thank all of you who "man" the medical thread.

It is such a great comfort to know that knowledgable people are available to assist when we are in need.

Thank you Josephine, Talishan, SylvesterPiggie, Mum, PiggieMamma and Salana.

AND thank you Lyn for making GL possible.