The Donkey Sanctuary has had two successful experiences using sterile maggots to treat
deep infected necrotic wounds in donkeys. Sterile larvae of the common greenbottle, Lucilia sericata, supplied by the Surgical
Materials Testing Laboratory (SMTL) were used to debride wounds where conventional therapy had failed (Bell and Thomas 2001; Thiemann, 2003).
Literature Search
Use these links to find recent scientific publications via CAB Abstracts (log in required unless accessing from a subscribing organisation).
Maggot Therapy in veterinary medicine publication
Biotherapy - is it just a fad? Lepage, O. M.; The North American Veterinary Conference, Gainesville, USA, Large animal. Proceedings of the North American Veterinary Conference, Orlando, Florida, USA, 16-20 January 2010, 2010, pp 191-194, 10 ref. - Full Text Publications
References
- Thiemann, A. (2008) Surgery In Svendsen, E.D., Duncan, J. and Hadrill, D. (2008) The Professional Handbook of the Donkey, 4th edition, Whittet Books, Chapter 16
- Bell, N.J., Thomas, S. (2001). ‘Use of sterile maggots to treat panniculitis in an aged donkey’. Veterinary Record 149. pp 768-770.
- Thiemann, A.K. (2003). ‘Treatment of a deep injection abscess using sterile maggots in a donkey’. World Wide Wounds website. November 2003 (www.worldwidewounds.com)
