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Cats/Maggot wound
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Question
Hi, I have a 5-6 week old kitten found on the side of the road. It had a wound on
it's neck and inside was a maggot. the wound has closed but I still feel a lump
under the skin. Is this an infection or could there be another maggot in there?
Would the wound close if there were more maggots in there?
Thank You
Hi Joanne. Yes, the wound could close if there were maggots in there. The immune system would usually mount a response to the foreign body, which could be indicated by the lump you're seeing. But an infecion is also a good possibility. Both an overreactive immune response or an infection can end up being a serious situation, so I would have the little one looked at by a vet right away, just to be safe. There is also a different type of larva, of the bot fly, that would be a coincidence for her to develop in the same place, but it's worth checking into. These cause a noticeable lump under the skin. They usually develop in healthy skin as opposed to broken skin. It's possible the lump is just a scar beginning to form, but I wouldn't want to take any chances. Good luck!
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| Comment | Thank you so much for your quick and helpful response. I had an emergency vet pull the maggot out, and I asked if I would need antibiotics. They told me no. I'm going to get her over to my regular vet today, I know I can trust what she says. Thanks again. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Jessica
Expertise
The areas in which I have gained the most experience are cat health and feral cat management/rescue. I provide supportive care to chronically ill cats, hospice care to terminally ill cats and also am involved in trap-neuter-return efforts. My specialities lie in taming feral cats and in the allopathic treatment of cats with illnesses or special needs. I also have owned Siamese, Himalayans, Abyssinians, Russian Blues, Savannahs, Bengals, Peterbalds, Don Sphynx and Oriental Shorthairs and am well-versed in cat breeds as well as cat behavior and nutrition.
Experience
I have 15 years of extensive experience with cats ranging from breeding to medical care. My daily routine consists of caring for cats with diabetes, thyroid disease, kidney failure, feline leukemia, feline AIDS as well as feral cats. I have experience with liver patients, heart patients, feline infectious peritonitis, cancer, recovery from amputation and trauma, congenital deformities and most every disease in between. I have assisted cats giving birth and hand-nursed kittens who were neglected by their mother from 2 days old through weaning.
Education/Credentials
15 years' hands-on experience
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