The winter season is approaching but our team is still responding to calls and cases. We are aware that stray animals with wounds are at risk of being infected with maggots, medically known as myiasis. Flies lay their eggs on the draining wounds and maggots hatch. The maggots will eat dead or dying tissue, sometimes even healthy tissue. These street animals cannot keep their own wounds clean and dry which makes them susceptible to myiasis. If the animal’s coat is covered in faecal matter or urine, it will make them even more prone to infection.
Treatment involves:
Antiparasite injection
Antibiotic injection to treat bacterial infections in the body
Pain killer injection to prevent symptoms such as swelling, irritation, pain, and redness
A fly repellent spray which also heals the wound
Solution to clean up any type of wound
Doses are administered according to the type of animal and its weight.
Bahaadur’s Story
We were called to check on a monkey near the ISKCON Temple who had boiling liquid poured on him. We don’t know if it was an accident or deliberate. When we reached, we found him just sitting there, obviously in a great amount of pain but unable to voice it or ask for help. He was known to us as Bahaadur. The incident had melted his skin and exposed the bones. The affected areas were his right hand and left leg.
Bahaadur during his visit from Braj Animal Care
Bahaadur also has an old injury to the back of his leg so he is unable to move the joint normally. We gently restrained him and gave him pain medication and injections to prevent infection. We sprayed the wounds to prevent maggot infestation and to promote healing. We also sprayed the wounds to prevent maggot infestation and to promote healing.
Local devotees were keeping an eye on Bahaadur for us. They called us back again to check on him two days later. He hadn’t eaten any food, nor had he drank any water. With his injuries and the cold nights, Bahaadur died before we could resume our follow-up treatment. The ISKCON devotees wanted to bury him themselves the same day.