Primary Closure of Infected Wound Infested by Fly Larvae—Case Report in Dog

Abstract

One of the most common aggravating factors of wounds is the myiasis. Flies lay their eggs on the wound, they hatch and release a larval form of the dipteran, which feeds on host tissues leading to necrosis and large production of exudate, thus, it is an extremely pleasant environment to bacterial multiplication. The aim of this study was to describe the case of a dog that displayed an infested larvae ulcerated tumor in the ocular region. Successful results were obtained when performing surgical treatment of the wound with healing by primary closure. The 13-year-old female dog, 30 kg, was brought to the Veterinary Clinic of Ingá University Center, Maringá-PR, Brazil, with the main complaint of an ulcerated left ocular tumor. The owner could not tell when the problem had started. After the patient's physical and laboratory evaluation, which were within normal parameters, enucleation was scheduled for tumor removal. On the day of surgery, the owner reported large mucopurulent secretion and foul odor at the site. The patient was taken for the larvae removal surgical procedure and later enucleation. The wound was debrided and washed with physiological solution, and then tarsorrhaphy was performed and a Penrose drain was applied. The animal returned 15 days later with the wound fully healed. As a conclusion with the current report, the primary closure treatment with the use of drain after intense debridement of a fly larvae infected wound can be a good alternative, especially when it is aimed at faster healing.