Treatment Of Footrot Research Articles

Haematological, Serum Biochemical and Acute Phase Protein Profiles of Sheep with Footrot Infection caused by <i>Dichelobacter nodosus</i>

Foot-related diseases are among the most common herd health issues worldwide, leading to heavy burden on the sheep and their owner including heavy socio-economic losses. This study investigated the haematological, serum biochemical and acute phase protein profiles of sheep with footrot infection caused by Dichelobacter nodosus. Blood samples from 15 sheep with footrot and 10 healthy controls were collected and analyzed for possible alterations in haematological, serum biochemical parameters and acute phase protein (APPs). Sheep with footrot showed significant changes in haematological parameters including left-shift, neutrophilic leukocytosis, lymphopenia and monocytosis. Serum biochemical assay revealed significant (P<0.05) increase in the concentration of total protein, cortisol, glucose, haptoglobin and fibrinogen while the concentration of albumin was significantly decreased. The finding of this study emphasizes the importance of haematological, serum biochemical and APP analytes in the diagnosis and monitoring of footrot in sheep. The finding of this current study could be used for the development of point-of-care diagnostic markers that would aid prompt diagnosis and treatment of footrot in sheep.

A field study on rational choice of medication: The use of Tilmicosin and Cefquinome in ovine footrot treatment

A field study on rational choice of medication: The use of Tilmicosin and Cefquinome in ovine footrot treatment

Bluetongue and footrot outbreaks in migratory Sheep due to unseasonal rains/ floods: Special reference to BTV Serotype 12

Following heavy rains and floods during October-November of 2019, outbreaks of Bluetongue (BT) disease was witnessed in migratory sheep in flood affected areas. The disease was investigated in fifteen migratory flocks in Karnataka state, involving a total of 3575 sheep with over 1480 ailing and 428 deaths. Samples collected from 208 ailing and 79 dead animals were initially subjected for NS1 genome based group specific Bluetongue virus (BTV) detection by Reverse Transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and later for segment 2 genome based serotype specific RTPCR. The RT-PCR and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the virus involved in the current outbreak as BTV serotype 12. This data gives further insights into BT epidemiology and recommends inclusion of locally circulating BTV serotype/s in vaccines in endemic regions for effective control of BT. Since these migratory sheep were forced to stand in water stagnated agricultural fields/lands for days to weeks due to continuous rains, they were concurrently affected with acute footrot caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum and Staphylococcus aureus. Foot-tanks and higher antibiotics were very effective in treatment of footrot in the current outbreak. Present study is an evidence of how unforeseen natural calamities can disrupt animal health with profound socio-economic consequences eventually affecting the food-chain and here a few scientific measures have been attempted to mitigate such animal health crisis.

Bluetongue and footrot outbreaks in migratory Sheep due to unseasonal rains/ floods: Special reference to BTV Serotype 12

Following heavy rains and floods during October-November of 2019, outbreaks of Bluetongue (BT) disease was witnessed in migratory sheep in flood affected areas. The disease was investigated in fifteen migratory flocks in Karnataka state, involving a total of 3575 sheep with over 1480 ailing and 428 deaths. Samples collected from 208 ailing and 79 dead animals were initially subjected for NS1 genome based group specific Bluetongue virus (BTV) detection by Reverse Transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and later for segment 2 genome based serotype specific RTPCR. The RT-PCR and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the virus involved in the current outbreak as BTV serotype 12. This data gives further insights into BT epidemiology and recommends inclusion of locally circulating BTV serotype/s in vaccines in endemic regions for effective control of BT. Since these migratory sheep were forced to stand in water stagnated agricultural fields/lands for days to weeks due to continuous rains, they were concurrently affected with acute footrot caused by Fusobacterium necrophorum and Staphylococcus aureus. Foot-tanks and higher antibiotics were very effective in treatment of footrot in the current outbreak. Present study is an evidence of how unforeseen natural calamities can disrupt animal health with profound socio-economic consequences eventually affecting the food-chain and here a few scientific measures have been attempted to mitigate such animal health crisis.

Effects of Topical Treatment of Foot Rot in Sheep Using Ozonated Olive Ointment.

IntroductionFoot rot in small ruminants is highly contagious, causes severe lameness, and impairs fertility and wool and meat production. It is usually treated with parenteral antibiotics, with attendant antibiotic resistance risk, and with bactericidal footbaths, potentially harmful to humans and the environment. An alternative treatment in sheep is proposed based on repeated topical ozonated ointment application. Its effectiveness and safety were evaluated by estimation of acute-phase response, biochemical indicators of organic damage, and antioxidant/oxidant balance (AOB).Material and MethodsThe study was conducted on ten sheep with Egerton scale 2–3 lesions. Ozone application was repeated every day for seven days. Blood was drawn first (T0) after foot cleaning and before ozonation, then (T1) seven days after the first ozone application, and finally (T2) four days after the last application.ResultsHigh clinical effectiveness was observed, with total recovery by 28 days from the start of treatment. A significant increase in antiradical activity was noted on the basis of a 2,2ʹ-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assay from 1.16 ± 0.04 μmolTe/mL at T0 to 1.23 ± 0.03 μmolTe/mL at T1, with a slight decrease in oxidative stress. Calculated on the basis of antiradical capacity, AOB was higher at T1 (130 ± 19%) and decreased to 110 ± 16% at T2. Calculated on the basis of reducing power, it was 169 ± 22% at T1 and 131 ± 17% at T2.ConclusionThese results indicated that the AOB is efficient enough to prevent oxidative organ injury and the applied doses of ozone are safe for animals.

Management Practices Associated With Prevalence of Lameness in Lambs in 2012-2013 in 1,271 English Sheep Flocks.

The evidence base for management practices associated with low prevalence of lameness in ewes is robust. Current best practice is prompt treatment of even mildly lame sheep with parenteral and topical antibiotics with no routine or therapeutic foot trimming and avoiding routine footbathing. To date, comparatively little is known about management of lameness in lambs. Data came from a questionnaire completed by 1,271 English sheep farmers in 2013. Latent class (LC) analyses were used to investigate associations between treatment of footrot and geometric mean flock prevalence of lameness (GMPL) in lambs and ewes, with multinomial models used to investigate effects of flock management with treatment. Different flock typologies were identified for ewes and lambs. In both ewe and lamb models, there was an LC (1) with GMPL <2%, where infectious causes of lameness were rare, and farmers rarely treated lame animals. There was a second LC in ewes only (GMPL 3.2%) where infectious causes of lameness were present but farmers followed “best practice” and apparently controlled lameness. In other typologies, farmers did not use best practice and had higher GMPL than LC1 (3.9–4.2% and 2.8–3.5%, respectively). In the multinomial model, farmers were more likely to use parenteral antibiotics to treat lambs when more than 2–5% of lambs were lame compared with ≤2%. Once >10% of lambs were lame, while farmers were likely to use parenteral antibiotics, only sheep with locomotion score >2 were considered lame, leaving lame sheep untreated, potentially allowing spread of footrot. These farmers also used poor practices of routine foot trimming and footbathing, delayed culling, and poor biosecurity. We conclude there are no managements beneficial to manage lameness in lambs different from those for ewes; however, currently lameness in lambs is not treated using “best practice.” In flocks with <2% prevalence of all lameness, where infectious causes of lameness were rare, farmers rarely treated lame animals but also did not practice poor managements of routine foot trimming or footbathing. If more farmers adopted “best practice” in ewes and lambs, the prevalence of lameness in lambs could be reduced to <2%, antibiotic use would be reduced, and sheep welfare would be improved.

Mitigating Effect of Vitamin-E on Copper Sulphate-Induced Toxicity in African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Copper sulphate is widely used not only in livestock production especially in the treatment of foot rot in small ruminants but also in aquaculture as algaecide and an ectoparasiticide in hatcheries. Meanwhile, it is a common environmental contaminant of water bodies, with carcinogenic, mutagenic and teratogenic effects in humans and animals. The present study was therefore designed to evaluate the toxic effects of copper sulphate and the protective activities of vitamin E on haematological and biochemical parameters as well as oxidative stress status in the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)&#x0D; Sixty juvenile African catfish with an average weight of 120g were used for the study. They were assigned into six groups (A-F) consisting of ten fish per group. Group A served as the control group and was fed with normal pelletized fish feed only, group B was fed with Vitamin E-supplemented feed only, groups C and D were exposed to copper sulphate (20mg/L and 5mg/L) respectively, plus normal pelletized fish feed while groups E and F were exposed to copper sulphate (20mg/L and 5mg/L), respectively, plus Vitamin E-supplemented feed (240mg/kg feed). Blood samples were collected for haematology and plasma biochemical parameters while gills, liver and kidney samples were collected for evaluation markers of oxidative stress. Exposure to copper sulphate led to a significant decrease in PCV, RBC, Hb concentration, MCV, MCH and total WBC when compared with the unexposed control and those fed with vitamin E-supplemented feed. Furthermore, exposure to copper sulphate caused liver and kidney damages and cell impairment by increasing plasma ALT, AST and ALP activities. It also led to increased oxidative stress as the concentrations of antioxidant endogenous enzymes - GPx, GST and GSH were depleted while potentiating lipid peroxidation and hydroxyl radical generation. The changes in the haematological, biochemical and antioxidant parameters were restored in the fish fed with vitamin E-supplemented feed.&#x0D; In conclusion, the study showed that exposure to copper sulphate is toxic to African catfish, causing anaemia and liver damage through free radical generation and depletion of antioxidant defence system. Vitamin – E supplementation is therefore recommended during the use of CuSO4 in aquaculture. Release of the compound to the environment must however be avoided at all cost.

First cases of contagious ovine digital dermatitis in Germany

Contagious ovine digital dermatitis (CODD) is a significant disease of the ovine foot characterised by severe lameness and progressive separation of the hoof horn capsule from the underlying tissue. Similar to bovine digital dermatitis (BDD), pathogenic members of the genus Treponema including the Treponema medium phylogroup, Treponema phagedenis phylogroup and Treponema pedis are frequently found together in CODD lesions. To date, CODD was only described in Ireland and the United Kingdom. In northern Germany, cases of an unusually severe lameness presented in a sheep flock that had been affected by footrot for several years. These cases were non-responsive to conventional footrot therapies, with some sheep exhibiting substantial lesions of the claw horn that resulted in horn detachment. Lesion swab samples were collected from both clinically affected and asymptomatic animals. In all clinically affected sheep, CODD-associated Treponema phylogroups were detected by polymerase chain reaction. This is the first report of CODD in Germany and mainland Europe, indicating a wider geographic spread than previously considered. In cases of severe lameness attributed to claw lesions in sheep that fail to respond to footrot treatment, CODD should be considered irrespective of geographic location.

Influencing Change: When "Best Practice" Changes and the Prototypical Good Farmer Turns Bad.

Twenty-nine farmers with a flock prevalence of lameness >5% were visited in 2013. They participated in a facilitated discussion on treatment of footrot, and evidence-based new “best practice.” One year later, farmers were revisited and management and motivators for change were discussed. Farmers were asked how they would persuade other farmers to adopt “best practice.” Initially, most participants were resigned to having lame sheep. They believed that prototypical “good farmers” (including trusted family) practiced foot trimming, the traditional “best practice” and that the new “best practice” would be expensive and time consuming. Between 2013 and 2014 lameness prevalence reduced from 7.6 to 4.3%. The major behavioral changes were reduction in foot trimming, increased use of antibacterials to treat footrot, and treating sheep within a week of becoming lame. In 2014, participants were re-interviewed. They reported that an increased knowledge of the evidence-base, trust in the facilitator and talking to other trusted farmers who had already adopted the new “best practice” overcame concerns about the prototypical “good farmer” and motivated change. Persistent change occurred because participants observed health benefits for their sheep and that the new “best practice” had saved time and money. Participants stated that other farmers would be convinced to change to the new “best practice” because it saved time and money, ironically, these were among the original barriers to change. This is possibly an example of cognitive dissonance because farmers had become positive about the benefits of saving time and money following a change in their own behaviors.

Claw infections in sheep - treatment options in veterinary practice, with special emphasis on ovine footrot treatment. - An update

Infectious causes of lameness in sheep remain of considerable clinical importance. Because of the availability of newly licensed drugs, important changes in therapy options, particularly for ovine footrot, have occurred. This paper provides an overview of common and rarer infectious causes of lameness in sheep, and presents a detailed review of recent advances in research regarding the aetiology, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and control of ovine foot rot. Despite the recent release of several antibiotics licensed for the treatment of footrot in sheep, the use of footbaths following the cascade of regulations remains a crucial part of many integrated treatment and control programmes. The sustainable control of foot rot requires recent advances in science to be put into practice, with tailor-made control programmes for each individual farm. The article presents various treatment options and potential routes of control and eradication.

Detection and assessment of acute and chronic pain in Meat Merino ewes using ethological parameters

The assessment of pain in sheep is a clinical challenge, because being a prey species, they tend to mask it. Since pain in animals cannot be measured directly, various methods are applicable to detect its effects on physiological, biochemical and ethological processes. Clinicians experienced in behavioural assessment are able to reliably determine the level of pain endured by an animal. The objective of this study was to identify behaviours that reflect acute and chronic pain as well as stress in sheep. The behaviour of 36 Meat Merino ewes with contagious footrot (contagious interdigital dermatitis) was analysed during normal activities in the flock and during footrot treatment, which included claw trimming to remove abnormal horn. The behaviour during treatment was compared with that of 12 healthy control sheep of the same breed during routine foot trimming. Grading of the observed behaviours was made using a numerical score. The occurrence of footrot was defined as, and equated with, chronic pain, and treatment was equated with acute pain. For the assessment of stress induced by the manipulative treatment, the data of the healthy sheep were taken as a comparison. The strongest indications of chronic pain were non-weight bearing lameness of an affected limb, shifting of weight and abnormal gait patterns. Additionally, sheep with footrot urinated more frequently than healthy animals. Stress-related bruxism occurred in healthy and ill sheep during foot trimming, but not during normal activities in the flock. Tail wagging and strong defensive movements of all limbs commonly occurred during footrot treatment. Head shaking appeared to be primarily stress-related in association with dorsal recumbency on the tilt table, but was exacerbated by pain elicited by hoof trimming. The behaviours selected in this study were useful for the identification of chronic and acute pain in sheep; however, correct interpretation of behavioural changes requires an experienced individual.

Quantifying the beliefs of key players in the UK sheep industry on the efficacy of two treatments for footrot

Clinical trials have demonstrated that sheep with footrot treated with parenteral and topical antibiotics without foot trimming (treatment A), cure faster than sheep treated with foot trimming and topical antibiotics (treatment B). We investigated how key players in the UK sheep industry recommended treating footrot, and tested whether reviewing the evidence surrounding treatment of footrot changed their beliefs. Eight key players attended a workshop to investigate their current practices, and their perceived efficacy of treatments, using probabilistic elicitation.At the start of the study, all participants recommended use of antibiotic injection but only four recommended not foot trimming feet with footrot. Initial beliefs in the difference in cure rate within five days of treatment ranged from 30 to 97% in favour of treatment A (true difference 60%); this heterogeneity reduced after reviewing the evidence. Participants who believed the cure rate differed by >60% over-estimated the cure rate of treatment A whilst participants who believed the difference was <60% over-estimated the efficacy of treatment B. During discussions, participants stated that parenteral antibiotics had always been recommended as a treatment for footrot but that the new research clarified when to use them. In contrast, it was highly novel to hear that foot trimming was detrimental to recovery, and key players and farmers are taking longer to accept this evidence. Three months after the workshop, two participants stated that they now placed greater emphasis on rapid individual antibiotic treatment of lame sheep and one was no longer recommending trimming feet.

Footrot in sheep: key messages from recent research

Evidence from recent research suggests that prompt treatment of footrot with injectable and topical antibiotic is key to reducing the prevalence of lameness. In addition, routine foot trimming should be avoided. Trimming increases the prevalence of lameness because of damage to sensitive tissue and careful trimming that avoids damage to sensitive tissue, almost impossible under normal farm conditions, is not of benefit; it does not reduce the prevalence of lameness. On farms where these measures are put into practice, the prevalence of lameness falls to and remains below 2%. More farmers are adopting these recommendations, and there has been a reduction in the flock prevalence of lameness from 10% to 5% between 2004 and 2013.

Drug Target Identification and Prioritization for Treatment of Ovine Foot Rot: An In Silico Approach.

Ovine foot rot is an infection of the feet of sheep, mainly caused by Dichelobacter nodosus. In its virulent form, it is highly contagious and debilitating, causing significant losses in the form of decline in wool growth and quality and poor fertility. Current methods of treatment are ineffective in complete eradication. Effective antibiotic treatment of foot rot is hence necessary to ensure better outcomes during control phases by reduction in culling count and the possibility of carriers of the infection. Using computational approaches, we have identified a set of 297 proteins that are essential to the D. nodosus and nonhomologous with sheep proteins. These proteins may be considered as potential vaccine candidates or drug targets for designing antibiotics against the bacterium. This core set of drug targets have been analyzed for pathway annotation to identify 67 proteins involved in unique bacterial pathways. Choke-point analysis on the drug targets identified 138 choke-point proteins, 29 involved in unique bacterial pathways. Subcellular localization was also predicted for each target to identify the ones that are membrane associated or secreted extracellularly. In addition, a total of 13 targets were identified that are common in at least 10 pathogenic bacterial species.

Investigation of immunity in sheep following footrot infection and vaccination

Ovine footrot is a major disease affecting sheep welfare and production. The anaerobic Gram-negative bacterium Dichelobacter nodosus is the essential transmitting agent. Monovalent or bivalent vaccines induce high levels of D. nodosus antibodies and are the basis of several successful footrot treatment, control and eradication programs. Due to the rapid rate of disease transmission within a flock, the presence of therapeutic vaccination non-responders has major implications for a control program. The aim of this study was to assess the immunological basis of a therapeutic vaccination non-response. Sheep (n=120) were infected with D. nodosus in an artificial pen challenge. Once disease had established, animals were vaccinated with a serogroup specific D. nodosus fimbrial vaccine. Based on the response to therapeutic vaccination, animals were allocated into one of three groups: (i) TVNR where disease persisted despite vaccination (ii) non-diseased, where disease never established and (iii) TVR, where disease was established but resolved with vaccination. Factors related to both the innate and adaptive immune pathways were assessed. These included antigen-specific serum antibodies, interferon-γ, interleukin-10, proliferation of lymphocyte subsets and phagocytic activity of leukocytes. There was no significant difference between the three groups of sheep for any of these parameters. All three groups of sheep produced antibody in excess of a previously published minimum antibody titre required for protection. Opsonising activity in sera from the three groups of sheep was also not significantly different and phagocytic cells from sheep from all three groups were able to destroy D. nodosus intracellularly. These findings show that the measured systemic adaptive and innate immune responses were unlikely to be the cause of a therapeutic vaccination non-response. They also show that the accepted minimum protective titre may be incorrect and may need further examination.

Dynamics and impact of footrot and climate on hoof horn length in 50 ewes from one farm over a period of 10 months

Footrot, including interdigital dermatitis, is caused by Dichelobacter nodosus cause the majority of lameness in sheep in the UK. Lame sheep often have overgrown hoof horn but recent evidence has indicated that trimming overgrown hoof horn increases recovery time, and that routine foot trimming of the flock does not reduce the prevalence or incidence of lameness. The objectives of this study were to investigate the temporal associations between hoof horn length, footrot and climate. Fifty multiparous ewes were monitored for 10 months. On eight occasions hoof horn length, foot lesions and body condition were recorded. At the first examination, ewes were assigned to one of two treatment groups. All ewes that became lame with footrot were treated at one time point per week, either by trimming hoof horn and applying a topical antibiotic spray or with parenteral antibiotic and topical antibiotic spray.Hoof horn length in ewes at pasture varied over the year and was associated with temperature and rainfall. New cases of footrot occurred all year round and were associated with prior prevalence of footrot in the flock and prior temperature and rainfall. Overgrown hoof horn did not precede lameness but occurred once the sheep were lame. One year of prompt treatment of footrot reduced the range in hoof horn length in the sheep in both treatment groups. At the end of the study the hoof lengths of ewes in both groups were not significantly different. On this farm, hoof horn length was self-regulating in both non-lame and treated lame sheep whether trimming was part of the treatment or not and there would have been no benefit from routine foot trimming of this flock.

Comparative Evaluation of Traditional Herb and Conventional Treatment of Ovine Foot Rot in Ethiopia

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of traditional herb, Amaranthus angustifolius (Aluma) and combination of Aluma and lemon, and conventional drugs, antibiotic spray and formalin for the treatment of foot rot. Eighty three infected sheep were selected and identified from seven different flock affected by foot rot, and divided into six groups. Sheep feet were inspected and foot rot lesions were scored at the beginning and end of the treatments. In addition sheep were inspected three times 30 days apart on Days 30, 60 and 90, and response to treatments were recorded. On day-30 the least square mean comparison for treatment response revealed that antibiotic spray had the best result of all treatments which significantly differ at p < 0.05 and the combination of Aluma and lemon resulted in the second successful recovery. A significant effect on lesion score was seen at the end of treatment period (p

Treatment of foot rot in free-ranging mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) populations—does it make sense?

Prevalence and incidence of foot rot disease in free-ranging and captive bovine wild ruminant populations are increasing worldwide. Even species in which the disease has not been described in the past are presently affected by the co-working pathogens Dichelobacter nodosus and Fusobacterium necrophorum. This paper discusses disease control measures and the expense for a successful treatment of affected populations of mouflon. The rationale and perspectives of treating foot rot disease in wild mouflons are discussed.

Effect of breed on response to foot rot treatment in mature sheep and lambs

Our objective was to determine whether breed differences existed in response to exposure and treatment of virulent foot rot. Dorset (DS), 1/2 Dorper (DX), 3/4 or greater Dorper (DO), Gulf Coast Native (GC), Katahdin (KA), and St. Croix (SC) mature sheep and lambs were exposed to virulent foot rot in spring 2003. Treatment for foot rot was initiated in 132 lambs and 262 mature sheep in late July. There were eight pasture groups treated, two of which were minimally exposed to foot rot. Treatment included hoof paring, foot bathing with 10% zinc sulfate with surfactant, allowing the zinc sulfate to dry on the foot and moving to a small paddock that had not been exposed to small ruminants for more than 14 d. Foot bathing was repeated every 7 d for a maximum of five treatments. Animals that had not responded (odor or any indication of persistent infection) by then were culled from the flock. As an indication of severity of foot rot for each animal, the number of areas on the foot (interdigital and two digits for each foot), a foot score (0 = no infection found; 1 = infection of digits only; 2 = infection of interdigital area and could include digits), and presence of characteristic odor was recorded. Least squares means for number of areas infected were greater for mature than growing sheep (2.07 ± 0.16 versus 0.88 ± 0.31; P < 0.001), for highly than minimally exposed groups (2.89 ± 0.17 versus 0.05 ± 0.29; P < 0.001), and DX compared with other breed types ( P < 0.03). Percentage of sheep with odor was similar between age groups, was greater in the highly exposed groups (11.4 ± 1.9 versus 2.1 ± 3.4; P < 0.02), and greater in DO compared with DS, KA, and SC breeds ( P < 0.001). Foot score was similar among breeds and greater in the highly exposed groups (age by group, P < 0.05). Percentage of sheep culled for failure to respond to foot bath treatment was greater for the highly than minimally exposed group (22.9 ± 2.3 versus 0.0 ± 3.9; P < 0.001) and greater for mature sheep compared with lambs ( P < 0.001) and similar among breeds. In November, four ewes in a large group and two lambs in a small group were determined to have foot rot and were immediately culled. The two groups containing these ewes were re-treated for 2 weeks and were determined to be free of foot rot (no further signs of lameness). Response to foot rot eradication appeared to be similar among breeds examined.

Maggot Debridement Therapy in the Treatment of Footrot and Foot Scald in Sheep

In sheep with acute and chronic interdigital skin inflammation, maggot therapy was used for the debridement and speeding up the healing process. Sheep were housed at the university farm Zemplínska Teplica and before using maggot therapy, they were unsuccessfully treated by a footbath containing 10% copper sulphate and topical application of oxytetracycline solution in alcohol. Six non-pregnant Valachian sheep between two to four years of age, weighing 43 to 57 kg were treated with maggots of Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae). The larval population should be 8-12 per square centimetre of wound, but all affected tissues were trimmed away before their application. The effect of a single application for 3-6 days was evaluated. Debridement was rapid and selective. The treatment was well tolerated by animals. New layers of healthy tissue were formed over the wounds. It was observed that maggots of L. sericata are capable of cleaning the wounds after single application.