Wombats can recover from fly strike
Lots of people euthanise because they don’t have the resources or the knowledge to care for these beautiful adult animals. We have a treatment centre and if the fly strike isn’t too deep can be treated.
Wombat are safe to catch a net. Their claws would rarely scratch and if only by mistake. It’s only the teeth that can cause grief but usually an animal so compromised just needs help and too weak to fight.
Firstly, the animal needs to be under a GA closely monitored by a vet.
The victim needs a high dose of long acting Alymicin which is our choice of antibiotic in this case. Lots of these medications come from primary industry because of dealing with injuries in the field.
We apply a drench such as ivermectin pour on which will treat and prevent any more fly strike.
The animal also needs a drip giving 10 to 15% of bodyweight, usually just sodium chloride. The organs including the skin must be rehydrated for healing.
Treatment to clean out the wounds, which can often be rather deep but if still not impacting vital organs. Cleaning out with water spray then Extinosad which will kill all the maggots. Then cleaned out completely. Packed with antibiotic cream such as flamazine.
Pain relief such as meloxicam is an important aspect of recovery as well as anti-anxiety oral medication such as pregnablin.
If the wombat is pretty easy-going, oral meds etc can be given via syringe but if volatile best give via a sheep oral gun.
We also continue with a slurry as the animal recovers from sedation to stimulate the appetite. Slurry usually consists of soaked crushed grain which is easy to digest with added vitamins and minerals, molasses and malt.
These wounds are sometimes the result of dog attacks but more often serious hierarchical fights because of habitat loss.
The recovering environment needs to be clean and a comfortable temperature. Keeping an eye on stress levels. They may need to then be outdoors and close to other wombats. We often have very kind wombats in care that befriend the convalescing one.
We are so honoured to work side-by-side the most beautiful experienced people such as vets and foster carers who really care.
The amount of flies are far greater from roadkill, culling and government’s force people to let rotten animals stay on the ground, and many farm animals die.
We have caused much more fly strike than the natural world would have. So we owe it to our beautiful Wombats to help them as much as we can.
With the floods and extreme run-off because of our development and ever encroaching pressure on habitat wombats get dispersed and they fight over safety and grazing areas. So they end up in huge conflict just like people over territory, safety, shelter, food and autonomy.
Very sad to see this happening even more with the erratic torrential rainfall.
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