Poodle Had Maggots In Its Mouth

[k9angel]

A 16-year-old dog had maggots in an ulcerated wound on its face and maggots in its mouth when found at an Adelaide home, a court has heard.

The dog's owners, Debra Susan Welsby, 54 and Mark Morris Welsby, 55, on Tuesday pleaded guilty to ill treating an animal after the RSPCA was called by other people concerned over the health of the poodle.

The RSPCA found the dog to have a large and deeply ulcerated wound on its muzzle that had become infested with maggots.

A veterinary examination found the maggots had eaten through both the skin and muscle, and could be found inside the poodle's mouth.

Because of the seriousness of its condition the animal was euthanased.

Counsel for the RSPCA Jed Goodfellow told the Adelaide Magistrates Court the dog's coat was also soaked in urine and it was severely dehydrated.

Magistrate Alf Grasso said it defied understanding that the couple had not taken the dog to a vet ahead of an appointment made for the day the RSPCA officers intervened.

But he accepted that the offending was out of character and, without recording a conviction, fined them $1500 each.

He also banned the pair from obtaining another pet for three years.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/break...s-in-its-mouth/

A measly $1500 fine for such cruelty and NO conviction. WTF??

They should be banned for LIFE - not just 3 years.

[Ashanali]

Maggots only eat rotten/dead meat, they keep wounds clean - maggots wouldn't have made the hole and 'eaten through' (have to love poor journalism).

However that being said, what on earth happened to that poor dog that an infection was so widespread?

rip poor poodle.

[Bilbo Baggins]

Maggots only eat rotten/dead meat, they keep wounds clean - maggots wouldn't have made the hole and 'eaten through' (have to love poor journalism).

However that being said, what on earth happened to that poor dog that an infection was so widespread?

rip poor poodle.

:) Beat me to it Ashanali. The maggots probably kept the dog alive longer from what ever it had.

[bernym]

Maggots only eat rotten/dead meat, they keep wounds clean - maggots wouldn't have made the hole and 'eaten through' (have to love poor journalism).

That is not always the case. I had a rabbit that suffered from flystrike. The maggots ate away a section of skin and made burrows under the skin into the flesh. She could have literally been eaten alive. Once they are there, it takes quite an effort to keep them away, especially if the animal is already sick/old/unable to care for themselves. They do let out a terrible odour though, so you would think the owners would have noticed them in the dogs mouth.

[OSoSwift]

It depends on which fly the maggots are from. There are blue fly's and green ones that lay maggots on sheep for example. One will only invade a sore already there but can make the skin soft and infected under the wool which although it is nasty it is not as bad as the one who does bore into the skin and can go through the skin and I have seen it in the abdomen of sheep and also where they have eaten into the back end of a sheep.

SO the senario is definately possible

[Her Majesty Dogmad]

Poor little dog. Owners probably made the dog live in the backyard and just chucked food at it, happens a lot more than people realise.

[persephone]

poor dog. Perhaps another dog bit it and made a hole - or it had a tooth/jaw abscess.... doesn't take long to get flyblown It would have been in amazing pain .....

I am glad it is now free of pain.

[Little Gifts]

I was thinking about the pain it endured too Persephone. And I think I read somewhere that dehydration is a horrible death experience too. I will never understand the mistreatment of animals and in particular the physical abuse of puppies (who wouldn't know not to cry when hurt) and the neglect and abandonment of old animals. Do they think if they ignore an older animal they will just hurry up and die? Grow some balls and pts an old dog who is suffering (I can't imagine them caring enough to engage with a rescue group to rehome it).

A person who abuses or neglects a companion animal should never be allowed to own or co-own another one in their entire lives. Not even goldfish.

[Kyra]

thats absolutely disgusting, horrible, horrible people.

Im glad the poor dog is free of pain now..

[mushka]

poor dog.

[Souff]

What a sad finish to an old Poodle's life.

Groomers can tell stories of maggots eating away at a dog under a matted mess so I guess it is a matter of what type of fly and whether there was an infection there in the first place.

RIP little veteran, you are in kinder hands now.

[ILUVBONSHANNONLIZZY]

They should be banned from having another dog full stop !

[ILUVBONSHANNONLIZZY]

What a sad finish to an old Poodle's life.

Groomers can tell stories of maggots eating away at a dog under a matted mess so I guess it is a matter of what type of fly and whether there was an infection there in the first place.

RIP little veteran, you are in kinder hands now.

He sure is !

[RubyBlue]

Poor little thing. $1500 is hardly a punishment. I imagine veterinary treatment would have cost more - how is such a small fine going to prevent them doing it again.