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Treatment

Your veterinarian will attempt to enlarge the holes and extract the maggot with forceps. Anesthetizing the ferret is often recommended, especially if the maggots are so embedded that they require surgical excision. It is important your veterinarian remove the entire maggot, as leaving any part of the maggot in your pet may cause a severe immune reaction.

Meanwhile, if the bot fly maggots have accidentally migrated to the brain, the ferret -- after being pretreated with anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics and allergy medication -- may be given Ivermectin to kill the parasite. However, the prognosis is guarded in these types of cases.

Living and Management

Once the maggot has been removed, the exposed hole will be slow to heal. It may also drain and cause the surrounding skin to slough off before the entire wound heals. Your veterinarian will provide you with proper medications to alleviate the pain.

Prevention

If you live in a high-risk area, your veterinarian may recommend administering topical flea and tick medication such as Imidacloprid and Fipronil, which is thought to kill off the Cuterebra maggots. Keeping your ferret indoors may also reduce the risk of infection.