Racing: Maggots do wonders

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Maggot therapy is helping St Nicholas Abbey get the better of the life-threatening disease laminitis.

Tom O'Brien, the surgeon at Ireland's Fethard Equine Hospital, said the Coolmore stallion was beginning to show signs of recovery.

The Racing Post reported the six-time group one winner's improvement had been marked since the introduction of the maggots.

"We used maggot therapy, so we got medical grade maggots and enclosed them in the foot cast," O'Brien said. "By putting them in there they eat all the dead and infected tissue. They eat it all and the change that has happened since doing that has been quite remarkable."

St Nicholas Abbey suffered a career-ending fracture of a pasternin July and has had to overcome complications since surgery to mend the leg.

He was struck down by colic and then the pin in his cannon bone that was supporting his weight broke.

Most recently, he has been inflicted by laminitis, an inflammation of sensitive layers of tissue inside the hoof.

"What we've been monitoring his foot for very closely is to see if there is new hoof growth and now we're seeing it," O'Brien said.

"Where the hair meets the hoof we are seeing a couple of millimetres of new hoof beginning to grow, and also on his sole. His general daily routine involves him lying down a lot. He gets up for periods any time he wants to eat and we're taking him for short walks to help strengthen the right front while also increasing the blood supply going to the left.

"He's an incredible horse to deal with on a daily basis. He's an intelligent horse and manages himself very well."

- AAP