Necrotizing Fasciitis:

AKA: Flesh Eating Bacteria

Please consult a Vet or Wildlife rehabber knowledgeable in this species. DO NOT take it upon yourself to administer any medication to a possum without knowing what you are doing.

Necrotizing fasciitis is commonly caused by group A Streptococcus, but there are other bacterias at work sometimes as well. This bacteria can be found in many, many places, even in the soil. An animal (or human being) that has an open wound (even a small abrasion) or an insect bite gives this bacteria the perfect avenue to enter the body.

This disease is being seen more and more often across the country in wildlife, and no one seems to be able to discover why. We had a very small baby possum brought to us a couple years back who's jaw was just a tiny bit swollen so I was able to make a Vet appointment for him for the following day. The next morning I got Periwinkle up and the swelling had increased many times and the skin around his neck had split wide open. He had to have emergency surgery followed by some heavy duty medications. Unfortunately, he didn't make it and passed shortly after surgery.

Since then, similar reports have been coming in from other rehabbers across the US.

It is being seen in wild possums as well as pet possums.

Symptoms To Look For:

Small reddened areas
Ulcerated areas
Swelling (cellulitis symptoms)
Sores that grow bigger and spread RAPIDLY

I cannot stress to you enough.......this disease is 100% fatal if not treated properly and it spreads FAST! I have seen small swollen areas literally break open and increase in size 10-fold literally in a matter of hours.

The number one best medication is for flesh eating disease is: Dicloxicillan.

If you cannot obtain this antibiotic, some people have had success using Clindimycin and Baytril simultaneously, but Dicloxicillan is by far the best choice. Many vet clinics do not carry this drug, but they can call it in to your pharmacy.

Spray all sores with Vetricyn VF and then cover with plain white sugar or Manuka Honey. Topical treatment alone WILL NOT cure this disease, the appropriate oral antibiotics are crucial!

As we are seeing this infection more and more it is imperative that you keep these medications on hand so treatment can be started immediately. Waiting even so much as 24 hours can mean the difference between the animal surviving or dying.

Images of Flesh Eating Bacteria:

Photo's Compliments of Allyson Swanson