Pet Owners Are Being Warned About the New World Screwworm

Pet parents are being urged to keep an eye on their pets after a dog was diagnosed with a New World Screwworm infestation. This is the first time that the flesh-eating parasite has been spotted in the United States since a small outbreak of cases in 2017.

For several years, cases have been increasing in Central America and Mexico. Despite efforts to stop the parasites from spreading to the United States, they were recently found in cattle in the town of La Pryor, Texas, just 30 miles from the border. As well as livestock, infestations can also occur in pets.

The New World screwworm is the larval stage of the New World screwworm fly. While the larvae of most flies feed on dead and decaying matter, the New World screwworm feeds on living flesh.

One female fly can lay hundreds of eggs in open wounds, or damaged skin. Within hours, those eggs will hatch and the larvae will burrow into the tissue of their host.

As those larvae feast, they make the wound larger and deeper, attracting more New World screwworm flies and making the infestation even worse. Cattle farmers are worried that infestations within their herds could result in deaths, reducing beef production and raising prices.

Just like cattle, beloved pets can also become the victims of the New World screwworm. It's especially a problem for pet owners in southern states and pets who spend a lot of time outside.

Common sites where eggs may be laid include:

• Cuts and scrapes
• Surgical incisions
• Tick and flea bite wounds
• Hot spots or skin infections
• Ear injuries
• Bite wounds from other animals
• Umbilical areas in newborn puppies and kittens

Thankfully, screwworm isn't infectious and can be prevented with good wound management and regular health checks of your pet, per Texas A&M University. This includes:

• Inspect your pet often for wounds that could become a site for infestation and treat them with antiseptic, monitoring the wound until it is fully healed.
• If your pet has undergone surgery, follow post-surgery care instructions.
• For pets with longer hair, groom regularly to help find any open wounds.
• Stay informed about any local outbreaks and exercise extra caution when needed

In the event that your pet does have a suspected New World screwworm infestation, it should be treated as an emergency, and immediate veterinary intervention is required. If an infestation is allowed to go on for too long, it can result in death.

Your veterinarian will typically remove all the larvae from the wound manually, and then treat the wound to prevent infection. Medications can kill any remaining larvae.