Texas pet owners watch for screwworm risk
A confirmed New World screwworm case in a South Texas calf has led to a quarantine zone near La Pryor. Pet owners should watch wounds closely because dogs, cats, birds, rodents, and other warm blooded animals can be affected.
Texas animal health officials have set a quarantine zone of about 20 kilometers around the La Pryor site where New World screwworm was found in a three week old calf. Animals in the zone need regulatory approval before being moved out, and a USDA team has been sent to help local authorities.
The risk is not limited to cattle. Female flies can lay eggs in wounds, tiny scratches, surgical sites, or body openings, and larvae can damage living tissue after hatching. Pet owners should seek veterinary care if an animal has an unusual open wound, especially if eggs or larvae are visible, since the condition is treatable once they are removed.