06/11/2026
Hearing about New World Screwworm (NWS)? Here’s what you need to know!
An outbreak has been slowly spreading north toward the U.S. border, with multiple cases recently found in Texas and now a confirmed case in a dog in New Mexico as of June 9th.
NWS poses a serious threat to livestock, pets, wildlife, and in rare cases, people. The larvae look very similar to regular maggots but feed on living tissue and can cause severe wounds, animal suffering, and significant economic harm if not detected and treated quickly.
What should you watch out for? ⚠️
If you see any draining or enlarging wounds on your pet, especially if you see maggots or egg masses, please get them checked promptly.
Traveling with your pet? 🚗✈️
The USDA requires veterinarian-issued health certificates for travel from state to state, which we are more likely to see enforced and checked, especially for pets coming from New Mexico or traveling through Texas. Be sure to schedule a health inspection exam within 10 days of planned travel.
Prevention 🛡️
The routine monthly external parasite preventives that we carry are approved for Emergency Use Authorization, so we recommend keeping your pet on their monthly preventives! Stop or call today to pick up refills of Nexgard, Nexgard Plus, or Nexgard Combo.
📍 Visit screwwormnm.org for more details and state status updates.
