Pet owners are urged to stay alert this summer as a potentially fatal parasite linked to South America is drawing attention for its serious risk to dogs.
The fly completes its life cycle by feeding on open wounds or body openings like the nose, eyes, ears, and mouth, where they lay eggs.The parasite can lay anywhere between 200 and 300 eggs at a time within a warm-blooded animal or person, according to the CDC. However, New World screwworm is not contagious and does not spread between animals and is not zoonotic (animals to people).Once the eggs hatch, the maggots then eat the tissue, causing an often painful and foul-smelling wound.The dog was reported by a veterinarian in Texas, but the USDA said the dog resided in New Mexico. Officials inspected additional animals in the dog’s home, and are working to identify the dog’s travel history. The USDA also confirmed a case in a goat in Texas, and is working with the Texas Animal Health Commission to establish surveillance and testing. The CDC recommends:
Keeping open wounds clean and covered, no matter how small or location on the body.
Sleeping indoors with closed windows or screened open windows. If you are outside, sleep under a bed net or inside a screened tent.
