07/12/2025
𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤!
Screwworms aren’t your average parasite. They’re the larval stage of the New World screwworm fly (𝘊𝘰𝘤𝘩𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘮𝘺𝘪𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘹), which lays its eggs in wounds or moist body openings. Once hatched, the larvae burrow deep into the flesh, causing extreme pain, tissue death, and systemic infection. While the U.S. eradicated screwworms in the 1980s, but now outbreaks are happening again just south of the Texas border. Texas officials are on high alert, and so are we.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 “𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘮” 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘷𝘢𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘩.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
• Wounds that worsen instead of healing
• Dark, oozing, foul-smelling drainage
• Visible maggots in a wound
• Swelling, lethargy, or signs of shock
• Wounds on the face, ge****ls, or umbilicus (common sites for infestation)
𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀!
Keep all wounds clean and monitor healing closely, especially during fly season. Don’t ignore small cuts, branding sores, castration sites, or umbilical cords in newborns. We can recommend fly control and topical care to help deter egg-laying.
𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲:
Do not flush or treat it alone. Call us immediately. Screwworm cases must be reported to state and federal authorities. We’ll help confirm the diagnosis, clean and debride the wound properly, and coordinate with officials if needed. This isn’t common, but it’s serious.
𝐃𝗼𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐗 𝐄𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐧𝐞
xxvets.com ◦ (940) 514-9500
Sources:
Houston Chronicle, AP News, AAHA.org, USDA, Midland Reporter-Telegram
