How to Help Protect Pets and Livestock from Screwworm

New World Screwworm is a serious animal-health concern. But the good news is that it’s one of the most preventable ones, because the fly behind it needs a very specific opening to cause trouble: an open wound.

If you take away easy access to open wounds and catch problems early, you have already done a lot to prevent screwworms from going unchecked. For Houston-area owners, whether that's a couple of dogs in the backyard or cattle on acreage out past the suburbs, the playbook is straightforward. 

Here’s what you need to know.

Check for screwworms, especially wounds

The single most important thing you can do during an outbreak is to check for screwworms. Screwworm flies are drawn to fresh injuries, which means the ones that are most at risk are ones with:

• Cuts, scrapes, and recent bite or tick wounds
• Healing sites from procedures like branding, dehorning, or castration
• A newborn's drying navel
• Any sore, abscess, or irritated patch of skin

Walk your animals daily and look closely at any wounds you see. Keep cuts clean and follow the advice of your vet on how to cover and treat them. A wound that is healing cleanly is a smaller target than one left to the open air.

Know the warning signs of screwworm & know who to call

If you catch screwworm early, the prognosis is a good one. Signs you should contact your vet include:

• Wounds that don’t seem to be getting better
• Unusual foul odors
• Visible larvae in tissue
• An animal is restless or off its feed

For livestock in Texas, suspected cases should also be reported to the Texas Animal Health Commission at 1-800-550-8242.

While you are being vigilant about screwworm, remember: screwworm doesn’t spread animal-to-animal. It’s not contagious. It needs a fly and an open wound. It’s also not a food-supply concern, and confirmed Texas cases have been far south and west of the Houston area.

Reduce the fly population on your property

If you don’t have as many flies around your home, barn, or pens, you will have fewer screwworms around to begin with. And if you have fewer screwworms around, the odds of any individual one getting into an open wound are lower. You can do this through good housekeeping and cleaning, particularly managing manure.

The rest is treatment. Our perimeter and fly control services help reduce fly activity around a property, and our commercial services are built for larger operations like ranches and equestrian facilities. However, please bear in mind, this is no substitute for vet care or daily checks. 

Even so, lower-cost prevention almost always beats reacting after a problem shows up on your property. 

Why Trust Mosquito Squad of Houston?

We're local, and we deal with Houston's heavy fly pressure on our own properties, so we don't have to imagine what you're up against. We'll be straight with you about what a perimeter treatment can and can't do, and we'll point you to your vet for everything that belongs there. 

Want to talk about reducing fly pressure around your home, barn, or pens? Mosquito Squad of Houston backs every visit with a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and we'll get your first treatment done within 48 hours, or it's free. Call (713) 597-4202 to get started. 

Federal updates live at screwworm.gov.