Screwworm Alert: What St. Pete & South Pinellas Pet Owners Need to Know Right Now

Florida moved quickly last week to protect pets from a flesh-eating parasite spreading across the southern United States. On June 12, 2026, state agriculture officials banned the importation of rescue and shelter animals from Texas and New Mexico — both states where the USDA has now confirmed nine cases of the New World screwworm. Here’s what St. Pete and South Pinellas pet owners need to know right now.

What Is the New World Screwworm?

The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly that lays eggs in open wounds. The larvae hatch within hours and feed on living tissue — not dead tissue like most fly maggots. Left untreated, a screwworm infestation can be fatal. The parasite was eradicated from the US in the 1960s but re-emerged in Central America and has been moving north. A dog in Lea County, New Mexico was recently confirmed as the first known pet case in the current outbreak.

Is This in Florida Right Now?

No — the New World screwworm is not currently in Florida. The state’s import ban is precautionary, designed to prevent infected animals from being transported here while the outbreak is active in Texas and New Mexico. Local shelters including the SPCA Tampa Bay and Humane Society of Tampa Bay do not routinely source animals from those states, so no significant disruption to local adoptions is expected.

What to Watch For

If your pet has an open wound and has been outdoors — especially if you’ve recently traveled to Texas or New Mexico — watch for these warning signs:

• Visible larvae (maggots) in or around the wound
• Foul odor from a wound
• Wound that seems to be enlarging or bleeding without explanation
• Pet showing extreme pain or restlessness around a wound site

Stray animals and pets with unmanaged outdoor wounds are at highest risk. If you see larvae in a wound, this is a veterinary emergency — call us immediately.

Treatment: What You Need to Know

The FDA granted emergency authorization on June 12 for nitenpyram (Capstar) — a common OTC flea tablet — as a screwworm treatment. Two doses, six hours apart, can kill larvae quickly. But nitenpyram is a first step, not a complete solution. It does not prevent reinfestation, and the wound still needs professional veterinary care to remove remaining larvae and prevent secondary infection. Do not attempt home treatment without calling your vet first.

Action Steps for St. Pete Pet Owners

• ✅ Check your pet’s skin and coat after outdoor time — look for any cuts, scrapes, or wounds
• ✅ Keep wounds clean and covered and follow vet aftercare instructions carefully
• ✅ Avoid traveling with pets to TX or NM until the outbreak is contained
• ✅ Call your vet immediately if you notice anything unusual in or around a wound

We’re Watching This Closely

The situation is evolving and state officials are monitoring it closely. Florida has successfully contained screwworm outbreaks before — a 2016–2017 outbreak in the Florida Keys’ Key deer population was controlled through a coordinated state and federal response. We’re confident in Florida’s preparedness, but early detection at the clinic level matters.

Have questions about your pet’s wound or recent travel exposure? Community Animal Hospitals is here to help. Call us or book an appointment — our St. Pete team is ready to keep your pets safe.