USDA Lifts Export Ban on Pet Dogs to Mexico After Screwworm Detection

The Department of Agriculture updated its guidance on Wednesday to remove pet dogs from the list of animals barred from export to Mexico. S. to Mexico according to previously established procedures, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said.

U.S. last week. S. has six confirmed cases of the parasite as of Wednesday, the department stated.

One dog from Lea County, New Mexico, is infected. The other five cases involve cattle and a goat in Texas, according to the USDA. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday that the USDA has “boots on the ground” to stop the spread.

“We’ll be able to beat this back, but we’re going to do everything we can, investing over a billion dollars to push this pest back into Mexico, then to eradicate, as we did about 50 years ago,” she told CNBC. The USDA published a release on Tuesday listing signs of screwworm, including wounds that are draining or growing, maggots or egg masses, signs of discomfort, and lesions around body openings.

Animal owners who suspect screwworm should immediately contact a veterinarian, a state animal health official or the USDA, the department said.

U.S. from a screwworm-affected country such as Mexico must meet strict entry requirements, including certification from a veterinarian who inspected the animal for screwworm. New World screwworm does not infest meat, fruits, vegetables, or other food products, the USDA stated.

U.S. food supply remains safe,” the department said. ” Screwworm can cause severe and sometimes fatal infestations by feeding on animals’ flesh. The Independent has contacted the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service for more information.