FDA Approves Emergency Use of Medication to Treat Screwworm in Dogs, Cats
The emergency approval lets vets use generic Nitenpyram tablets as cases rise to seven in cattle, goats and a dog, officials said.
- On Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency approval for over-the-counter nitenpyram tablets to treat New World screwworm infections in dogs, puppies, cats, and kittens weighing at least 0.9kg and four weeks old.
- Seven confirmed screwworm cases in Texas and New Mexico involving cattle, a goat, and a dog mark the first domestic detections in decades, with the flesh-eating parasite migrating north from Mexico.
- Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated the government is "moving aggressively to contain and eliminate New World screwworm," noting that nitenpyram tablets kill most larvae within hours but require veterinary follow-up to remove remaining worms.
- Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller blamed funding cuts to Central American monitoring programs last year, claiming the Department of Government Efficiency-led reductions left the border vulnerable to the parasite's northward migration.
- University of Florida entomologist Edward Burgess warns more cases will likely be detected soon, though this may reflect increased vigilance rather than rapid spread; a major outbreak could further strain already-low U.S. cattle numbers and increase beef prices.
38 Articles
38 Articles
FDA authorizes over-the-counter treatment for pets as New World screwworm outbreak prompts travel restrictions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized the emergency use of an over-the-counter drug to treat New World screwworm infestations in dogs and cats as officials work to contain the parasite’s spread in Texas, New Mexico and other affected areas.
Texas maintains special surveillance measures following the detection of several cases related to the New World Sweeping Fly, an insect whose larvae may develop within the living tissues of warm-blooded animals.Because of this, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of drugs to quickly treat affected dogs and cats.The Texas Sweep Mosca: What It Is and Why It Threatens Pets and CatsThe species known scientifically as Cochlio…
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