Tips for dealing with screwworms

Prevention and Treatment

If you own or handle animals, you will probably know that screwworm flies are attracted by wounds on living animals. To prevent screwworms from infesting your animals, simply check them for cuts every day. You should treat wounds with the free NSEP wound powder available at veterinary clinics, RADA offices and leading farm stores islandwide.

If you have an animal that is infested with screwworm maggots, you have three (3) options.

1. You can contact the NSEP have an NSEP field officer treat the animal free of charge
2. You may also take the animal to a veterinary clinic.
3. Or, you can treat the animal yourself with the free screwworm powder.

(If you choose option 3, you must put some of the maggots in alcohol. You should also write your name, address and the type of animal the sample was taken from on a sheet of paper. You must then submit these to the NSEP.

Additional Tips:

Ø Treat the navels of newborn animals with iodine to protect them from the New World Screwworm

Ø Make sure that rope around animals does not cut the skin

Ø Do not chop, burn or cut animals unnecessarily.

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