Pet dogs can travel from U.S. to Mexico again after brief export ban

Pet dogs can travel from the U.S. to Mexico again, after they were briefly included on a list of animals that can’t be exported amid concerns about a flesh-eating parasite.

New World screwworm, a parasite that eats the flesh of cattle and other animals, was detected in the U.S. last week. To help stop the spread, officials banned the export of certain animals from the U.S. to Mexico, including cattle, horses, sheep, goats and ferrets.

Pet dogs were also included on that list before the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service updated its guidance on Wednesday. Pet dog travel to Mexico will now “proceed according to previously established procedures,” the service said.

Dogs traveling to the U.S. from a screwworm-affected country, such as Mexico, still have to meet strict entry requirements, including certification from a veterinarian who inspected the animal for screwworm.

Screwworm can cause severe, and sometimes fatal, infestations by feeding on animals’ flesh. A widespread outbreak could have a devastating impact on the cattle industry.

The U.S. has six confirmed cases of screwworm as of Wednesday. One dog from Lea County, New Mexico, is infected with the parasite, while the other cases involve cattle and a goat in Texas, according to the USDA.

The USDA has “boots on the ground” to stop the spread, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said Monday.

“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.

Animal owners should watch out for wounds that are draining or growing, maggots or egg masses, signs of discomfort and lesions around body openings, the USDA said in a release published Tuesday. Those who suspect their animal has screwworm should immediately contact a veterinarian, a state animal health official or the USDA.

While screwworm primarily affects animals, humans can also be infected. Still, there’s good news: the parasite can’t infect food products.

“The U.S. food supply remains safe. [New World screwworm] does not infest meat, fruits, vegetables, or other food products,” according to the USDA. “Any affected animal would be identified during USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service inspection, and no contaminated product would enter commerce.”