11/08/2026
NOV 7 post: If it's several days past this date, check my page for a newer one!
🪰 Traveling with your livestock? Remember, flies can hitchhike. We've all had that one in the truck that won't leave when you open the window. Animal movement is still permissible, with additional precautions and risk awareness.
Arizona now has five confirmed New World screwworm cases (Cochise, Greenlee and Graham counties), and 3 active infestation zones (IZs). Western New Mexico has a much larger IZ and surrounding surveillance zone. If you find yourself in an IZ, even while traveling, you must follow state requirements to leave the IZ.
Steps to exiting the IZ (livestock and pets) in Arizona:
✅ Call AZDA first. Contact the Office of the State Veterinarian at 602-542-4293 or [email protected] before making any plans.
✅ Inspection. An AZDA inspector, an Arizona-licensed veterinarian or other authorized personnel examines each animal for wounds and larvae.
✅ Treatment before moving, in most cases. For dogs and cats, that means a long-acting parasiticide. For livestock and horses, use one of the FDA conditionally approved or emergency-authorized screwworm products. Those products can’t be used extralabel, so follow the label for species and indication.
✅ Paperwork. The animal moves with AZDA’s movement permit or pre-movement inspection certificate.
Exceptions for livestock leaving an IZ:
✅ Straight to slaughter: animals can move untreated on a 72-hour permit, which avoids drug residue problems.
See maggots in a wound? First step: call your veterinarian or the AZDA. We will either sample the larvae or provide instructions on larval sampling to make sure we're not missing active infestations. Then we can provide treatment and prevention advice for your animals.
📞 Dr. Varnell · (928) 396-2060
