Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller praised the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s decision to issue an Emergency Use Authorization for Simparica TRIO to treat New World screwworm infestations in dogs and puppies, according to an Aug. 13 news release from the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The action provides another critical tool to protect family pets as well as the working dogs Texas farmers and ranchers rely on every day, while underscoring the urgent need for an aggressive strategy to eradicate the deadly parasite, the agency said.
“The FDA’s decision to authorize Simparica TRIO for the treatment of New World screwworm in dogs and puppies is another important weapon in this fight,” Miller said in the release. “I applaud Secretary Kennedy and the FDA for continuing to move quickly to give veterinarians and animal lovers more tools to protect our animals.”
Miller emphasized the role dogs play both at home and in agriculture. “For millions of Americans, a dog isn’t just an animal, it’s part of the family,” he said. “Across rural America, dogs are also an essential part of agriculture. Many of our farmers and ranchers rely on working dogs every day to herd livestock, guard their property, and help get the job done.”
“No family, farmer, or rancher should ever have to watch helplessly as a beloved pet or working dog suffers from this horrific parasite,” Miller said, adding that giving veterinarians another treatment option “provides another critical line of defense.”
The commissioner cautioned that treatment alone will not end the threat. “We must keep pushing an aggressive, comprehensive eradication strategy to stop New World screwworm before more livestock, wildlife, pets, or people are put at risk. Our goal must be wiping screwworm off the map,” he said.