The New World screwworm outbreak has grown to 32 confirmed cases across the United States, and dozens of states have imposed emergency rules affecting the interstate movement of dogs, according to the American Kennel Club.

The AKC counts 43 states with such measures, and Nevada dog owners planning summer travel should understand where those rules apply before they leave home.

Nevada itself has not issued a screwworm-specific travel order.

The state’s AKC listing points only to its standard animal import requirements, which for dogs generally means a current health certificate and rabies vaccination, rather than the new inspection, treatment, or permit rules that many other states have adopted.

That means the bigger concern for a Las Vegas owner is not leaving Nevada, but entering other states. The rules that matter are those of every state along a route, both outbound and on the return trip.

All cases trace back to the first American detection on June 3, 2026. Every area currently classified as an Infested Zone or Adjacent Surveillance Zone is located in Texas.

The New World screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into the living tissue of warm-blooded animals, including dogs, cats, and livestock. Left untreated, infestations can be painful, serious, and even fatal.

Neighboring states have taken varied approaches. Arizona requires animals from an Infested Zone to carry a pre-movement inspection certificate, an interstate health certificate, and an entry permit number, while California has imposed a statewide quarantine on dogs arriving from any state with an active Infested Zone.

The rules matter most for anyone driving a dog across state lines, including owners, competitors at dog events, professional handlers, transporters, and rescue and shelter operations.

Requirements can apply in every state along the route and in the destination state, so a trip that passes through several states may involve several sets of rules.

If you are traveling through Arizona, New Mexico, or Texas with your dog, check carefully for open wounds or sores before and after the trip, paying close attention to the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth.

Watch for warning signs of infestation, including a foul smell, visible maggots or movement in a wound, and a dog that seems restless or fixated on licking or chewing one area of the body.

Newborn animals and any dog with a recent wound, cut, or surgical site are especially vulnerable, and even a tick bite can invite an infestation.

Federal and state officials are fighting the outbreak with surveillance, testing, and the aerial release of sterilized male flies meant to collapse future generations of the pest.

A new sterile fly production facility opened in Metapa, Mexico, in late June, and is expected to sharply increase weekly output over the coming months.

We’ve been tracking the outbreak since screwworm was first confirmed in a New Mexico dog in June, and again as cases reached 20 and Texas established quarantine zones.

Nevada still has no confirmed cases.

Owners who suspect an infestation should contact a veterinarian immediately. The FDA has cleared an over-the-counter nitenpyram treatment for screwworm in dogs, though larvae must also be physically removed by a professional to fully clear an infestation.

The USDA maintains a live case tracker at screwworm.gov, and the AKC maintains a running list of state travel rules. Owners planning a road trip should check both before packing the car.