What Austin pet owners should know about screwworm

What they're saying: Emancipet, a nonprofit that provides low-cost veterinary care in the Austin area, has been fielding calls from pet owners "in waves," usually as new cases make headlines, chief medical officer Virginia Mulè tells Axios.

• "People will call to see what they should be looking out for, what they can do to protect their pets," Mulè says.

Between the lines: Screwworm most often affects livestock, but it's still a threat to pets. There have been three cases in dogs so far this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

What to watch: Mulè says owners should pay particular attention to wounds that aren't healing normally.

• Other warning signs include swelling, foul-smelling discharge or visible movement of larvae in a wound.

• The risk is lower for pets that spend most of their time indoors, and animals without open wounds are generally less vulnerable.

The bottom line: Mulè says Austin pet owners don't need to panic, but should keep an eye on wounds and seek veterinary care if something doesn't look right.

• "It's very treatable if you catch it early, but these larvae can be really destructive to tissue," Mulè says. "The longer they're in there, the more damage they can cause."