Sheep measles and tapeworms

Sheep measles, hydatids and bladder worms are all animal health issues that can be managed by breaking the lifecycle of the tapeworm.

All three conditions require a dog as a host for part of the tapeworm’s lifecycle. Break the lifecycle by regularly worming your dog with a wormer containing an active ingredient against tapeworm.  Do not allow your dog access to dead stock, remove raw offal from your dog’s diet and feed your dog an approved commercial dog food. These steps will break the tapeworm lifecycle and reduce the incidence of sheep measles, hydatids and bladder worm in your sheep.

Check out this Short Cuts video from Agriculture Victoria for tips on how to manage and prevent carcase damage, economic loss, disease and welfare issues in your sheep farming business as well as keeping you and your family safe from zoonotic diseases, such as hydatid disease.

Sheep measles

Sheep measles are small cysts that occur in sheep as a life stage of the dog tapeworm. The cysts result in carcase trimming and in some cases carcase condemnation.

Hydatids

Hydatids is a condition caused by large cysts containing the larval stages of the dog tapeworm and can cause offal to be condemned.  Humans are not infected by eating contaminated meat or offal. Humans are usually infected from handling infected dogs. If the eggs are ingested, they can cause a potentially serious human health condition. Ensure dogs are regularly wormed and practise good hygiene after handling dogs to prevent infection.

Bladder worms

Bladder worms are large cysts that are found in the sheep’s liver and abdominal cavity. The cysts result in carcase trimming and condemnation of livers and other affected offal.

What to consider

Things to consider include:

• seek advice from your animal health professional such as a veterinarian or consultant and regularly worm dogs with an effective wormer for tapeworms
• practice good hygiene by washing hands with soap and water to reduce risk of human infection from dogs
• do not let your dog have access to dead livestock or feed your dog raw offal. Feed your dog commercial dog food
• seek advice to develop an Animal Health Plan for your farm
• check agricultural and veterinary chemical labels to ensure you use and store chemicals correctly. Remember to keep records of your chemical use to meet legislative requirements and to maintain your Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) accreditation.
• implement your Biosecurity Plan for visiting dogs and control of foxes and wild dogs. A biosecurity plan is essential to your Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) accreditation.

Being a better sheep producer is only a worm tablet away

Keep the Short Cuts for the oven, not the farm.