Sheep Measles is caused by a tapeworm called ‘Taenia ovis’, which in its adult form, lives in dogs. When a dog infected with tapeworm poos on grass, the eggs from the tapeworm are spread to pasture creating an infection risk for sheep. When sheep eat grass infected with tapeworm eggs, the eggs then travel through their bloodstream and form cysts in muscles.  https://www.sheepmeasles.co.nz/the-issue/lifecycle/ What’s the story with Cysts? At dog-tucker time cysts can be tricky to spot meaning dogs can sometimes be fed sheep meat that contains live Sheep Measles cysts, and the tapeworms lifecycle begins again.The two key problems with cysts:They can re‑infect dogs.They are considered lamb/mutton carcass defects and result in decreased $$ at works. Routine dosing (worming) recommendations – Every 3 months: Drontal an all‑wormer covering roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, and tapeworm. – In the two intervening months: Tapeworm-only treatment (Droncit or Wormicide). Droncit: 1 tablet per 20 kg Wormicide: 1 tablet per 40 kg Puppies: The tapeworm tablets posted to you are not suitable for pups. We have seen multiple litters with severe parasite burden after only being wormed for tapeworms by mistake. Be sure to worm your puppies (& bitch) with an all-wormer from 2 weeks of age every 2 weeks until the pups are 12 weeks old. Then worm pups with an all-wormer monthly until 6 months, when they can join the same schedule as adult dogs. New dogs entering the property: Dose immediately, quarantine for 3–4 days, and destroy all faeces. Treatment kills adult worms within ~10 hours but does not kill egg already present in the intestine. Pet dogs on farms: Must be included in the same worming programme. Note: MPI declared New Zealand “provisionally free” from hydatids in 2002. Because of this the above dose rates are sufficient for use in NZ – please ignore any other dose rates on packaging as these are relevant to countries where hydatids are still present. Feeding Dog-Tucker (Mutton or Goat) To make meat safe – Freeze: −10°C or colder for at least 10 days. – Cook meat: Heat to a core temperature of +72°C or higher. – Cook offal: Boil for a minimum of 30 minutes.Commercial sheep meat cannot be guaranteed cyst‑free. Always freeze or cook before feeding to dogs. Other Meat Options – Beef/Cattle: Cook thoroughly or freeze at −10°C for 10 days to reduce Neospora risk. – Safe meats: Horse and rabbit. – Possum: Acceptable only in TB‑free zones. Vet Services offer a proactive worming programme to working dog clients. If you’d like to sign up to the programme or are interested in learning more please get in touch with your local clinic. |
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