Against sheep measles

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 32874, 24 March 1972, Page 13

Against sheep measles

A nation-wide campaign to inform all dog owners of the importance of controlling Taenia ovis infection in dogs was launched this week by die Minister of Agriculture, Mr Carter. Taenia ovis is a tapeworm in dogs, which in its life cycle, can cause the formation of cysts in sheep and goat meat. These cysts, known generally as sheep measles, are completely harmless to humans but their presence in sheep meat can make it unacceptable for marketing. Increasingly, without the support and co-operation of all dog owners, sheep measles could jeopardise the country’s sheep meat industry, Mr Carter said. The life cycle of the ovis parasite could only be broken where it starts—in the dog—he said, and for this reason prevention of infection by, proper feeding and control of dogs at all times would be the theme of the Taenia ovis education programme. The programme was aimed at a radical and immediate change in dog feeding, he said. It was standard practice to feed farm and

city dogs on raw sheep or goat meat. This meat could be made safe by cooking it thoroughly or deep freezing it to at least minus 10 degrees centigrade for seven days before it was fed to dogs. The message, Mr Carter said, was simply, “don't feed untreated sheep or goat meat to dogs,” But careful feeding by itself was not enough. Dogs must not be allowed to roam and scavenge. Mr Carter said that this applied equally to farm dogs, hunters’ dogs, and family pet dogs. Discussing the use of drugs, Mr Carter said that the dosing of dogs was not completely effective, but it could be a very useful support in an eradication campaign based on proper feeding and control of dogs at all times. The education campaign would be run by the National Hydatids with financial support from the Goverimient. The support of all farm, city, sporting and hunting dog owners was being sought. Meat retailers, freezing companies, kennel clubs,

veterinarians, farmers organisations, women’s groups, service clubs—“everyone who can have ar influence on dog care”— would be asked to co operate, he said. In the accompanying photograph Mr Carter, or the left, and the secretary of the National Hydatids Council, Mr L. M. Hallas study the slogan ant symbol for the nations sheep measles preventior campaign.