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EmailIphone Application    Posted: 21st February 2023
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SCOPS warns about closantel overdosing
An overdose of closantel can cause blindness in sheep.
The advice follows recent reports of overdoses in sheep.

Sheep farmers need to be careful when using flukicides and wormers which contain closantel, the Sustainable Control of Parasites in Sheep (SCOPS) group has warned.

Closantel, an active ingredient in a range of antiparasitic products, is safe to use when the label instructions are followed and animals are dosed according to their weight.

However, SCOPS has reported that it has been made aware of a few recent cases in which sheep have received an overdose of the drug, causing blindness for the animals involved.

SCOPS spokesperson Lesley Stubbings said: “Because of the risks posed by overdosing with closantel, SCOPS urges sheep farmers to split a group if the weight variation is large, grouping sheep into weight bands and altering the dose rate accordingly. That is safer than dosing to the heaviest animal and administering too much closantel to small animals.

“Closantel is an important active in the control of internal parasites. This isn’t a recommendation to avoid the product – just a reminder of the risks of not weighing animals and giving them too much.”

Any farmers or veterinary professionals who see an adverse reaction to closantel in sheep are urged by SCOPS to report it to the Veterinary Medicines Directorate.

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.