Dogs are natural scavengers, and several species of tapeworm take advantage of this instinct to complete their lifecycle. At least two species of the tapeworm Taenia infect grazing mammals – and if a dog happens upon a sheep carcase, for instance, it can be infected by eating infected parts such as the brain or liver.
The biggest threat here, however, is not to the dog, but to the owner, and it comes from one of the smallest tapeworms.
Echinococcus granulosus is only 4 or 5 mm long, but its eggs can remain viable on grazing land for up to a year. Any grazing mammal can be infected – and for this purpose, that includes man! Vegetables, salads, or even water from a stream could all carry the worm eggs, and once swallowed, they develop larval cysts in the liver, lungs or brain, which can be life-threatening.
For this reason, you should never feed a dog untreated offal, or let it wander freely in sheep-farming areas.
Dogs are natural scavengers, and several species of tapeworm take advantage of this instinct to complete their lifecycle. At least two species of the tapeworm Taenia infect grazing mammals – and if a dog happens upon a sheep carcase, for instance, it can be infected by eating infected parts such as the brain or liver.
The biggest threat here, however, is not to the dog, but to the owner, and it comes from one of the smallest tapeworms.
Echinococcus granulosus is only 4 or 5 mm long, but its eggs can remain viable on grazing land for up to a year. Any grazing mammal can be infected – and for this purpose, that includes man! Vegetables, salads, or even water from a stream could all carry the worm eggs, and once swallowed, they develop larval cysts in the liver, lungs or brain, which can be life-threatening. 
