Background: Cerebral coenurosis, caused by Taenia multiceps larvae, is a significant neurological disease in sheep, impacting the central nervous system and causing economic losses due to mortality and culling. Herding dogs, as definitive hosts, transmit the parasite through fecal egg shedding, contaminating pastures. This study evaluates the effectiveness of regular anthelmintic treatment of herding dogs with praziquantel and nutritional hygiene management in reducing coenurosis incidence in female Afshari lambs under two years of age. Methods: From 2019 to 2024, in a 20,000-head sheep breeding unit in Jolgah Rokh-Torbat Heydariyeh, Iran, 100 herding dogs were treated with praziquantel (5 mg/kg body weight, every 6 weeks) starting in 2021. Dog feces were collected and incinerated post-treatment to prevent egg dissemination, and feeding dogs with infected sheep offal was prohibited. Female Afshari lambs under two years were monitored for clinical signs (e.g., circling, head deviation) and confirmed via necropsy. Prevalence was calculated annually, and pre- and post-treatment data were compared using the chi-square test (P<0.05). Results: Of 31,252 lambs examined, coenurosis prevalence decreased from 12.5% in 2019–2020 (before treatment) to 0.22% in 2024 (P<0.001) after implementing the treatment and hygiene program. Necropsy confirmed Coenurus cerebralis cysts in the brain or cerebellum of affected lambs. No adverse effects from praziquantel were observed in dogs. Conclusion: Regular praziquantel treatment of herding dogs combined with nutritional hygiene management significantly reduced cerebral coenurosis prevalence, improving herd health and reducing economic losses. This cost-effective strategy is recommended for broader implementation in sheep farming.

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