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Chabertiosis
Chabertiosis is caused by a roundworm in the colon, the large part of the large intestine, recognizable by its very large funnel-shaped mouth. It is with this mouth that it sucks in a piece of mucous membrane and clings to it to feed. Each...
What is it?
Chabertiosis is caused by a roundworm in the colon, the large part of the large intestine, recognizable by its very large funnel-shaped mouth. It is with this mouth that it sucks in a piece of mucous membrane and clings to it to feed. Each attachment point bleeds a little, and the worm regularly changes place, leaving behind small wounds. The result is loose diarrhea, often mixed with mucus and sometimes tinged with blood, in animals that gradually lose their condition. This worm is rarely the only one involved: it is almost always part of a procession of digestive worms, alongside strongyles of the abomasum and intestine. This is one of the reasons why we never base a dewormer on a single parasite. It likes cool and humid conditions and is found mainly on northern pastures, in the rainy season.
Commonly observed signs
These signs are neither exhaustive nor specific. Only a veterinarian can establish a diagnosis.
Related signs — each one links to its page:
Loose to watery stools, often surrounded by mucus, sometimes tinged with red or darker blood.
Hindquarters and tail wool permanently soiled.
Efforts to defecate in the most affected animals.
Slow weight loss, animals that do not recover, growth stalls in young people.
Dull, brittle, lower quality wool.
Paleness of the mucous membranes when bleeding continues.
Soft swelling under the jaw in older forms, linked to the leakage of proteins through the damaged large intestine.
Depression, animals which graze less and stay behind the herd.
In many cases, the signs are discreet and blend in with those of other digestive worms: only analysis allows us to sort things out.
When to consult without delay
This list does not replace veterinary advice. It gathers situations that justify a prompt consultation.
Causes and risk factors
Adult worms live in the colon and lay eggs which pass away with the droppings.
On the ground, in cool, moist conditions, the eggs produce larvae which climb onto the grass and are swallowed when grazing.
The larvae first reach the small intestine, where they develop, then descend to settle in the colon.
There, each worm sucks up a fragment of mucous membrane with its large mouth, attaches itself to it, feeds, then moves: the successive attachment points bleed and become inflamed.
The wall of the colon, permanently irritated, absorbs water less well and lets proteins leak: hence loose diarrhea and, over time, edema.
Like other digestive worms, the larvae can slow down their development during the unfavorable season and then start again.
Young animals and animals in the first or second grazing season.
Cool and humid pastures, rainy periods, lowlands.
Short grazing, high stocking rates, lack of plot rotation.
Association with other digestive worms, which is the rule rather than the exception.
Insufficient diet, especially protein.
Ewes at the end of gestation and at the beginning of lactation, whose defenses are declining.
Quarantine-free animal purchases.
Transmission
Contamination occurs through grass, never by direct contact between animals, and without risk for humans.
Cool and humid conditions favor the survival of the larvae: autumn, mild winter, rainy spring in the northern regions.
Continuously grazed plots and short grass significantly increase the number of larvae swallowed.
An animal introduced without quarantine can bring this parasite like other digestive worms.
Diagnosis and care
Diagnosis is the veterinarian's responsibility, based on clinical examination and laboratory tests. Care is decided case by case.
The signs are not enough: diarrhea with mucus and blood in sheep can have several origins, parasitic or not.
The veterinarian carries out a dropping analysis with egg counting on several animals in the group. The eggs of this worm resemble those of other digestive strongyles, so larval culture is sometimes necessary to clarify the species.
This clarification has a concrete interest: it allows us to know if the problem comes mainly from the abomasum, the small intestine or the colon, and to adapt grazing management accordingly.
The veterinarian rules out other causes of bloody diarrhea in sheep, in particular coccidiosis in young people, which is very common and treated differently.
Examination of a dead animal shows worms in the colon, attached to the mucosa, with inflamed attachment points and small hemorrhages.
A check of droppings after treatment makes it possible to verify the effectiveness of the product used on the farm.
Treatment
Internal antiparasitics used against digestive strongyles also act on this worm. The choice of family, form and timing is up to the veterinarian, taking into account all the parasites present and what remains effective locally.
Since this worm is almost always associated with others, treatment is based on the scale of parasitism in the herd, not species by species.
No dose or rhythm is decided alone: underdosing selects resistant worms.
The systematic treatment of the entire herd on a fixed date, without analysis, remains the most damaging practice in the long term. The recommended approach is based on dung analyses, only treats batches or animals that benefit from it, and voluntarily leaves part of the herd untreated in order to preserve sensitive worms.
Animals that have a lot of diarrhea need clean water, shelter, a quality ration and sometimes rehydration on veterinary advice.
Waiting periods for meat and milk must be requested before any slaughter or milking.
Treatment depends on the cause and the animal's condition: it must be determined by a veterinarian. No self-medication.
Prevention
Rotate the plots and prevent animals from razing the grass.
Reserve the healthiest plots for young flocks and ewes at the end of gestation.
Avoid lowlands and areas that remain wet during rainy periods.
Alternate with cattle or horses when possible.
Quarantine and treat, on veterinary advice, any animal purchased before releasing it to pasture.
Ensure a sufficient diet of proteins and minerals, which significantly improves resistance to parasitism.
Monitor the condition of the herd's hindquarters, particularly in the wet season.
Manage parasitism through regular dropping analyzes rather than through a treatment schedule.
Possible complications
Anemia in animals with prolonged bleeding in the colon.
Chronic protein leak, with edema and persistent weight loss.
Growth retardation in affected young people.
Permanently soiled hindquarters, conducive to myiasis in the hot season.
General weakening and increased susceptibility to other herd diseases.
Worsened when other digestive worms are present at the same time, which is the most common case.
When to see a veterinarian
Many animals have loose stools surrounded by mucus or tinged with blood.
Animals lose weight slowly on wet pastures despite good nutrition.
Mucous membranes are pale or a soft swelling appears under the jaw.
Young people stop growing even though the ration is correct.
An animal strains to defecate or remains dejectedly away.
The signs persist after deworming: it is necessary to check its effectiveness and look for associated parasites.
Prognosis
Good when the infestation is taken care of early: treated and well-fed animals recover and the colon lining heals.
Older forms, with marked weight loss and edema, require more time and sustained nutrition.
Severely affected young people often remain stunted.
At the herd level, the result depends above all on grazing management and control of all digestive worms, this worm rarely being the only cause.
Frequently asked questions
My sheep have soft droppings with mucus and a little blood: is this serious?
This deserves analysis. Several causes are possible, including this colon worm, but also coccidiosis in young people or other worms. The treatment is not the same depending on the case, so it is better to have the droppings analyzed than to treat randomly.
Is a special dewormer needed for this worm?
No, the products used against digestive strongyles also act on it. What matters is to understand the parasitism of the herd as a whole, because this worm is almost always accompanied by others. The veterinarian chooses the product based on the complete picture.
Can this worm infect my family?
No, this digestive worm of sheep and goats is not transmitted to humans. The usual rules of hygiene on the farm, washing your hands after handling the animals, of course remain valid.
Why does the problem come back every winter?
Because the larvae of this worm tolerate cool and humidity well: rainy seasons and lowland plots suit them perfectly. Without rotation of the plots, the animals become recontaminated every year at the same time.
References
FAO — Organisation des Nations unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture
Content reviewed by the TunisieVet editorial team · Updated 11 August 2026
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