DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS 



207 



the application should be repeated within a week 

 or so. 



LIVER FLUKES. — These are parasites usually- 

 found in the liver or its ducts. At times they are 

 present in great numbers, giving rise to a serious 

 disease called liver rot. When the fertilized eggs are 

 discharged in the excrement of diseased animals and 

 fall in fresh water they hatch out and are taken into 

 the body by sheep and cattle, either 

 in the food or drink. In a short time 

 thereafter they have entrenched 

 themselves in the liver of cattle or 

 sheep. 



A few liver flukes in an animal 

 causes little trouble, as the injury is 

 largely mechanical anyway. No 

 peculiar symptoms are conspicuous 

 when only a few flukes are present. 

 The greatest damage is done when 

 hundreds of flukes develop in a sin- 

 gle individual. In these cases the 

 flow of the bile is checked. As a re- 

 sult the health becomes impaired and 

 the usual penalties of malnutrition follow. Swell- 

 ing of the jaws and diarrhoea are often noticed in 

 connection with the disease. 



When the host is badly infected with the flukes 

 and in a badly run-down condition the trouble is al- 

 ways serious, and medicinal treatment is of little 

 real value. Tonics and good food may be given to 

 help along — but death usually follows. Salt is 

 helpful as the flukes are sensitive to it. If an 

 animal that has succumbed to the disease be ex- 

 amined, the liver will be observed to be fairly rotten 

 as a result of the inroads of the parasites. 



LIVER FLUKE 



