What damage do flukes cause?
The young flukes cause quite a lot of damage as they migrate through the liver. If only a few flukes are migrating through the liver at one time, the damage to the goat is minimal. However, if many flukes are migrating at the same time, the damage to the liver can be extensive. In these cases, diarrhea, weight loss, and jaundice (yellow mucous membranes) can be observed. In addition to the direct damage to the liver, there is another problem liver flukes can precipitate and that is Redwater. Each fluke can cause the loss of 0.5ml of blood per day from the liver. A moderate infestation in cattle of 100-200 fluke can lead to blood loss of up to half a litre each week, so often infected animals can be anemic. Redwater (Bacillary Hemoglobinuria) can affect goats at any time of the year; however, it is most common in the late spring, summer, and autumn. Redwater is caused by a bacterium called Clostridium hemolyticum, which colonizes in the liver of susceptible cattle and produces protein t
