Two cases of Dicrocoeliosis caused by the little liver fluke, or the Lancet fluke, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, have been diagnosed at the Animal Health Diagnostic Center (AHDC) in the past week.

One case involved several hundred adult lancet flukes (<10mm long) recovered from the livers submitted of three dead sheep from a flock in New Hampshire. Clinical signs typically include loss of body condition in most domestic species, but acute fatal infections in sheep have also been reported.

The second case involved a bison who died with a history of chronic weight loss. Adult lancet flukes were once again recovered from the liver that was submitted and Dicrocoelium dendriticum eggs were detected in the feces by a fecal floatation test.