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Intestinal Flukes
Trematodes
Intestinal flukes, (Cyathocotyle bushiensis and Sphaeridiotrema globulus) are parasites which infest the duck's lower small intestine and caecae, causing damage. They are transmitted to ducks through eating freshwater snails (Bithynia tentaculata) containing the parasites. Ducks are usually infected late summer or early fall, and may or may not demonstrate clinical signs prior to death. As little as 100 flukes are considered lethal to an adult duck and over 60% of infected snails harbor numbers greater than 100. Usually, ducks will die within 3 to 8 days of ingesting the infested snails.
