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Worms Roundworms and hairworms are frequently involved in the worm infestation of the pigeons. Other types of worms play a lesser role. Roundworms and hairworms live as parasites in the intestine of the pigeons. They damage a pigeons body by extracting important nutritive substances from the digested food (roundworms), by the toxic effect of their excretion products and by destruction of the intestinal wall (hairworms). The hairworms occurring in pigeons also attack other domestic and wild birds. Almost every other pigeon is infested with hairworms. Hairworm infestation is in fact the most common worm disease in pigeons. Roundworms occur only in pigeons. Every 5th pigeon is likely to be infested with roundworms. In many cases both types of worms appear at the same time. Young pigeons show increased susceptibility, whereas adult pigeons seem to develop some kind of immunity to these parasites. Although they may harbor isolated worms, symptoms of the disease are rarely observed. These pigeons are permanent carriers and are a constant source of infection for the rest of the loft, particularly the young pigeons. Worms consist mainly of protein. They are protected against the digestive juices of the host by layers of keratin or chitin. In the intestine the worms adhere to the intestinal wall with suction cups (roundworms) or burrow into the mucosa (hairworms). For this reason, they are not washed away with the digested food (although their eggs are) and excreted in the droppings. Roundworms measure 2 to 6 cm in length and approximately 1 mm in diameter. They are visible to the unaided eye. By contrast, hairworms are considerably smaller and as fine as a hair. They are 26 mm long and only 0.08 mm in diameter. Propagation is by the direct or indirect route. Worms with direct development do not need an intermediate host. The eggs excreted in the droppings go through a maturation stage in the environment and are taken up "directly" by the pigeon through the feed or water. With indirect development the egg first has to enter an intermediate host (earthworm) in which maturation occurs. A larva develops in the egg. When the pigeon eats the infected earthworm, the mature eggs get into the intestine where the egg is dissolved. The larva is released and develops into a sexually mature worm in the intestine of the pigeon. The pigeons can only become infected by the ingestion of mature (infective) eggs. Here the danger of infection is greater with worms propagating "directly" than those which multiply by indirect development, since the pigeons can re-infect themselves continually from their own droppings. It always takes some time (at least one week) before eggs become infective. Regular removal of the droppings is therefore the best preventive method against worm infestation. Deworming must be carried out as as individual treatment, for the following reasons:
The medicine of choice is: Ivomec Cattle Wormer Injectable. Best on the market today. Effective against all worms, except tapeworms. For individual treatment. 3 drops down the throat, 2 or 3 times a year. Even helps against external parasites.
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