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- Tapeworm (Cestodiasis)
Disease
Tapeworm (Cestodiasis)
الديدان الشريطية
Cestodiasis
Educational content for breeders — not a substitute for veterinary advice. Doses and treatments here are general; actual diagnosis and treatment must be supervised by a veterinarian.
Worms that live in the small intestine and need an intermediate host (an insect) to complete their life cycle, so they are mostly transmitted when pigeons eat insects carrying the larvae.
Symptoms
General lethargy and sluggishness, gradual weight loss in moderate to heavy infestations.
Causes
Tapeworms (Cestodes)
Transmission
Eating intermediate-host insects carrying the larvae.
Diagnosis
Microscopic examination of the droppings, or seeing worm segments (proglottids) in the droppings.
Treatment
Moxidectin, levamisole, or ivermectin depending on availability.
Prevention
Loft hygiene, insect vector control, deworming program every 6 months.
References
Egyptian Health Council – Pigeon Diseases 2025
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