🩺 Health & Disease · 7 min
Coccidiosis and internal parasites
Why this matters
Internal parasites are normal in wild birds and dangerous in stressed ones, and the treatments are specific rather than general.
By the end of this lesson you will be able to
- Describe the course of coccidiosis and how it is transmitted
- Name the treatments for roundworm and tapeworm
- Explain why a single broad anti-parasitic is not adequate
Coccidiosis
Coccidia are unicellular protozoan parasites that invade the cells lining the gastrointestinal tract, and also the kidneys and liver. The resulting inflammation and cell destruction is the disease. It is highly infectious, young birds are more susceptible than adults, and untreated it can be fatal.
Transmission is by all of the routes at once: direct contact, ingestion of infected material, and contaminated environment.
The course, as the manual sets it out:
- Flecks of red appear in the mutes. The bird's behaviour barely changes.
- A few days later the mutes turn watery and black, and the castings are slimy, dark brown and foul smelling.
- About a week in, the appetite fails suddenly.
Treatment started in the first stage, before the mutes turn black, is most effective. As with any disease, treatment goes to the veterinarian.
Worms
| Parasite | Notes | Treatment |
|---|---|---|
| Roundworms (nematodes) | Ascarids live free in the intestine absorbing nutrients from the host's food. Harmless unless numerous. | Piperazine, fenbendazole (Panacur) |
| Tapeworms (cestodes) | Common, usually low pathogenicity. In high numbers cause weight loss or intestinal obstruction. Rodents are the intermediate host. Segments are visible in mutes without a microscope. | Praziquantel |
There is no all-around wormer
The claim that intestinal parasites can be handled with a single all-around anti-parasitic such as ivermectin is false. Nematodes, cestodes and protozoans all require different medications. This is a diagnosis-then-treat problem, not a dose-and-hope one.
Why parasites matter more in your bird than in a wild one
Parasites are common in healthy wild birds. They are more prevalent and far more consequential in debilitated ones, because a stressed, sick or injured raptor has a compromised immune system. A parasite load is therefore often a symptom of something else as much as a problem in itself.
This lesson is part of the NY Falconry Exam course. Open it in the course to answer the retrieval checks that go with it, track what you have read, and quiz the whole unit. Lessons, quizzes and the glossary are free.