Prevalence of gastrointestinal parasites in domestic pigeons in Van province

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of intestinal parasites in pigeons raised for hobby or different purposes in Van province and to help develop protective measures for their healthy lives. The material of the study consisted of feces of 240 domestic pigeons randomly selected from 26 different cages raised for hobby purposes in Van province. Native, flotation and sedimentation techniques were used for the examination of fecal samples. Eimeria spp. oocysts were sporulated in 2.5% potassium dichromate to identify the species. In the study, 219 (91.25%) of the 240 pigeon fecal samples examined were found to be infected with one or more parasite species. There were five helminth species among the identified parasite species: Capillaria spp., Ascaridia columbea, Heterakis gallinarum, Raillietina spp. and Sygamus spp. In addition, two protozoan species, Eimeria columbarum and Eimeria labbeana, were detected as enteric protozoa. The most common parasite species in the examined fecal samples were as follows: Eimeria columbarum (63 samples, 26.25%), Eimeria labbeana (58 samples, 24.17%), Capillaria spp. (34 samples, 14.17%), Ascaridia columbea (22 samples, 9.17%), Heterakis gallinarum (11 samples, 4.6%), Raillietina spp. (18 samples, 7.58%) and Sygamus spp. (13 samples, 5.42%). In conclusion, it was observed in this study that the rate of detection of intestinal parasites in pigeons raised for hobby or different purposes in Van province was high. Therefore, it was concluded that in order to reduce the prevalence of parasitic infections in pigeons in the region, animal owners should be informed, attention should be paid to the cleanliness and hygiene of pigeon cages, and more importance should be given to the diagnosis and treatment of intestinal parasites in these animals. Key words: Van, Pigeon, Gastrointestinal