Treatment of lead poisoning in wild geese.

Abstract

Twenty-seven wild geese (Anser albifrons) suffering from lead poisoning caused by ingestion of lead shot were treated with disodium calcium ethylenediaminetetraacetate. The concentration of lead in blood ranged from 0.4 to 23.0 micrograms/ml, with a mean concentration of 5.6 micrograms/ml. In 22 of the birds, 1 to 48 lead pellets (mean, 10.5 pellets/bird) were seen on radiographs of their gizzards. Eleven of 27 birds recovered 3 to 8 weeks after the initiation of treatment. In the birds that recovered, the lead pellets were rapidly eroded as the birds recovered their appetites in response to treatment, and disappeared radiographically between treatment days 17 and 52. The birds that did not survive died within 4 weeks, despite decreased concentrations of lead in blood. Of these 16 birds, 15 had radiographic evidence of impaction of the proventriculus at the first examination and no evidence of resolution of the impaction at the time of death. In contrast, only 2 of the 11 geese that recovered had impaction of the proventriculus at the time of admission. Thus, the condition of the proventriculus seems to be the first consideration to evaluate in the prognosis of lead poisoning in geese.

• Authors: T Murase, T Ikeda, I Goto, O Yamato, K Jin, Y Maede
• Journal: Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (J Am Vet Med Assoc) Vol. 200 Issue 11 Pg. 1726-9 (Jun 01 1992) ISSN: 0003-1488 [Print] United States
• PMID: 1624358 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Edetic Acid

Topics

• Animals
• Animals, Wild
• Bird Diseases (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy)
• Edetic Acid (therapeutic use)
• Geese
• Lead Poisoning (diagnostic imaging, drug therapy, veterinary)
• Radiography