TREATMENT OF ACUTE LEAD INGESTION IN A JUVENILE MACAW

A juvenile domestic green-winged macaw was admitted to the veterinary clinic within an hour of ingestion of lead drapery weights. Radiopaque objects were evident in the crop and ventriculus. The bird was anesth etized, and the crop was lavaged to remove lead fragments. Because lea d fragments remained in the ventriculus after lavage, chelation treatm ent was instituted. Serial radiography was done on days 2, 5, 9, and 1 4 to determine passage of the lead. By day 14, lead fragments were not visible radiographically. The macaw did not have ill effects from the lead ingestion or from medical treatments. Because this bird had been observed ingesting the lead weights, treatment was for foreign body i ngestion initially and for lead ingestion secondarily.