# rehab from avitrol poisoning-help!



## sheilarenee712 (Feb 15, 2005)

Where I work, much to my dismay they are poisoning the resident pigeons. I am working on getting them to stop but in the meantime, one employee has rescued a pigeon that was poisoned and is still hanging on. He seems to do well, eats and drinks, but has a problem with his equalibrium and this morning his head was drooping to one side. Can anyone help? I have called the local wildlife rehab and they are going to research and get back to me. But if anyone can help in the meantime I would really appreciate it!


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## Birdmom4ever (Jan 14, 2003)

How awful! Thank you for helping this poor pigeon. It's encouraging that he's still eating and drinking. Supplemental heat would help as well. Can you put a heating pad on "low" under his box or cage? 

Where are you located? Is it possible for you to take him to an avian vet? My vets will take in sick or wounded pigeons and treat them for free if the finder signs the bird over to them. There's a listing of avian vets on this site:

http://www.aav.org/

Unfortunately I don't know much about Avitrol except that it's used to poison pigeons.  Hopefully someone with experience rehabbing a pigeon exposed to Avitrol will be along to give you more advice. But the best bet is to get the pigeon to a vet or rehabber.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Hello and welcome to pigeons.com. I am very sorry to learn that Avitrol is being used in an attempt to deter pigeons at your work location. It is an extremely cruel and largely ineffective measure in achieving a long term reduction in the pigeon population.

Avitrol does effect the nervous system, so it will be a matter of time before we know if the bird your co-worker has will be permanently disabled. There is no antidote for Avitrol, but if any future birds appear to have ingested the poison, I would suggest getting them to the closest vet as quickly as possible (make sure this vet will treat pigeons and knows what to do for Avitrol poisoning). Sometimes flushing all the contents of the digestive tract out will help as will administering Toxiban to slow the absorption of the poison. 

The use of Avitrol has been banned in many areas of the U.S. It might be worth while for you to check on this in your area and to assure that the pest control company has the necessary permits for the use of Avitrol.

How long ago was this first bird poisoned (or began showing symptoms)?

Please keep us posted.

Terry


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## Reti (Jul 20, 2003)

I hate it when this happens. I have been through this recently and it is heartbreaking.
One of my pigeons did survive the poisoning and she seems to be doing fine.
She was hanging in there for days, then she had kidney failure, but my vet saved her.
If you find more birds, the only thing you can do is take them to the vet asap. Even though by the time they show symptoms it is too late to flush their crops, it still might help sometimes, depends how full their crops are.
Toxiban helps a great deal, if you are able to administer it.
I also would suggest that you take the bird that you found to the vet and have some liver and kidney test done. The kidneys can be repaired, so does the liver.
Do not release the bird until you know for sure that it is 100% recovered. That might take a long time. Some birds might show symptoms for the rest of their lives, then of course you cannot release it.

Please keep us updated.

Reti


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## Rockie (Jan 18, 2005)

Thank you to you and your co-worker for doing all you can for this poor pij.

I have a question as well. The rehabber who initially examines my rescued pij's has said to me in the past that she thinks someone is poisoning them. I happen to be caring for 2 right now w/neurological problems. If I am feeding many, many, many pigeons and they were being poisoned, wouldn't they all get sick? The amount I rescue isn't really a fraction of the total population.

Also, does anyone know what this Avitrol looks like? 

Thanks for any info on the subject.

I wish your little pij the best and the strength to come through this well.


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Everyone,

I found a thread from 2002 which discusses avitrol poisoning and some possibilities for treatment, from a vet and at home. As I said, it is pretty old information, so hopefully the advice given then will still apply:
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=1013)

Hope this helps......so sorry this has happened.

Linda


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## sheilarenee712 (Feb 15, 2005)

Thank you all for the info. I have another question, where can I get toxiban and since the bird was poisoned about 5 days ago will it help? How will I know if the pigeon is having kidney failure? Are there any outward symptoms? The gentleman taking care of "Walter Pigeon" has said that he will keep him permanently if he cannot recover.

Thanks all,
Sheila


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Hi Sheila,

Thank you for trying to help this poor pigeon. According to the thread I had found and posted discussing avitrol poisoning, it sounded as if a vet was needed to obtain and administer the Toxiban. If there is any way possible to have a veterinarian check out this bird, that may be the way to go.....I am sorry I cannot be of more help. Hopefully, other members who have been through this before (such as Terry and Reti) will be back on soon to answer your questions definitively. Good luck and best wishes going out toward poor "Walter Pigeon."

Linda


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Rockie said:


> If I am feeding many, many, many pigeons and they were being poisoned, wouldn't they all get sick? The amount I rescue isn't really a fraction of the total population.


Not necessarily .. only those who ingested enough of the tainted bait food would be showing symptoms.



> Also, does anyone know what this Avitrol looks like?


You can't see it ..and it's odorless .. It comes in a powder/crystal
form. Bait food can be gotten that is pretreated with Avitrol, or pest
control companies can prepare their own "lethal cocktails".

Terry


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Lin Hansen said:


> I found a thread from 2002 which discusses avitrol poisoning and some possibilities for treatment, from a vet and at home. As I said, it is pretty old information, so hopefully the advice given then will still apply:
> http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/showthread.php?t=1013)
> Linda


Linda .. you are at absolute wizard at finding these old and helpful posts! Thank you!

Terry


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## Lin Hansen (Jan 9, 2004)

Thank you so much Terry.....I am blushing  ......LOL

Just remember, all that great information wouldn't be there to find if not for all our very knowlegable members posting it in the first place! (And you were one of them!)
So thanks right back atcha. 

Linda


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

sheilarenee712 said:


> I have another question, where can I get toxiban and since the bird was poisoned about 5 days ago will it help? How will I know if the pigeon is having kidney failure? Are there any outward symptoms? The gentleman taking care of "Walter Pigeon" has said that he will keep him permanently if he cannot recover.


Toxiban would have to be gotten from a vet. You can also get activated charcoal capsules from most health food or drug stores and try that in a pinch .. dissolve the charcoal granules in water and syringe to the bird .. I think the amounts are in the link that Linda posted.

Ipecac is used to cause vomiting .. be careful that the bird doesn't aspirate if it is having convulsions.

After 5 days, neither Toxiban, activated charcoal, or Ipecac will be of any benefit to the bird. These things need to be done right away.

As to kidney/liver failure, a vet would have to do a blood test and let you know if that was happening. Symptoms would be loss of appetite, loss of weight, lethargy, being puffed up/eyes closed/hunched. Unfortunately all the symptoms I just described could be symptoms of other things.

The key to saving any additional poisoned birds and having them suffer a minimal amount of damage is to get them to a qualified vet for treatment right away.

The gentleman looking after Walter is very kind to offer a forever home.

Terry


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