17/11/2021
My first goffin died of this. It was horrible watching her go
As if lead wasn’t bad enough, there are other forms of heavy metal toxicosis. The most common of these is caused by lead’s ugly cousin: zinc. While the two share a lot in common, there are some key differences -- sources, effects on the body, symptoms, diagnostic challenges, and treatment approaches --that set them apart. Today we embark on a deep dive into the similarities and differences between the members of this shady family.
First, let’s talk sources. Lead and zinc can be picked up through ingestion of some similar items we’ve talked about, like bits of metal from jewelry, ornamented clothing items and accessories, and home décor items. Any number of metals can contain some zinc because it is a component of many metal alloys. I once treated a parrot who became very ill with zinc toxicosis after nibbling on the edge of a decorative metal picture frame.
Believe it or not, United States pennies minted after 1982 are composed of mostly zinc. Prior to that time, they were made of 95% copper and 5% zinc, but when copper became more costly, the composition was changed to a zinc core coated with a thin layer of copper. Ingestion of pennies is a common cause of zinc toxicosis in pet poultry like chickens and ducks, and also occurs in wild birds and in zoo collections when people toss coins into lakes and ponds.
A source of zinc you may never have thought of is medication containing zinc oxide, like sunscreen and some diaper rash creams. Under the “anything is possible in this crazy world” category, I once saw a parrot who developed severe zinc toxicosis after he decided that chewing up a tube of diaper rash cream was a super fun idea. He ultimately recovered and did great, but it was worrisome there for a bit.
Besides these sources, there is a whole other category of items containing zinc that we need to consider: zinc galvanized metals, including wire, hardware, and fasteners. In the right circumstances, these materials can pose a threat to curious birds. Please stay tuned for the next post to find out how.
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https://www.aav.org/blogpost/1907684/383600/Zinc-Lead-s-Ugly-Cousin
