Blood morphology in quails after poisoning with fenitrothion

1. The purpose of this study was to determine changes in the blood of Pharaoh quails after fenitrothion intoxication, to define the duration of disturbances caused by intoxication and to examine possible sex differences in the birds' reaction to intoxication. 2. Fenitrothion reduced the number of erythrocytes, haemoglobin level and haematocrit value, but increased erythroblast and reticulocyte numbers. 3. Fenitrothion caused neutrophilic leucocytosis with lymphopaenia and eosinopaenia. 4. In males, changes in the blood appeared far earlier than in females and they underwent compensation earlier, i.e. 3 weeks after intoxication the majority of the haematological parameters reached values similar to those of the controls.