1. Pharmacokinetics of acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) and sodium salicylate (SS) were assessed following single intravenous (i.v.) and oral administration at doses of 50 mg/kg body weight to chickens and turkeys. Plasma drug concentrations were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and pharmacokinetic variables were calculated using a non-compartmental model. 2. The mean residence time (MRT) of salicylate (SA) after i.v. administration of SS was 6.08 ± 0.59 and 3.32 ± 0.27 h and after oral administration was 6.95 ± 0.72 and 4.55 ± 0.71 h in chickens and turkeys, respectively. The elimination half-life (T 1/2 e) was shorter in turkeys compared with chickens. The value of body clearance (ClB) was higher in turkeys than in chickens, but the apparent volume of distribution (V ss) was similarly low in both species. The bioavailability of SS was complete and the maximal plasma concentration of SA (C max) after oral administration was 96.93 ± 8.06 and 91.76 ± 9.64 µg/ml, respectively, in chickens and turkeys. 3. The MRT of ASA after iv administration was 0.24 ± 0.08 and 0.24 ± 0.02 h and after oral administration was 0.78 ± 0.25 and 0.59 ± 0.13 h, respectively, in chickens and turkeys. In both species, T 1/2 e was very short, ClB and V ss were similar and markedly higher than those of salicylate. The bioavailability of unchanged ASA was low and C max after oral administration was 6.9 ± 3.6 µg/ml in chickens and 8.6 ± 1.3 µg/ml in turkeys.