A. The most common cause of sudden death of multiple pet birds is 'Teflon Toxicity'. When various non-stick surfaces such as Teflon overheat, they release a gas that is colorless and odorless. This gas, although harmless to mammals, is extremely toxic to birds.
Polytetrafluoroethylene gas is released when these coated surfaces are heated to above 530 degrees Fahrenheit. The lungs are the target organ for this gas. Sudden death is usually the only clinical sign.

Death usually occurs too quickly for treatment to be initiated.

Teflon and similar coatings can be found in many places in the home. Common sources include non-stick cookware, irons, ironing board covers and heat lamps. The source of the toxic gas does not have to be near the birds to be fatal. The typical history usually involves a member of the family using a non-stick fry pan in the kitchen, and shortly there after finding their pet birds in another part of the house dead. Due to the facts that the gas is so toxic to birds and
there is really no easy way to know when the Teflon surface is over heated, we recommend not using Teflon type cookware when birds are in the same household.

This column addresses new developments in animal care as well as issues that New Jersey veterinarians encounter in their practices. The information is prepared as a public service by the New Jersey Veterinary Medical Association.

For more information, visit http://www.njvma.org

Questions may be submitted to All Things Animal, 66 Morris Ave., Suite 2A, Springfield, NJ 07081.

Posted on SHARE's Yahoo group on June3, 2003