Avian Medicine Q&A 07

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A pet bird owner calls your clinic because she found her bird chewing on a house plant. She is worried that it could be poisonous and does not know what to do.

Question	Answer		Article
What would the proper response be to this owner?	The proper response includes taking a full history: Is the bird showing any signs of ill health? What type of plant and what part of the plant did the bird chew? The frequency of clinical toxicosis from plant ingestion is rare. Most parrots just chew or shred the plant rather than ingest it. Any part of the plant may be toxic, e.g. the leaves or fruit.		Link to Article
What are the primary problems with inappropriate plant ingestion?	The primary problems with plant ingestion are oral irritation, regurgitation and diarrhoea. From clinical studies, there are very few plants that are proven toxic to birds but it is wise to look the plant up to check on any potential toxic effects.		Link to Article
How would you treat the case?	Treatment would include: Observation but no treatment so long as the bird shows no clinical signs. Oral gavaging of an activated charcoal slurry to inhibit absorption of any toxic plant chemicals. Supportive therapy, including tube feeding and fluid therapy. The oral mucosa may have suffered local irritation.		Link to Article