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Avian toxicoses: a review

Summary

Pet and wild birds can be poisoned by many common substances including metals found in cage materials, kitchen cookware fumes, toxic plants, chocolate, salt, and rodent poison. Symptoms vary by toxin but can include difficulty breathing, weakness, seizures, and bleeding. Treatment focuses on removing the source, supportive care, and specific antidotes when available, though diagnosis is often challenging due to the small size of birds.

Background

Bird species, both domestic and wild, are frequently exposed to a wide range of toxic compounds. Toxicosis in avian patients is often a clinical challenge due to limited availability of specific diagnostic tests and the small blood volumes available from birds. Understanding common avian toxicoses is essential for veterinary practitioners.

Objective

This literature review provides a comprehensive outline of the most common toxicoses in birds, including their clinical presentation, diagnostic approaches, and treatment options. The review covers environmental, dietary, pharmacological, and plant-based toxins affecting avian species.

Results

The review identified and detailed multiple categories of avian toxicoses including heavy metals, polytetrafluoroethylene, smoke, hydrocarbons, tea tree oil, sodium chloride, alcohol, urea, methylxanthines, mycotoxins, cyanobacterial toxins, rodenticides, avocado, toxic plants, and pharmaceutical agents. Clinical signs, diagnostic approaches, and treatment protocols are presented for each toxin category.

Conclusion

Management of avian toxicoses involves patient stabilization, decontamination, improving toxin elimination, and supportive care. Diagnosis often relies on history and clinical signs since specific tests are frequently unavailable. Understanding toxin-specific treatment approaches is essential for improving outcomes in affected birds.
  • Published in:Frontiers in Veterinary Science,
  • Study Type:Review,
  • Source: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1572736, PMID: 40860922
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