Introduction in a panic. Need advice urgently!

[Kate & Willow]

Hello everyone,

This is so not the way I wanted to introduce ourselves to the forum. But.....

Willow, my very dear 5 month old cockatiel, has just had a nibble or two of avocado flesh (no pit or skin).
My boyfriend brought salad round (unaware of the danger) and unfortunately Willow spotted the avocado before I did.

I have read various seemingly reputable reports on the internet that indicate that this could cause serious if not fatal problems.

Do I need to contact the 24 hour vet?

As I said, not the happy introduction I had in mind, but any advice would be very gratefully received.
I don't know what I would do if anything happened to her. Feeling guilty and desperately worried .

Thank you so much and hope to be back soon under better circumstances.

[liz]

You don't know exactly how much she ate so keep a close eye on her and be prepared to run to the Vet. You can't make her throw it up so stuff her to push it through. Rice, corn, lettuce, white beans and whatever else she likes that she will eat a lot of.

Keep me posted.

[Wolf]

Avacados contain a chemical called persin that affects their heart causing heart failure. I looke it up and this is the best explaination that I found.

The bark, twigs, leaves of the avocado tree, and the skin and pit of the avocado fruit contain a toxin called persin. Persin in avocados is dangerous to birds and to other animals including dogs, cats, rabbits and horses. There may be other enzymes/chemicals in the avocado that may cause an animal’s body to fail at processing proteins, also. Reactions noted in birds are heart rhythm problems, heart failure, breathing difficulties and sudden death. What is positively known is there is documented evidence that the bark, twigs, skin and pit can be toxic. Warnings have been issued about feeding avocado to parrots since the 1940s.

After this much time if your bird is not having problem such a labored breathing then it will probably be fine but if it starts breathing hard or develops any diahreha get it to an avian vet right away or it may die.

[Wolf]

I am sorry, Liz, but that won't help.

[liz]

I am sorry, Liz, but that won't help.

That is all I could think of and no one else had responded yet. Momma instinct is to dilute the effects with other food and push it through.

[felix11]

Avocado flesh isn't poisonous - only the skin and seed. If your bird still seems fine, it is fine.

[Wolf]

Avocado flesh isn't poisonous - only the skin and seed. If your bird still seems fine, it is fine.

Not always true as it is dependent on how sensitive your bird is to some of the other compounds found in the avocado, besides persin. Either way, I will not chance it with my birds.

[Kate & Willow]

On behalf of Willow and myself, thank you all for your replies.

I will briefly recount the advice given to me last night by my (Willow's!) avian vet and the Veterinary Poisons Unit (UK):

Symptoms may become apparent between 4 and 29 hours of ingestion and may include lethargy, loss of balance, excess fluffing, and respiratory distress.

Feeding her honeydew melon was suggested by the vet.

At present she is her usual lively little self so will keep a close eye on her but fingers crossed!

May this be a lesson for me (and for the salad provider whose credit card is now down £65 for the out of hours vet consultation)!

[Wolf]

Add to your vets list of symptoms diarrhea. This may lead to dehydration. the labored breathing may also signal an erratic heartbeat. So if you see any of these symptoms get your bird to the vet in haste.