Need input on birds and smoke inhilation please?

[Welshanne]

This morning our toaster blocked and the burnt toast nearly went up in flames. I was the other side of our bungalow and on going out to the kitchen could hardly see my hand in front of me for smoke. John was sitting at the table reading with the birds cages around him unaware of what was happening! I galloped around opening windows and doors and unplugging the toaster and emptying it as quickly as I could. Had to put tap on the blackened toast to stop it smoking. Our weather is middle of a Winter storm but the windows and doors were left open and the cage in the stream of smoke mainly was Jay our blue fronted Amazon. It left him gasping for breath and really distressed. We cleared the air and I rang our Vet for some advise but to be honest the young girl on the other end of the phone knew a lot less than I did.
We put them all out in our conservatory and it was clear out there so soon settled them all. Jay took about an hour to stop gasping and getting back to his normal self. I had thought of putting him in the bathroom and filling it with steam from hot taps so he could inhale it but as he improved and it being bitterly cold I did not attempt anything more.
Thought of oxygen and perhaps a nebuliser but did not have either at hand. What could I do in the future should something simular ever happen? Was there something else I could have done today? Help!

 

[roxynoodle]

Oh my gosh, Ann, I'm so sorry. I don't know any more than you do, I'm afraid but want to bump this up for you.

I don't know if sitting in the bathroom with the shower running to steam it up would help Jay or hinder him.

 

[merlinsmom13]

How scary, no advice, but sending good thoughts that everybirdie is ok

 

[solo]

i have no advice sorry

 

[yvette]

I would have done the same thing. I think you did the right thing. Its tough when these things happen, so quickly! Glad you guys are all ok.

 

[JLcribber]

I'm sorry this happened Ann. You did all anyone can do short of having an oxygen bottle on hand. "Rinsing" them with clean air is about the only other thing you can do. Sounds like Jay got a good dose of the smoke. He could still be in danger for the next 48 hours at least. Their air systems are so fragile it doesn't take much to really damage it. Some of the damage he sustained is going to be permanent. How much and how bad who knows?

For the future make sure John does not build anymore toast fires.

 

[suncoast]

How is Jay now?

Ginger

 

[Welshanne]

Jay is breathing a lot easier now and seems to be his usual self besides now thank you all. I rang another friend who uses a nebuliser on a Macaw with damaged air sacs and breathing problems and she agreed I did all I could at the time.
It shook me up a lot because of the relationship between Jay and I it makes him very special, and an ongoing battle to get him to come over to my side. Hope you can understand where I am coming from! He is the most awkward of all of our five parrots but the only one that can have me in tears! How daft am I?
Emergency over for this time, just wondering how long it would have taken John to notice the smoke had I not got there! Think it would have been when the print in front of his eyes was obliterated!

 

[Hankmacaw]

Sorry about the accident, Ann. The same type of thing happened to me while traveling in the motorhome. I put a pork chop in the microwave to thaw for dinner and put the oven on cook instead of defrost by mistake. I then went outside to start the BBQ. When I finally looked back at the MH smoke was just boiling out. I got both birds and brought them outside and left them out until I had the MH cleared.

As a result both of them developed anthracosis - which means carbon deposits in the lungs and airsacs. There is no treatment and it can be totally benign and never interfere with the bird's health. But (isn't there always a but) you should watch all of the birds, especially Jay, very closely for a few weeks for any sign of infections in the lungs. The tissues have bee irritated and that will provide conditions beneficial for opportunistic bacteria and fungus.

ML

 

[Thugluvgrl187]

Oh no! I am so sorry this happened. You did great by leaping into action and doing what you did. Keep an eye on him. Wishing for the best .

 

[Welshanne]

Thanks for the advice Mary, much appreciated. will be watching them all as I usually do but these accidents happen when you least expect them don't they?
They are all looking fine tonight and hopefully we will learn by our mistakes. I am going to be sure to clean out the toaster on a regular basis and not let that happen again for sure.
You were lucky to have saved your mobile home it could have gone up in smoke also couldn't it? Suppose that is why they are called "accidents" they come out of the blue and when we least expect them.

 

[Anne & Gang]

 

[Welshanne]

Jay is back to his Annabel lectur ways today thank goodness. Never thought I would be happy to be saying that! Just hoping that there will be no lasting effect to him and only time will tell.
Cannot trust my old toaster anylonger and it is on the blink anyway so going to have to replace it pronto for peace of mind. At least we could have been worse off and that was taken as a warning.

 

[ncGreyBirdLady]

 

[kcbee]

Glad Jay is doing fine! You did a great job acting quickly and remaining calm to help the birds.

 

[Welshanne]

Thanks for that Kacy, my nursing experience over the years came to the fore and got used once again!

 

[waterfaller1]

Oh how frightening Ann! I am so glad it was not any worse. I send good energy to Jay, and Hugs to you.

 

[Welshanne]

Thank you all and it has just been brought home to me how close we came to losing some or all of our dear parrots.
A lovely friend Scarlett had lost her Macaw Molly just a short while ago.
they gave a home to birds with issues and Molly was one of them but became ill after doing so well with them. Within the time they tried to get her to their Vet she passed away. they are naturally devastated and so are we but only knew her second hand if you like, how they must be feeling I just do not know.
Felt so strongly about it all have sent for a new toaster not to have to ignore the warning and have done something about it.

 

[Sassyjaygrl]

I had this happen last week too!! I eneded up actually having a fireplace fire due to a malfunction in my pellet stove, the only reason all my pets are safe was my son was home sick.

I had just replaced all the batteries in my smoke dectors too.

 

[Welshanne]

This is so devastating for my friends and just been talking with Tristan on the phone with him crying, what on earth can you say or do to help them through this pain? it takes time and has to be worked through, but so hard on them they are such a lovely couple.