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Urgent Toxic fumes

soleaux

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We have a cleaning lady that comes every 2 weeks. The birdroom does not get sprayed with cleaning products but the bathrooms do.

Yesterday I did the stupidest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I took my conure Basil into the bathroom about 1.5hours after the cleaning and gave her a bath. I am normally VERY careful to wait until the fumes dissipate to take them into any other room on cleaning days, at least half a day until I cannot smell ANYTHING, but I had allergies and a stuffed nose that day and couldn’t smell at all. I guess this didn’t register. Five minutes after her bath and I returned her to the cage, she could not balance properly, was falling off her perch, puffed up, breathing so hard.

I took her outside for 20 minutes while calling my regular avian vet and various clinics. Ended up taking her to the ER, where she spent the night in an oxygen tank and was given a subcutaneous fluid injection/fluids.

This morning I went to pick her up and she still looks so bad. I didnt want to keep her there any longer so I took her home. She still cannot balance properly and is extremely wobbly. She did try to take a few bites of her food and flew (clumsily) to her favorite playstand perch, but is really lethargic and slow. She kept trying to come to me when I put her in her cage and i was afraid she’d fall and hurt herself (she was wobbling all over the place) or get restless/stressed, so I ended up taking her out and letting her nap on my chest. It’s been about an hour, currently she is still asleep.

I made an appointment tomorrow for my regular avian vet and I opened the window, have her food and water next to me here and hope she will eat a little when she wakes. Is there anything I can do for her? Does anyone else have experience with birds exposed to toxic fumes? Is this prolonged reaction normal to five minutes of exposure, 1.5 hours after the cleaning has happened?

I am so mad and angry and upset at myself, I am always SO careful. In all my years of bird keeping I have never made a mistake as stupid as this. If i lose her I will never forgive myself.
 

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Peachfaced

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Praying. I hope with time and a little extra TLC, she'll be on the mend. :sadhug2:
 

Hankmacaw

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There is very little that can be done for toxic fume poisoning.

First Aid for Poison / Toxin Exposure:

Inhalation: If the toxin is inhaled, such as fumes from a Teflon pan, remove the bird to a well-ventilated area. Steam may help reduce upper airway irritation and to help breathing. To this end, place the bird into a bathroom with shower (hot water) running.

First Aid for Birds | Beauty of Birds
Your vet may choose the following therapies:

  • Humidify oxygen therapy.Provide diuretics for pulmonary edema. Bronchodilators may be helpful.Give anti-inflammatory drugs* and broad-spectrum antibiotics.Provide thermal regulation and nutritional support.Hydration therapy may be necessary

Your best bet right now is to get your bird to the vet so he can put it in oxygen, give an anti-inflammatory and fluids. If he isn't eating he may need gavage feeding as well.

Good luck with your baby. We have al made errors that could have killed our birds.
 

Greencheek Lee

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I'm so sorry, I hope Basil is back to normal soon. Wish I had advice to give:(
 

sunnysmom

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I'm so sorry. I hope she's better soon.
 

soleaux

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Hi everyone, thank you. :( I hope she’ll pull through. I feel so helpless and scared right now.

PS - Never allow Fabreeze to be used in your house. It is deadly.
Hi Hank, thank you for the advice and the links. I will try running a shower for her when she wakes. I made it very clear no Febreze is allowed in the house under any circumstances, but left out other cleaners after reading about people saying it was okay if well ventilated/not in the same room and kept separate until dissapation which had been our routine for years. Now I wish I had just cut them out completely, but there’s nothing I can do except hope she pulls through tomorrow for our appointment. :(
 

Tiel Feathers

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I’m so sorry she’s so sick from this, and I hope she makes a full recovery.
:sadhug2:
 

Lady Jane

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Please understand our birds are very fragile to many things but we cannot put them in a bubble. You try to make things safe and something unexpected comes along to scare you to death. Please don't be hard on yourself. You handled the situation well.
 

WendyN

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Prayers for quick recovery.
:bighug:
 

Brittany0208

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Hope she pulls through :sadhug:
 

soleaux

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Please understand our birds are very fragile to many things but we cannot put them in a bubble. You try to make things safe and something unexpected comes along to scare you to death. Please don't be hard on yourself. You handled the situation well.
Reading this through tears. Thank you everyone :sad11:

I ran the shower for her for 20 min, she was taking 2-3 bites from some corn in her food bowl intermittedly and then stopping to close her eyes, as if those small nibbles were tiring. But at least she’s “okay” enough to show interest in food.. She barely ate anything all yesterday (and now today), it’s amazing and terrifying how fast they lose weight. Her keel already feels sharper than two days ago.

She was too restless to go into a small “hospital” container so I ended up making a safe area with many towels on one of the upper platforms in her cage and am keeping it covered. Can hear the occasional beak grinding. I’m glad she at least feels safe and comfortable enough to do that :cry:
 

Mockinbirdiva

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Prayers she pulls through.
 

soleaux

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Just checked up on her. She’s breathing and sleeping but completely prone, she didn’t tuck her head behind her so it’s listing sideways, with her cheekbone facing up. That can’t be good can it :sad11:
 

iamwhoiam

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Hope that your little one will recover. Sending positive thoughts for her.
 

greys4u

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prayers up
 

Mark & Da Boyz

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Hope she's be OK.
 

Mockinbirdiva

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See if you can get her to take a drink of fluids ... something with electrolytes or maybe even some unsweetened apple juice can entice her. Or you could finely dice some apple and microwave it for 20 seconds... let it cool and see if she can be tempted to eat that. Hoping for the best.
 

Shezbug

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I really hope your bird will be alright. How scary for you. Best wishes for a speedy recovery for her.
 
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