Description
This article is from the Pet Owner's Guide
to Common Small Animal Poisons, by Julie Dahlke, DVM, a
graduate of the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary
Medicine.
Miscellaneous: Teflon - X
Teflon toxicity occurs most often in pet birds and in the 1990 AAPCC
report on small animal poisoning, resulted in 5 of 425 fatalities. The
problem arises when pots or pans containing either Teflon(tm) or
Silverstone(tm) are left on a hot stove until heated to >280 degrees
Celsius (generally when a pan is forgotten on a hot stove for some
time until it is "white hot"). The result is the release of toxic
particles into the air that cause severe damage to the bird's lungs
when inhaled. Birds are unable to clear the toxic particles by
exhaling, coughing, etc. and are therefore more susceptible to this
type of poisoning. Although hard to avoid as it results from an
accident, it might be a good idea to house pet birds a distance from
the kitchen (especially if you tend to be an absent-minded cook!)
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small animal, pet, poison, guide, plant, drugs, chocolate, cleaning products, fertilizer, flea, insecticides
