Chocolate Intoxication in a Budgerigar

Year 2019, Volume: 16 Issue: 1, 73 - 77, 25.03.2019

Kemal Varol

https://doi.org/10.32707/ercivet.537990

Cited By: 1

Abstract

Chocolate cause clinical symptoms in birds as other animals and is well known food toxin for animals. Toxic components of chocolate are theobromine and caffeine that are within methylxanthines. In this case report; male, four months old budgerigar with abnormal behaviour, hyperactivity, tremors, ataxia, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea referred to our clinic. According to anamnesis the budgerigar had no health problem up to last 12 hours. After that, the budgerigar ate cake containing chocolate about the size of hazelnut and also 15-20 sugar covered with cacao. After this complaints mentioned above started. In the clinical examination of the budgerigar; body temperature was 41.8oC, respiration rate was 65/minutes. In the Electrocardiography findings, pulsation was 235 beat/minutes, and ventricular arrhythmias was found. In treatment; activated carbon tablet (1-3 mg/kg) were applied to the bird in every 12 hours. Owner informed that the bird got to normal health 24 hours after the treatment. As a result; with this case report choco-late intoxication and treatment were mentioned in budgerigar.

Keywords

Chocolate toxication, budgerigar, cocoa, theobromine poisoning

References

• 1. Aiello SE. Topics in Food Hazards Chocolate Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J, U.S.A http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/toxicology/food_hazards/chocolate.html. Date of access: 07.03.2017. 2. Carpenter JW. Exotic Animal Formulary. Third Edition. St Louis (MO): Elsevier, 2005; p. 202-29. 3. Carson TL. Methylxanthines. Peterson ME, Talcott, PA. eds. In: Small Animal Toxicology. Second Edition. Saunders, Missouri: Elsevier 2006; pp. 845-52. 4. Cole G, Murray M. Suspected chocolate toxicosis in an African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) (700). Association of Avian Veterinarians Conference and Expo. August, 8-12, 2005; Monterey- California. 5. Drolet R, Arendt TD, Stowe CM. Cacao bean shell poisoning in a dog. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1984; 185(8): 902. 6. Dumonceaux G, Harrison GJ. Toxins. Ritchie BW, Harrison GJ, Harrison LR, eds. Avian Medicine Principles and Application. Delray Beach (FL): HBD International, 1999; pp. 1030-49. 7. Gartrell BD, Reid C. Death by chocolate: A fatal problem for an inquisitive wild parrot. NZ Vet J 2007; 55(3): 149-51. 8. Gwaltney-Brant S. Chocolate intoxication. Vet Med 2001; 96(2): 108-11. 9. Johnston J. Evaluation of cocoa- and coffee-derived methylxanthines as toxicants for thecontrol of pest coyotes. J Agric Food Chem 2005; 53(10): 4069-75. 10. Kaya S, Traş B. Mss’yi uyaran ilaçlar. Kaya S. eds. In: Veteriner Farmakoloji. Dördüncü Baskı. Ankara: Medisan. 2006; pp. 326-7. 11. Kovalkovičová N, Šutiaková I, Pistl J, Šutiak, V. Some food toxic for pets. Interdiscip Toxicol 2009; 2(3): 169-76. 12. LaBonde J. Toxicity in pet avian patients. Semin Avian Exot Pet 1995; 4(1): 23-31. 13. Lightfoot TL, Yeager JM. Pet bird toxicity and related environmental concerns. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2008; 11(2): 229-59. 14. Oglesbee B. Overview of avian cardiology. Western Veterinary Conference. February, 9-14, 2003; Las Vegas, Nevada-USA. 15. Pybus MJ, Hanson JA, Rippin B. The case of the killer cookies: apparent chocolate poisoning of gulls. CCWHC 1995; 3(3): 6. 16. Richardson J. Implications of toxic substances in clinical disorders. Harrison GJ, Lightfoot T, eds. In: Clinical Avian Medicine. Palm Beach (FL): Spix Publishing, 2006; pp. 711-9. 17. Sara MG. Treatment of chocolate toxicosis in a Mynah bird (a case report). Fourth International Veterinary Poultry Congress. February,16, 2014: Tehran-Iran. 18. Yaar R, Jones MR, Chen JF, Ravid K. Animal models for the study of adenosine receptor function. J Cell Physiol 2005; 202(1): 9-20.