Smoke Inhalation

[JackieR]

Freaking out and hoping to hear from someone that has experienced something like this before. I would call the vet but our vet, the only avian vet in the area, is closed until tomorrow morning.

I have a pellet smoker I use frequently, it sits outside my house. I was smoking some bbq today and the smoker malfunctioned and shut down. This created a cloud of white woodsmoke when the fire went out. My bird was in our sunroom off the back of the house and a few of the windows were slightly open. Before I realized what was happening, the smoke wafted in through a cracked window and filled the room with smoke. I’m not sure exactly how long the smoke was in there before I noticed, not more than 10 minutes or so.

I immediately removed him from the room and brought him inside. He seems fine but I’m panicking. How dangerous is wood smoke? I know that any smoke exposure is bad, but I’m reading conflicting info online about what the specific dangers are. When I type in anything about smoke most of the questions are about cigarette smoke or burning things in the kitchen.

It has been a few hours and he is acting normal, does that mean the worst of the danger is passed? What signs should I look for? Other than the immediate risk of carbon dioxide poisoning, is the greatest danger that it could cause a respiratory infection of some kind? How long until he is in the clear? Again I do plan on calling my vet as soon as they open! I have given him a shower to try to remove the smokey smell and he has been drinking and eating. Has anyone had a similar experience and were their birds alright?

I feel terrible! it was kind of a freak thing, the wind had to be blowing just a certain way for it to blow in the open window, this has never happened before in the three or so years we’ve used the smoker in this spot. I will not leave him in the sunroom anymore when it’s running.

This is plain untreated wood smoke, for cooking, nothing highly toxic or anything burning at high heat. The smoker is cast iron with no nonstick surface or anything like that. Again, I realize that smoke in general is bad, hence my concern, I know people will ask if there was anything nonstick, so just want to clarify what was burning!

 

[Free as a bird]

Freaking out and hoping to hear from someone that has experienced something like this before. I would call the vet but our vet, the only avian vet in the area, is closed until tomorrow morning.

I have a pellet smoker I use frequently, it sits outside my house. I was smoking some bbq today and the smoker malfunctioned and shut down. This created a cloud of white woodsmoke when the fire went out. My bird was in our sunroom off the back of the house and a few of the windows were slightly open. Before I realized what was happening, the smoke wafted in through a cracked window and filled the room with smoke. I’m not sure exactly how long the smoke was in there before I noticed, not more than 10 minutes or so.

I immediately removed him from the room and brought him inside. He seems fine but I’m panicking. How dangerous is wood smoke? I know that any smoke exposure is bad, but I’m reading conflicting info online about what the specific dangers are. When I type in anything about smoke most of the questions are about cigarette smoke or burning things in the kitchen.

It has been a few hours and he is acting normal, does that mean the worst of the danger is passed? What signs should I look for? Other than the immediate risk of carbon dioxide poisoning, is the greatest danger that it could cause a respiratory infection of some kind? How long until he is in the clear? Again I do plan on calling my vet as soon as they open! I have given him a shower to try to remove the smokey smell and he has been drinking and eating. Has anyone had a similar experience and were their birds alright?

I feel terrible! it was kind of a freak thing, the wind had to be blowing just a certain way for it to blow in the open window, this has never happened before in the three or so years we’ve used the smoker in this spot. I will not leave him in the sunroom anymore when it’s running.

This is plain untreated wood smoke, for cooking, nothing highly toxic or anything burning at high heat. The smoker is cast iron with no nonstick surface or anything like that. Again, I realize that smoke in general is bad, hence my concern, I know people will ask if there was anything nonstick, so just want to clarify what was burning!

Sorry I can see your concerned for your feathered friend but I don't know anything about wood smoke. Unless you get solid info on what else to do I would just monitor it and take it to the vet when its open as you've planned.
All the best

 

[wrench13]

Vet visit won't hurt. But that short an exposure to just plain wood smoke is unlikely to cause any long term issues. And then again there is smoke dense enough to not be able to see through and there is smoke present but mainly detected by smell rather then visually. The former might be an issue, the latter, not so much.