Sudden death in ten psittacine birds associated with the operation of a self-cleaning oven.

Psittacine birds can develop severe and often fatal pneumonitis when exposed to various noxious inhalants. Toxicosis in these birds caused by inhalation of pyrolysis products produced from overheated polytetrafluoroethylene-coated cooking pans on stove tops is well known, but compounds emitted from burned foods and other materials can also be toxic. We present a case of fatal pneumonitis in 10 psittacine birds associated with the operation of an oven in the self-cleaning mode.