Duck deaths prompt warning over avocado toxicity

Agriculture Victoria is reminding poultry owners not to feed avocados to ducks after a sudden death incident in the state’s south-west triggered an emergency disease investigation.

The case involved seven ducks dying within minutes of each other at a backyard property, prompting an immediate response through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.

Veterinary officers initially treated the incident as a potential outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly known as bird flu, due to the rapid onset of deaths.

Officials instructed the owner to isolate surviving birds and securely store the carcasses while Agriculture Victoria staff conducted post-mortems and collected samples for testing.

Investigators later discovered the ducks had been fed six whole avocados several hours before the deaths occurred. Laboratory testing confirmed the birds died from persin toxicity, a naturally occurring compound found in avocados that is highly toxic to many bird species.

Authorities say affected birds can show signs including breathing difficulties, lethargy, swelling around the chest and neck, and sudden death. Treatment options are limited and often unsuccessful.

Agriculture Victoria says the case highlights the importance of reporting sudden or unusual livestock and poultry deaths quickly, even when the final cause is not an emergency animal disease.

Producers and backyard poultry owners are being encouraged to contact the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline if they notice unexplained illness or deaths among animals or birds.