Punctured Beak

[joey1234]

Hey everyone,

I'm new here-- I have two bonded male African Greys (14 and 15 years old). They're my everything. Yesterday, the larger of my two baby boys attacked his mate and punctured his lower beak. I have an appointment scheduled for both (in two weeks), and was instructed to bring him in on an emergency basis if anything changes. I'm also waiting to hear back from a larger veterinary clinic. The puncture wound is about 3-4 mm wide and 1-1.5 mm deep.

Has anyone experienced something like this before? I've been rinsing it with saline and then purified water about three times a day and am waiting for an order of MediHoney and manuka honey to arrive. He's eating well, but I've been giving him soft foods as a precaution-- broth, soft boiled egg, his usual fruit and veggie mash. Is there something else I should be doing?

 

[Shezbug]

From my understanding they really need some pain relief when decent damage is done to their beaks. It’s like having a smashed tooth… OUCH!!

 

[joey1234]

I was worried about that, but it doesn't seem to be bothering him thankfully. I found some old posts recommending Orabase (similar to Orajel?), but I'm really hesitant to use that without a vet's seal of approval.

 

[rocky'smom]

Call the vet and ask, but remember it has benzocaine and anything 'caine' in it maybe toxic to you feathered friends. That was told to me by a veterinarian.

 

[joey1234]

Yeah, that's what I was thinking-- I definitely wouldn't use it without a vet's recommendation first. The vet's been called, and I've been monitoring him closely for any changes. Has anybody used manuka honey or MediHoney on beaks? I've been waiting for the vet to call me back regarding its use but his appointment isn't for another week and a half, and I really don't want it to get infected. I know antibiotics are really hard on their systems, so I definitely want to avoid that.

 

[Shezbug]

@Hankmacaw ?

 

[Hankmacaw]

Sorry, but I have little to no faith in that honey. You should be aware that antibiotics are not hard on a bird, if used properly and it's the right antibiotic for the right purpose.

If it were my bird, I would first call the vet and ask if he could prescribe some metacam until the bird's appointment. If the vet won't do that, get some triple antibiotic salve and put a LITTLE on the wound a couple of times a day. It is very benign and will help to keep any infections subdued. Please don't use alcohol or peroxide on the wound.

 

[joey1234]

I'll find out more about the metacam. I was advised by two different vet clinics to not use triple antibiotic salve on his beak, but neither gave me a reason (both were busy, so I didn't ask any follow-up questions). And no, I would never put alcohol or peroxide on any wound, but especially one with so many nerve endings and cells actively trying to produce keratin to cover it.

I put some manuka honey on it last night and this afternoon-- I'm mostly using it as a barrier against infection and to cover up any exposed nerves. I know parrots are experts at hiding their pain, but I'm good at telling when he's bothered by something, and thankfully he's been acting completely normal and eating well. The wound is on the side his lower beak, so my guess is there's less sensory nerves there.

Also, new keratin is very quickly covering the edges of the wound, with luck it'll be healed over by next week!!