JAMES HARRIS, DVM
Slightly bloody beak will heal
 My Congo African grey, Gaylin, lost his balance and fell off of me onto the floor. When I picked him up he seemed to be okay, then I noticed a couple of drops of blood dripping down the inside of his beak. The bleeding stopped shortly after except when he drank some water. Today he has eaten a little but not much and there has been no blood whatsoever. I do notice his beak seems to be warmer than my cockatoo's and I do not know if this could indicate an infection. Gaylin usually is very talkative in the morning but he is very quiet today. Is he in pain?
--Laura Casey, lcasey1315@hotmail.com
Yesterday my bird got scared and fell off my shoulder, banging his beak on the floor. He had a tiny speck of blood but it was gone in a second. There has been no additional bleeding and no visual damage other than a little chip mark and the tip breaking off. Now he seems to have discomfort because he is rubbing his beak a lot and dropping his food when he eats like it's hurting. Will it heal in time or is this serious?
--Donna, happyperson@aol.com
 BIRD BEAKS are one of nature's special creations. They are very much like our fingernails, but with supporting bone underneath. They also have germinal, or growth, tissue beneath the hard shell, which lets the beak grow in three directions - from top to tip, from center to edges and from deep to surface - unlike our nails, which grow in a flat sheet with growth tissue at the top. The germinal layer with its blood supply extends almost to the tip of the beak. This makes the beak a very sensitive organ, as well as a strong one. Consider how your bird can groom your eyelashes with the same beak he uses to crack a walnut! Birds that fall will sometimes land on the tip of their beak. This may chip it and expose the germinal tissue. A few drops of blood may appear, or, if the chip is large enough, the beak may bleed a lot. You should be able to stop it with a styptic powder. However, styptics can damage tissues if the injury is deep and they're overused. If there's a lot of bleeding, your veterinarian may need to cauterize the beak. The tip of the beak will be sensitive for a while and the bird may have difficulty eating some foods. As the beak grows the sensitivity will decrease. Most birds are back to normal after three to seven days. The message here is to not clip your bird's wings so severely that he drops like a stone if he's startled and tries to fly. Staying over carpeted areas is also a good idea.
James Harris, DVM is owner and medical director of the Mayfair Veterinary Clinic in Sandy Bay, Tasmania, Australia. He founded Montclair Veterinary Hospital in Oakland, Calif., and has served as medical director and chairman of the board for the International Bird Rescue Research Center in Berkeley. Dr. Harris' numerous professional honors include California and National Bustad Companion Animal DVM Awards.
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