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Does Your Bird Have a Healthy Beak?

Parrot holding tooth brush

While it’s true some species twitter and chatter more than others, every bird’s beak tells a story. A bird’s beak is a picture of their overall health and a snapshot of how they’re doing. It would, of course, be great to say that a healthy beak equals a healthy bird, and if that were the case, all wellness exams would just be a glance at their nose! 

Let’s explore more of what we can hope to learn by examining your bird’s beak, how often we should examine it, common things to look out for, and Dickinson Animal Hospital & Pet Wellness Center’s best practices for a healthy, happy bird.

Beaks and Nutrition

Here, our team knows that what your bird eats has a significant impact on their health. During your bird’s appointment with us, we ask that you bring in a small sample of their food and take a picture of it for this very reason. We will go over the best diet for your bird because what they eat can directly affect their beak. 

On the other side of the coin, if physical damage or disease is impacting your bird’s beak, this can prevent them from getting the proper nutrition. Even an overgrown beak can stop a bird from eating. While an overgrown beak can be filed down in a simple procedure with us, it is not recommended as a DIY project. 

Beaks for Fun

Unlike cats and dogs who have toys mostly for fun, bird toys can provide much-needed enrichment and medical benefits, such as keeping their beak in good shape. Toys are more of a necessity for birds than a luxury, though we don’t know many bird parents who don’t spoil their feathered babies. 

Regular, daily observation of your bird, whether they like to be handled or not, is critical in checking for a healthy beak. Birds use their beak like an extra claw and can break it while playing, chewing, climbing, etc. If you notice something wrong with your bird’s beak, please give us a call right away because this is such a vital part of your bird’s body that a beak issue can cause things to go wrong very quickly. 

Beak Wellness

Above all else, we prize wellness to keep all pets happy, healthy, and illness-free. Wellness checks help us catch potential problems in advance, like checking your bird for disease with fecal exams. They also benefit from an expert evaluation from our bird veterinarian, Dr. Robin Scott, who is specialty certified by the American Board of Veterinary Practice (ABVP) in Avian Practice. Our Dr. Scott can help us work with you to spot problems you didn’t even know were there. For example, birds can develop infections in their beak, with some bacteria, parasites, and viruses attacking that area of your pet’s body.

Give us a call at (281) 337-4535 to schedule your next wellness appointment or beak trim today at Dickinson Animal Hospital & Pet Wellness Center. We are here to answer any questions you may have.