Not good news for Num Num

Num Num had his re-check this morning with Evan, at the avian vets.

His beak has not mended one bit, it's entirely split vertically and separated now.

the only thing holding it together are the wires.

It's incredibly loose at the bottom on both sides of the break, where the dead tissue remains.

Evan was really hoping that it would have begun to mend, but he did warn me two weeks ago he thought it would be doubtful due to the amount of dead tissue that had already formed right after the break occurred.

Evan is not sure if there is live tissue below the dead tissue, and as Num Nums beak grows up and outwards, it will repair itself.

It's like when you damage your nail, right at the bottom of your cuticle, it turns black and blue. but as your nail grows the damaged part of the nail moves up and up, and new tissue begins to grow.

Num Num has a re-check in another month and Evan will know more then on what course of action to take. At this point he is uncertain how this is going to turn out for Num Num. He did mention this will take months and months even before we can do anything at this point.

Certainly not the news I was hoping for.

I sure hope everyone who has chains on their toys have wrapped them up with vet wrap, or replaced them with safe rope for birds.

Oh Beth...I was SO hoping for some better news.

How is NumNum holding up with his beak? Can he eat at all on his own?

I'm so sorry about num num! This thing with him put the fear of god in me, I pitched everything with a chain-all of it, and replaced them with non-chain toys from her rotation bag. Hopefully this freak accident doesn't happen to any other bird. Hope he recovers

So did they let Num Num keep the bottom beak for now? Or is the part that it is attached to too loose?
I really really hope there's live tissue under the dead part so that his beak does grow back! I want to believe there is!

Thank you for sharing! I'm sure we are a lot of us waiting for Num Num updates!! How does he feels?

He's already proved how strong he is. He's been a real fighter bless him. There's still hope for him yet. Try and stay positive. He's lucky to have a wonderful parront like you caring for him. Sending hugs.

I hope that in the end the beak is able to be usible this is unfortunate news.

This is not good news but, to be honest, I did not expect anything different. In my personal experience, birds have BIG issues with blood irrigation and, when there is the minutest amount of compromise in that regard, the prognosis is almost always negative. But it's not the end of the world, he can live with half a beak with no problem. All you have to do is switch him to an all soft diet.

Oh no! I hoped for better news for him! Im so sorry! I really hope his beak does what is expected of it!

thanks guys!
Num Num is eating entirely on his own, I no longer crush his pellets or seeds, but he does take a long time to eat just one seed or pellet. he wets it enough to soften it then eats it.
he's gained 5 grams from two weeks ago,it must be all the millet he's consuming, lol.

if Evan were to remove those wires, he would have great difficulty trying to eat on his own, because he cannot apply any pressure when it comes to eating any sort of food where he has to crack or break it.

It has no stability what so ever....the entire lower beak moves just like a wiggly loose tooth.the only thing holding it together are those wires.

I provided a picture I took this morning, and his lower beak really does look like a jig saw puzzle. there are three broken pieces in his lower beak.

the small triangle piece near his face on the left of the picture was the piece he tore away from his face...
then he broke the entire beak right down the middle vertically, splitting it into two separate pieces.
As you can see the beak is a darkish blue, which is all dead, and it goes right around underneath which you can't see in the photo.

Num Num has a lot going for him, he is healthy and has amazing stamina. I just wish there was something else I could do!!!

Evan cautioned me to watch for infection underneath his beak, as food will get caught in there from eating.
He is not in any pain, and lives each day just like he did before this happened.

I asked Evan if it was an option to have the wires left in permanently and he said no, because it won't solve the problem, and he admitted he certainly has his work cut out for him, should he have to operate again.

here is the pic:

IMG_3582_zps88abea28.jpg Photo by bmckellar735 | Photobucket

Well thank goodness he doesn't seem to be suffering and he's got his appetite....that's all good news. His plucky attitude will see him thru. that pic is hard to look at, but looks WAY better than the pic when it first happened. That was scary!

Kalidasa said:

Well thank goodness he doesn't seem to be suffering and he's got his appetite....that's all good news. His plucky attitude will see him thru. that pic is hard to look at, but looks WAY better than the pic when it first happened. That was scary!

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yeah, blood always makes things look worse, yuck!

I have been reading your posts about Num Num since I joined the forum. I was hoping that you would hear some good news. My heart sunk when I saw the topic. Poor baby . I am glad to hear that he is eating. Parrots are amazingly adaptable.

I will be thinking about Num Num.

-ZoeyFredrik

ZoeyFredrik said:

I have been reading your posts about Num Num since I joined the forum. I was hoping that you would hear some good news. My heart sunk when I saw the topic. Poor baby . I am glad to hear that he is eating. Parrots are amazingly adaptable.

I will be thinking about Num Num.

-ZoeyFredrik

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thanks Zoey, and yes you are right the are amazingly adaptable, and hopefully even if he has to have his lower beak removed, hopefully in time he will adapt.

He will be fine with out it. There are breeders out there that have lost most of there beaks and are doing great on soft foods. More work for you, but they are so worth it!

oh I am so sorry was hoping for better news at least he will be ok though! sending prayers.

If he loses the entirety of his lower beak and it never regrows, you could always look into getting a prosthetic replacement for him?

I thought about that for Charlie, but he's only missing half of his lower beak, and of the half that's missing, some is still growing in... so if I were to look into a permanent prosthetic, they'd have to remove the remaining live tissue that allows for some growth in the missing area.

And... as it stands.... he's been missing half of his lower beak for 7 years now... and for 7 years, he's been eating and drinking just fine! Not as easily as a bird with a full beak, but he makes do!

Oh poor little Num Num. I'm sorry it wasn't better news for you, but I am glad to hear he is doing well eating on his own. Fingers crossed and prayers sent up that the next check up will bring better news xxx

You should goggle Dr Scott McDonald, he's done alot with beaks. i'm sure his website has contact info. If not PM me i have his email somewhere.You should sent him info and pics and maybe your vet's contact info. He's about the best at this sort of thing.

I see crimson posted one of his articles in the General health Care section.

MonicaMc said:

If he loses the entirety of his lower beak and it never regrows, you could always look into getting a prosthetic replacement for him?

I thought about that for Charlie, but he's only missing half of his lower beak, and of the half that's missing, some is still growing in... so if I were to look into a permanent prosthetic, they'd have to remove the remaining live tissue that allows for some growth in the missing area.

And... as it stands.... he's been missing half of his lower beak for 7 years now... and for 7 years, he's been eating and drinking just fine! Not as easily as a bird with a full beak, but he makes do!

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I asked him about it, and he said they can make prosthetic beaks for ducks, eagles, etc....but not for parrots. He explained in depth why, I just don't remember everything he said.