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OBJECTIVE: The avian beak is a complex organ containing bone, neurovascular tissue, and keratinized covering (rhamphotheca). Nerve-rich papillae extend through bone into rhamphotheca providing sensory input from the beak tip. Beak trimming is a common procedure in avian species and is used for corrective, cosmetic, and behavioral modification purposes. Yet, practitioners are not well versed in complete beak anatomy, and therefore, beak trimming often disregards neurovasculature, injuring the patient and hampering recovery. Here, using comprehensive anatomical description, we aim to provide recommendations on how to safely perform beak trimming without damaging underlying sensory papillae. ANIMALS: Here, we evaluated beaks of 2 deceased grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). PROCEDURES: In one, we used a novel stain and microcomputed tomography to visualize papillae in the upper and lower beaks. In a second, we hand isolated the upper and lower beak dermal papillae and used high-resolution photography plus traditional paraffin histology. RESULTS: Papillae and their nerves were easily identified in these 2- and 3-dimensional approaches. This allowed us to determine the approximate lengths of papillae within the upper and lower beak. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Based on these findings, the authors recommend lateral radiographs of the bird's head and beak to identify the location of the underlying bone relative to the overlying rhamphotheca before performing beak trims. Specifically in grey parrots, the authors recommend the upper and lower beak should not be trimmed closer than 8 to 10 mm from the underlying bone. Further work is needed to support these recommendations and provide guidelines for other species.

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SUMMARY: Clinically, avian medicine still finds it very difficult to treat wild patients due to the lack of reliable information about their anatomy and physiological parameters that make comparative analyzes possible. Considering that computed tomography (CT) is one of the most viable alternatives in radiography of the head, we describe the comparative anatomy of the beak in the Ara ararauna and the Ramphastos toco through this imaging modality and macroscopy analysis, providing additional information about their conformation and topography for clinical exams. Adult specimens of each were dissected after the CT and beaks were removed for macroscopic analyses. The macroscopic and tomographic findings for both species confirm the similarities in beak morphology and the dietary peculiarities of each.The CT scan proved to be a useful tool to visualize internal structures of the skull through a detailed virtopsy of regions that are difficult to access by the usual necropsy with a scalpel.

RESUMEN: Debido a la escasa información de la anatomía y de los parámetros fisiológicos que hacen posible los análisis comparativos en la medicina aviar, clínicamente resulta muy difícil el tratamiento de estos animales. Considerando que la tomografía computarizada es una buena alternativa, estudiamos la anatomía comparativa del pico en Ara ararauna y Toco Toucan utilizando imágenes y un análisis de macroscopía. Estos métodos proporcionaron información adicional referente a su conformación y topografía para el trabajo clínico. Después de analizar la tomografía se disecaron las muestras de especímenes adultos y se retiraron los picos para un análisis macroscópico. Los hallazgos macroscópicos y tomográficos para ambas especies corroboraron la relación morfológica entre los picos y las peculiaridades dietéticas de cada uno. Se demostró además, que la tomografía computarizada es una herramienta útil para visualizar las estructuras internas del cráneo de las aves, a través de una virtopsia detallada en áreas de difícil acceso durante una necropsia habitual.

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