California Pelican's Bent Beak Bent No More Thanks to First Emergency Surgery
Categories: Grrranimals
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| Wikipedia Commons |
| Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, without bent beak |
When the call came in about "Nigel," as the Pelican has been nicknamed, it had lost weight, its wing was tangled in fishing line and lure, and his pouch had been ripped by a fishing hook.
Veterinary surgeon Marcos Unis of the VCA All-Care Animal Referral Center was brought in to help, and it was decided surgery was necessary Sunday.
Through a procedure never tried before, Unis realigned Nigel's jaw with acrylic cement and stainless-steel, surgical bone screws.
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The veterinary surgeon added that if people were more careful about disposing of fishing lines, such procedures would not be necessary.
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