Veterinary Center for Birds and Exotics Blog
Knowing when to say goodbye
Knowing when to put a pet to sleep is never easy. It’s particularly difficult when that pet is not a dog or cat but is a non-traditional species such as a ferret, bird, rabbit, rodent, reptile, or even something more unusual, like a sugar glider or hedgehog. While most cats and dogs live to snuggle…
How do you choose a veterinary hospital for your exotic pet?
Every few weeks, my hospital receives a call from a desperate exotic pet owner somewhere far away seeking advice about their sick pet. Sometimes it’s about a reptile, sometimes about a bird or bunny. The caller might be from the Midwest, Canada, or even from another country. Unfortunately, in most cases, there is little we…
Why should I choose an exotic pet?
By: Dr. Laurie Hess As an exotic animal veterinarian, I am constantly asked why anyone would want an exotic pet (bird, rabbit, guinea pig, chinchilla, ferret, lizard, turtle, snake, hedgehog, sugar glider, or other unique creature) over a dog or cat. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with cats and dogs. I have several cats…
Five fun facts about exotic pets
By Dr. Laurie Hess As an exotic animal veterinarian, I am often told that I have the coolest job. I mean, who else gets to play with birds, ferrets, rabbits, rodents, and other even more uncommon species all day long? And even if reptiles or rodents aren’t your ideal pet, the fact is, many people…
Why does my exotic pet need regular veterinary check-ups?
Has this happened to you? You go along your daily routine for a long time feeling perfectly fine and then all of a sudden – you don’t feel so well. You wait a few days, hoping you’ll feel better. Pretty soon, you’re feeling even worse. Now you have to go to the doctor, because nothing…
What should I look for when I board my exotic pet?
It’s always scary leaving your pet with someone else when you go out of town. Even if it’s just for a day or two, we all worry about our exotic family members and want to be sure that they are safe and happy. So, what should you look for when checking out a boarding facility…
What are our birds really trying to tell us?
As a veterinarian who works only with birds and other exotic pets, I see birds for specific behavior problems, such as biting, chewing on inappropriate items, feather picking, and most commonly screaming. Owners often complain that their birds scream for no reason. Birds vocalize as a means of communication to other flock members (humans included). …
The never ending appeal of animals on the big and small screens
Animals – they’re everywhere in the media – on television, on billboards, on the radio, in the movies. We’re fascinated with them. They’re animated, they joke, they sell us stuff, they make us laugh. Americans have always been intrigued by animals, but they seem to be more popular in the media than ever. Movies about…
Creating an enriching environment for your pet!
We try so hard to keep our pets happy and healthy. We feed them the best foods, provide them with the space and environments they need, give them love and attention, and even bring them to the best veterinarians! There’s one other impotant area – environmental enrichment – that we sometimes overlook in our pets’ lives.
Veterinary technician becomes alumni guest speaker
At the Veterinary Center, we continually strive to educate both the public and our veterinary colleagues about bird and exotic animal care. In this vein, our wonderful, compassionate technician, Melissa Ortiz, traveled this week to her alma mater, La Guardia Community College, in New York City to deliver a lecture on radiology to students in…