EXOTIC CARE
SMALL MAMMALS / “POCKET PETS”
We are currently providing
comprehensive medical and surgical care to all small mammals.
Preventative Care
Exotic pets require routine
preventative care too. Here are some of the common needs of
these small furry pets:
- Post purchase exam - Recommended
and often required by most sellers within 48 hours to ensure
the health of your new pet. The “new pet” exam is
critical to detect signs of disease and help new pet owners
get started on the right foot. So many problems are caused by
misinformation; the first veterinary visit can help prevent
well-intentioned owners from doing the wrong thing and
ultimately contributing to the pet’s early death.
- Annual health exams – Physical
exam and fecal check for intestinal parasites.
- FERRETS – Need to be kept
current on rabies and ferret distemper vaccines.
- Teeth trimming – May be needed
in hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, etc that are
not able to wear down their teeth naturally for a variety of
reasons.
- Nail trims – Needed on any pet
that is not wearing down its nails naturally. Nail trims are
often needed on guinea pigs, and rabbits.
How can I tell if my exotic pet is sick?
Signs of disease in exotic small
animals may be specific for a certain disease or organ system.
Most commonly, however, signs are vague and non-specific, such
as a pet with anorexia (lack of appetite) and lethargy, which
can be seen with many diseases including pneumonia, cancer,
kidney or liver failure. ANY deviation from normal should
be a cause for concern and requires immediate evaluation by your
veterinarian.
Regardless of any signs of disease
in your pet, pet store antibiotics are ineffective against
diseases of pocket pets and should NEVER be used. Many
antibiotics can be fatal to certain types of exotic pets, so it
is important that your veterinarian examine the pet and choose
an appropriate antibiotic if needed.
AVIAN / BIRDS
At this time we are offering wing
and nail trims ONLY for our feathered friends; we are not
accepting SICK birds.
Wing and nail trim appointments
must be made for Mondays between 8:30am and 5:30pm, Tuesdays
from 2pm to 4:30pm,
Wednesdays between 12pm and 6:30pm, some Thursday mornings, and
Fridays from 2pm to 5:30pm.
REPTILES
We are not seeing any reptiles at
this time.
