Finding A Vet For Exotic Pets

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:11 am

I was just wondering what owners of exotic pets do for veterinary care. The vets in my area either work with cats and dogs, or farm animals, but we don't have any that take exotic pets. I'd love to get another exotic pet (sugar glider or hedgehog), but I haven't for fear it would get sick and I wouldn't be able to get a doctor for it.

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 9:27 am

I've been thinking about that because I want to get some round-eared shrews (Macroscelides proboscideus) when I can afford them. I won't find a vet who has treated one of them before because no-one around here owns them, I know that for a fact. So I will go to the vet I take all my mice and jirds to, he's very knowledgeable about rodents at least and does a lot to stay up to date.If you have a zoo near you, you can phone them and ask if their vet (if they have one) is kowledgeable about the animal you'd like to keep.

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:41 am

Find a good internet info site/forum; some of them have vet lists. You might have to drive a while to find a decent vet, for example, I have to drive about an hour to find a vet that knows anything about ferrets or herps (he also happens to be the zoo vet, so I second the advice to call the zoo). You need to be careful about just calling vets, some of them will tell you they treat that kind of animal, but they really don't know anything about them. Also, you need to know as much as possible about the type of pet you plan to keep, or else you won't know if the vet is very knowledgeable. He could tell you anything and you wouldn't know any better.

moire_eel · Post by **moire_eel** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 11:44 am

I know that for birds, there are certified avian vets. I found a directory online a long time ago, and luckily for me there were two certified vets only a couple of miles from my house (there were only three in Houston at the time). And the same vet also specializes in reptiles, which worked out great. Houston being a large city, there is also an animal hospital where they treat both exotics and unusual conditions. I would imagine that if you purchase an exotic animal from a breeder, they will be able to reccomend a vet. Also, online communities specific to the type of animal you're interested in may keep lists of certified or reccomended vets.

Jedediah · Post by **Jedediah** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:57 pm

Good suggestion about the mail lists ect. I didn't think of that because the exotic mammals I want to keep are so rare that there are no mailing lists or something I started reading medical literature a while ago and hey - I can actually understand most of what is said there If you can get it, try reading "Self-assessment colour review of small mammals", the pictures are gross but it's great for learning about medical conditions.