Veterinary medicine for exotic pets is growing as the popularity of these pets increases. With better education, in health and nutritional management, exotic pets have a greater chance for living longer and healthier lives.  At St. Mary’s Veterinary Hospital, we provide care for ferrets, pocket pets, rabbits, reptiles and birds.

Ferrets

Routine examinations: Annual thorough examinations give us the opportunity to screen your ferret for any hidden problems as well as address dietary and preventative concerns. If indicated, additional diagnostic tests can be utilized to further investigate suspected problems.

Routine vaccinations: Ferrets are extremely susceptible to some deadly viral diseases. Canine distemper and rabies can cause rapid and deadly illnesses in your pets. It is essential to make sure early and routine annual vaccinations are given to prevent these diseases. Additionally, ferrets can be sensitive and have adverse reactions to some vaccinations. For that reason, we only use vaccines that have proven safe in our ferret patients.

Parasite control: Like dogs and cats, ferrets can fall prey to a variety of parasite infections. Fleas, ticks, mites, and intestinal worms can all be detrimental to ferrets. All of these problem causers can be easily prevented or controlled. Depending on your pet's individual situation, various treatment programs can be used.

Pocket Pets

Mice, hamsters, Guinea pigs, gerbils, chinchillas, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, rats, and a myriad of other small furries make great pets. Just as these pets often differ greatly in size, personality, and place of origin, they also differ greatly in diet, habitat, grooming needs and potential health problems. These pets are all masters of disguise and will often hide even severe problems. We'll make sure your pet is in good condition and show you how you can best detect early signs of problems. As part of your pets routine examination, we'll consult with you about specific needs your pet may have. Examples include; vitamin C supplementation for Guinea pigs, molar trimming in chinchillas, and bedding related problems in hamsters. In addition, each species can fall prey to their own complement of parasitic infestations that require detection, treatment, and prevention. Should health problems arise, help is available. We have the expertise to offer care in the form of medical and surgical treatments. Just because they're small doesn't mean they're not important. Any pet is a special pet.

Rabbits

Routine exams: When it comes to rabbits, the importance of early detection of problems cannot be overstated. Although relatively resilient against illness, rabbits often succumb rapidly once a problem arises. For this reason we rely heavily on routine examinations to safeguard your pet’s health. This is where we'll look for potentially dangerous dental problems, ear mites, hairballs, urinary problems, feet injuries, or gastrointestinal dysfunctions. As part of the overall examination, we’ll discuss your pet’s environment and analyze its diet for an optimal lifestyle. Diet consultations: "You are what you eat" certainly applies to rabbits. Many of the common health problems we routinely see in rabbits, such as dental and gastrointestinal problems, can be prevented by feeding an appropriate diet. We can assist you in finding the right diet for your pet’s situation.

Dental care: Rabbits teeth continue to grow throughout their lives. Any small problems can therefore become major ones as they grow over time. Mal-alignments can lead to oral sores, anorexia, and abscess formation. We can determine if your bunny has a dental problem, correct it, and take steps to prevent a recurrence.

Parasite control: Rabbits get parasites too! From ear mites, skin mites, fleas and ticks to intestinal roundworms and coccidian. We’ll rid your rabbit of its parasitic problems and educate you on a preventative protocol.

Spaying/Neutering: We recommend early spaying and neutering. For the males, neutering goes a long way to help curb the development of objectionable or aggressive behaviors. For females, in addition to helping with behavior, spaying can prevent the development of endometriosis or uterine cancer.

Birds

Routine exams: Routine physical examinations are the important in the care of your bird. Birds are notorious for hiding signs of illness for long periods. Often, by the time a problem is apparent to you, it has progressed to very serious levels. By examining your bird on a routine basis we can spot potential problems and work to correct them before they progress. Nutrition: Nothing is more important for your birds' health than good nutrition. The majority of common problems diagnosed in pet birds have poor nutrition as at least part of their cause. There are over 8000 species of birds so obviously there is no one diet that is suitable for them all. We feel an important part of your bird's exam is to help you structure the diet that best suits your bird. Grooming: An often necessary evil of the captive bird environment is the need for periodic grooming. Since most pet birds don't have to forage or work too hard in their search for food or nesting sites, they don't wear down their beak and nails as they would in the wild. Therefore, regular nail and beak trimming are needed.

Wing trimming is also often required in pet birds. It can be beneficial during the period you are training your bird to give you the upper hand and certainly is recommended anytime your pet could have access to the outdoors. NEVER under estimate the chance that your bird can escape.

Behavioral problems: Behavioral problems are commonly encountered in pet birds. Larger bird species are no more than 3-4 generations from living in the wild, so problems dealing with captive situations should not be unexpected. Behavioral problems can be manifested in many ways. Common examples are feather picking, inappropriate aggression, or annoying persistent vocalizations.

Behavioral training in the form of reward/penalty procedures, environmental changes and enrichment training can in many cases effectively shape a problem bird's activities. When necessary, the use of medications or hormonal therapies can be a useful adjunct to help achieve successful results.

Reptiles

Routine exams: Routine examinations are the best way for us to care for your reptile. Turtles, snakes, iguanas, lizards and geckos all have different needs than anything that was born wearing fur. Mild changes in health can quickly lead to big problems, and since reptiles commonly hide health problems, examinations are essential. The earlier the detection, the better the chance of cure. Diet and Environment: The keys to good health for your exotic pet start with proper diet and environment. These are specific for different types of reptiles and minor deficiencies can result in major health problems. All foods are definitely not created equal, and in some cases some foods can actually be harmful to your reptile. Having the proper environment is probably more important with reptiles than with any other type of pet. Subtle environmental deficiencies can result in major illnesses. Part of your pet’s routine exam will be a thorough discussion of its home environment. We’ll help you come up with the best set-up for your home situation.

Parasite control: Parasites can be a threat to your lizard’s health. External parasites such as mites and ticks can cause serious anemias and transmit disease. Internal parasites can affect growth, cause obstructions, and result in wasting syndromes. Proper, early treatment is the goal and this requires accurate early diagnosis to be accomplished.