Exotic Pet Veterinary Care in Granby CT
EXOTIC PET VETERINARIAN CARE
What is an Exotic Pet?
The term “exotic pet” applies to any household pet other than the more traditional dog or cat, this includes:
- Small Mammals (rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats, mice, hamsters, and other rodents)
- Reptiles (snakes, lizards, turtles, tortoises)
- Birds (chickens and ducks)
New Exotic Pet
When you first bring home your new exotic pet, we recommend that you keep it separated from your other pets for one month. Preferably, they should also have their initial health evaluation by a veterinarian prior to their introduction to your current pets.
At Salmon Brook, during your veterinary visit, we will discuss how to care for your new exotic pet and answer any questions you may have. Many pet stores offer a warranty on newly purchased animals that lasts for 2-3 weeks, and it is ideal to schedule a veterinary visit within this time frame. These measures are important to ensuring that you have obtained a healthy pet free of diseases or infections that may be introduced into your collection.
Bringing Your Exotic Pet to the Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital
We recognize that coming to the vet can be a stressful experience for any pet, particularly for our exotic patients. At Salmon Brook Veterinary Hospital, we aim to minimize the amount of stress your exotic pet experiences.
If possible, we suggest you bring your pet in their enclosure. This will be helpful in reducing stress and allow us to assess their setup and make any recommendations. It is also best not to clean the enclosure prior to bringing your pet in. This will allow your exotic pet to be surrounded by familiar, comfortable smells, and will also retain samples for diagnostic testing to better evaluate your pet. For reptile patients, it is best to bring them with some sort of heated transport, such as a warm towel or hot water bottle.
Wellness Exams and Preventative Care
The development of health issues in exotic pets can be gradual and difficult to detect by even the most diligent pet owner; therefore, we recommend regular checkups and wellness visits. During these visits, your pet will receive a full physical exam and a complimentary pedicure. We offer a wide array of wellness services for exotic patients, including:
- Vaccinations
- Fecal Exam
- Oral Exam
- Weight Checks
- Blood Screening
- Sex Determination
- Spay/Neuter Procedures
- Husbandry Review and Recommendations
- Behavioral Counseling
- Nail, Beak, and Wing Trims
Signs to looks for in a sick exotic
- Decreased Activity
- Decreased Appetite
- Weight Loss
- Changes in Stool or Urine Production or Appearance
- Ocular or Nasal Discharge
- Any Sign of Blood on the Animal or in its Enclosure
- Muscle Twitching, weakness
- Fluffed Up Appearance, Sitting on the Cage Floor, or Tail-Bobbing in Birds
- Wing Droop
- Changes in Respiratory Rate or Effort
- Witnessed or Suspected Injuries
