Exotics and pocket pets might be small, but they are also mighty, and they deserve – like humans and more conventional pet companions – the best of care. At Partridge Animal Hospital, we’re well-versed in the treatment of reptiles, non-venomous snakes, turtles, small mammals, and birds, and we can advise you on what to feed them, how to house them, and what to do if they get sick.
Unlike most veterinary hospitals, we carry a wide array of exotic and pocket pet food, medication, and supplements in our in-house pharmacy, saving you valuable time should your little one get sick.
We recommend an annual wellness exam to be sure your exotic pet is healthy, and these exams give us a baseline for future reference in the event your pet ever falls ill. Annual exams also give you time with our veterinarians so we can answer all your health, behavior, environment, and nutrition questions.
Our exotic wellness exams include:
- Complete physical examination
- Weight checks
- Fecal exam
- Vaccinations if needed
- Parasite prevention if needed
- Nutritional counseling tailored to the needs of your pet
- Behavioral counseling
- Environmental enrichment counseling
Our skilled team is also able to conduct pocket pet dental exams and cleanings on an as-needed basis.
Bringing Your Small Pet to the Vet
We recognize that coming to the vet can be a stressful experience for any pet, particularly our small ones. Our staff and doctors are very sensitive to this fact and do whatever we can to limit this stress.
Your pet may be more relaxed if brought in its regular enclosure if possible. It is also best not to clean the enclosure prior to bringing your pet in. This will allow your pet to be surrounded by familiar, comfortable smells, and will also retain samples for diagnostic testing if needed to better evaluate your pet.
Many of these animals do require a very particular environment to thrive, and it’s important you have a veterinarian experienced in their care to help. Our doctors can advise you about proper care, feeding, and maintenance of your pet, as well as treat illnesses and conditions specific to their species.
Avian Care
Birds make wonderful, fascinating companions—but they do require consistent care to keep them happy and healthy.
The single most important thing you can do to maintain your avian friend’s health is to make sure you keep up with regular veterinary exams. Birds are very good at hiding signs of illness or injury. Don’t let them fool you! While twice per year is optimal, at minimum they should see the veterinarian annually to:
- check body condition and weight
- inspect skin and feathering
- examine eyes, ears, nose, and throat
- palpate the abdomen
- listen to heart, lungs, and air sacs
- discuss diet and socialization
- test alertness
We may also recommend routine testing for parasites, inflammation, bacterial infections, anemia, nutritional health, immune system function, and disease.
Need to bring your out-of-the-ordinary companion to see us? Give us a call at (727) 526-8700!
