SASH Avian & Exotics

17/02/2025

I’ll admit that we are a little obsessed with little Algie 🤍🩶💚💛

13/02/2025

Happy Valentine's Day!
We share a special bond and love for our pets - whether they have fur, feathers or scales. Give your little one a extra treat, scritch or cuddle from us this Valentine's Day.

10/02/2025

Find some-birdy to lean on 🦜👯‍♂️

09/02/2025

🚨🚨🐰🐇Attention Bunny Owners!🐰🐇🚨🚨
Is your rabbit up to date with their vaccinations?

🐰 ATTENTION RABBIT OWNERS! 🐰

The NSW government has issued an alert to rabbit owners about releasing a rabbit calicivirus strain (RHDV1-K5) to control wild rabbits on the first week of March 2025. It will occur in Greater Sydney Local Government areas, including the Central Coast. We urge rabbit owners to vaccinate their rabbits before 1st of March.

Rabbit calicivirus is transmitted through biting insects (e.g mosquitoes/biting flies) and various form of contact. Risks include owners walking through infected areas and collecting grass exposed to wild rabbits. As such, both indoor and outdoor rabbits should be vaccinated.

The virus targets the liver and is most often fatal. The most common symptoms include lethargy, inappetence, and decreased defecation. Other symptoms that can also be seen include; pale gums, breathing difficulty, nose bleeds or bleeding from other orifices.

SASH has a good supply of vaccine, which can be given as a single vaccination from 10 weeks of age, an annual booster should be given every 12 months, for life.

To book an appointment with our Avian & Exotics department at SASH North Ryde or Western Sydney, visit the link in the comments.

04/02/2025

Go ahead. Boop the snoot🐽

31/12/2024

🎉🎊Farewell 2024 and Hello 2025! 🎉👏🤸
What a year it’s been, we are so grateful for all our clients who have chosen us to provide the very best care for their pets. We are even more grateful to be part of this wonderful team who not only strive to provide the best care for our patients but support each other in this very challenging industry.

As our Head of Department Dr Melinda Cowan so eloquently put it: “It is always my reminder that the important things in life will always be the people (and pets) that are in it. To be surrounded by a group of kind, intelligent, passionate and hilarious women is such a privilege and a blessing. I appreciate how hard you all work and how dedicated you are to your patients. They are ultimately why we are here ...and sometimes why we’re crying in the toilet. 

Veterinary medicine is a tough industry in so many ways. I think we do an incredible job of supporting each other when times are hard and also finding the joy and purpose in what we do every day. Working together, we continue to make our corner of the world a better place for the weird and wonderful creatures and their owners. We have helped thousands of pets this year and although it is easy to dwell on the mistakes, failures and poor outcomes (which will always be a part of what we do), please take some time to reflect on some of those patients for who you have made a difference. It may be the patient you convinced to finally eat, the life-saving surgery, the good clinical decision or even the peaceful euthanasia. 

Every day we do really good things. “

Happy New Year, we are excited for what 2025 will bring 🥂

23/12/2024

Caption this! 📸 🗯️

11/12/2024

Luna was recently discharged after spending some time with us in hospital while we were managing a wound on her foot.
To celebrate, we made her a strawberry hat after her favourite fruit! 🍓

17/10/2024

🪐🌑🐰Pluto 🐰🌑🪐

Pluto‘s owners drove four hours to see Dr Janet Truong, Exotics Veterinarian when they noticed he had a reduced appetite.

An ultrasound with Dr Andrew Adezio one of our Radiologists showed a small stone was blocking urine outflow from the left kidney. This was causing painful urine buildup.

Pluto was scheduled for surgery with our specialist Surgical and Anaesthesia teams with Dr Richard Looi and Dr Maja Drozdzynska. Thanks to Pluto's team of vets and nurses from four specialist departments, he was finally able to go home to his family, feeling much more comfortable.

Pluto’s remaining kidney is now monitored closely and he receives an ongoing medication to make sure it continues to work well. He is a much loved patient here as you can see.

11/10/2024

🐁🐊🕊️Happy Veterinary Nurse Appreciation Day🦚🐇🦎
Day 5 of Veterinary Nurse and Technologist Awareness week celebrates the diverse roles of our job.
Veterinary Nurses wear many hats within the hospital that goes beyond just caring for their patients.
Thank you VNs & VTs for being the jack of all trades that you are!

09/10/2024

Vet Nurse & Tech Awareness Week, what pets do our exotics nurses own? Their favourite patient memory..

08/10/2024

Day 2 of the Veterinary Nurse and Technologist Awareness week focuses on Speciality and Referral Nurses.
Our SASH Exotics team sees both primary care and referral cases. We are very fortunate to work with state of the art equipment and other specialists such as Radiology, Anesthesia, Surgery, Pathology, Ophthalmology, Dermatology, Oncology, Neurology, Cardiology, Sports Medicine, Emergency and Internal Medicine.
Being a 24 hour hospital, together with both nurses and vets from the rest of the hospital, we have the opportunity to provide the best care for our patients.

23/07/2024

Well done to our Avian Resident at SASH North Ryde, the lovely Dr Orr Cohen who recently passed her Avian Membership examinations.

Congratulations Dr Orr!

🐤🪿🦆🐰🐭🐔🐸🐍🦎

To make an appointment with Dr Orr for your exotic or avian pet, get in touch with our friendly client services team on (02) 9889 0289.

29/01/2024

Meet Eggtop, a 3-year-old Japanese quail who knows how to rock a hat.

Birds are experts at hiding illnesses, so when Eggtop was limping one day, his owner knew something wasn’t right. He was brought initially to SASH Emergency, where he was immediately assessed by Dr Olivia Clarke, Exotics Veterinarian, before seeing Dr Melinda Cowan, Avian Specialist at SASH. Did you know Dr Melinda is the only board-certified Avian Specialist in NSW. How lucky are we to have someone so unique in their specialty, here at SASH!? Fun fact: Dr Mel has over 10 bird shirts!! 😉

Radiographs (x-rays) were performed, showing no injury to his leg, but they could see the cause of Eggtop’s limp. The x-ray showed an enlarged testicle, so a fine needle aspiration (sample of cells) was taken under ultrasound guidance with assistance from our Diagnostic Imaging team.
Unfortunately, the test results were confirmed by Dr Stephen Yeomans, SASH Pathologist, as a seminoma (testicular cancer).

Surprisingly, this is a relatively common tumour found in birds, but the treatment is quite ‘advanced’. No more than a few years ago, the only known treatment for this in birds is to place an implant that suppresses testosterone production, that helps slow down the growth of the tumour.

Thanks to Avian Specialists like Dr Mel, she knew that the implant, in-conjunction with chemotherapy would give Eggtop the best chance to live his best life.

We’re pleased to share that Eggtop finished his chemotherapy recently, and in true tradition, our Oncology nurses held a graduation ceremony for him. As you can see, Eggtop’s party hat has been specifically tailored to his size (with thanks to the expertise of our creative Oncology Nurse, Holly!)

The diligence of Eggtop’s owner led to an early intervention. With this and the multidisciplinary care provided by our team, Eggtop is back to living his best life.
Well done, Eggtop!

If your bird is showing signs of breathing difficulties, lameness or has trouble toileting, it’s important to speak to your veterinarian or SASH, as it could be a sign of an underlying condition.

31/12/2023

25/12/2023

Happy Holidays from all of us to you and yours. Stay safe. Special shout out to those working over this holiday period. Thank you!

15/12/2023

Little miss Pippa decided to chew her stitches after her desexing surgery, so now she has to rock a bodysuit as a preventative. Lucky she looks cute!