Exotic Animal Veterinary Center

06/30/2024

The temperatures have been high lately, and we want to make sure your pet keeps its cool to and from its appointment at EAVC.
For all mammals, the best plan is to fill one or two soda or water bottles full of water and freeze them. Wrap the frozen bottle in a washcloth or dish towel and make sure that your pet can move away from the wrapped bottle in its carrier. We want to make sure your pet doesn't get ice burns.

We also recommend you use your air conditioner to cool down your car a few minutes before you put your pet inside.

Now your best friend(s) can have a no-sweat trip!

06/21/2024

Dear Valued Clients,

We wanted to inform you of an upcoming change in our fee structure.

Beginning July 1, 2024, we will be implementing an 8% increase in pricing. Please note that these changes are essential to ensure the continued operation of our hospital in today's economy. We have made every effort to keep any increases to a minimum.

We express our sincere gratitude for your continued relationship with us. Your trust and support are invaluable to our mission, and we are committed to providing you with the highest quality services.

Thank you,

Exotic Animal Veterinary Center

06/11/2024

Sweet young bunny needs a home! (Southern California)

This little boy was found on the streets a few days ago with an injured front paw. He looks to be 4-6 months old. He is super sweet and asks for love and attention. His paw is severely damaged from above the wrist down to his toes (xrays in comments). He needs to have the leg amputated, his surgery is scheduled for Tuesday. Please let us know if you are interested in giving this love bug a forever home. We are calling him Trike 🤣

If you are interested please call the hospital at 626-405-1777.

05/20/2024

05/20/2024

Today was our first Open House since before the pandemic. We had a great time! We hung out with old friends and made new ones. We were joined by numerous exotic pet rescue groups. Thank you for joining us, Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue, Bunny Bunch, Save Some Bunny, LA Rabbit Foundation, Cleo’s Critters Rehab, South Bay Rodent Rescue, SoCal Parrot, Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue, Binkie’s Burrow, Bun Chia Burrow, BunAdventure Series, Moorpark Zoo, Debra Jo, Ferrets Anonymous, and Paw Creations.
Thank you Rabbit Savior for donating food and drink!
Thank you to my wonderful staff!

Come join us next year for our 15year anniversary event!

05/19/2024

https://youtu.be/JSExZobJJ2Y?si=0yPEDi6Cy2RWXO7u

KTLA 5's Jennifer McGraw has more about the event.KTLA 5 News - Keeping Southern Californians informed since 1947.

05/16/2024

THIS SUNDAY

05/15/2024

05/11/2024

05/10/2024

04/08/2024

EVENT DETAILS:

Booths:
Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue/Comfy Bunny Bed & Breakfast Bunny Sitting – rabbit grooming available
Bunny Bunch Rabbit Rescue, Bunny Bunch Boutique -guinea pigs and chinchillas for adoption
Save Some Bunny- bunnies for adoption
Southwestern Herpetologists Society
Cleo’s Critter Care Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation
SoCal Parrots
Ferrets Anonymous
Rabbit Savior
Binkie’s Burrow - Kate Duffy- medical bunny hospitalization, bunny sitter, groomer
Bun Chia Burrow- bunny sitter, groomer
Paw Kreations
Moorpark Zoo
Emma Zen foundation, piggie ambassador Baby Banks
California Dept of Food and Agriculture – Avian Influenza information
South Bay Rodent Rescue
Singer Sanctuary
Covetrus
LA Rabbit Foundation
Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue

Catering:
Urbane Café

Veterinary Stuff:
Hospital Tours
Meet our staff and their exotic pets
Dr. Sari Kanfer’s presentation: “Can I get braces for my rabbit? Dental care for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas”

Fun and Games:
Craft table – make toys for your pets, coloring books
Temporary tattoos
Photo Booth

Keep checking back as we add more people/events

PLEASE FEEL FREE TO BRING YOUR EXOTIC PETS, as long as they are healthy. Please transport in a secure carrier.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

04/06/2024

Identifying Illness in Chickens by Emily Whitmore, DVM

At Exotic Animal Veterinary Center, we see a wide spectrum of chicken ownership. This can range from production animals, kept with the sole purpose of eggs or meat, to hens with first, middle, and last names, costume wardrobes, and a dedicated spot on the couch. Many clients fall somewhere in the middle, and we are happy to serve owners along the full range of that spectrum to help keep their families and flocks happy and healthy. Here are some of the most common reasons we see poultry at our clinic, common signs to look out for, and recommendations for preventative care for your flock.

Reproductive disease: This is by far the most common reason we see chickens at our hospital. From the yolk produced within the o***y to the laying of a shelled egg nearly 24 hours later, there are several places where this process can go wrong as it is repeated day after day, year after year. Clinical signs of reproductive disease can include decreased appetite or energy levels, weight loss, swollen ‘abdomens’ (birds technically only have one body cavity, called a coelom), passage of eggs with abnormally soft, hard, broken, or missing shells, change in droppings or difficulty walking. As these signs can indicate a range of diseases from infection to cancer, we recommend reaching out to a veterinarian if you identify them in one or multiple members of your flock to help determine the next steps for diagnosis and treatment.

Predator attacks: Unfortunately, our backyard poultry can be easy targets for wild or domestic predator species. While chickens have an astounding ability to heal from a wide range of injuries, the risk of emergency visits or flock losses can be minimized with careful planning and safety measures. High-quality fencing, wire or mesh covering and secure indoor structures that flocks are trained to return to at night can go a long way in reducing predator interactions. Our team is here to help treat attacks on flock members and can provide you with recommendations specific to the predators you may be encountering.

Infectious diseases: One way that treating backyard poultry varies from our parrot, rabbit, or reptile patients is that we often have to consider the health of an entire flock as well as the individual in front of us. If a chicken comes to us with signs like abnormal stools, limping, sneezing or eye discharge, abnormal feathering, scabs around the face or beak, or sores on the bottoms of their feet, it is essential for our team to know how many others are in your flock and if any are showing similar signs. Depending on the situation, we may recommend sending out samples that can help us treat that individual and the rest of the flock. In cases where multiple individuals are sick, sometimes the best test is sending a deceased flock member to a state lab for thorough toxin, bacterial, viral, and parasitic screening, or referring you to a mobile veterinarian who can travel to examine the whole flock at once.

As a chicken caretaker, it is important to understand that these are prey animals with instincts to hide outward signs of illness at all costs to avoid being picked off by a predator. These are tough critters, and unfortunately, we often see patients who are too sick to help by the time they slow down enough for an owner to notice. It may sound silly, but even something as simple as making an effort to pick up or hold each member of the flock every few weeks can go a long way in helping identify more subtle signs like weight loss, distended crops, mites, or changes in comb color that are not easily visible from a distance. As with all species we treat, an annual wellness exam is our best recommendation to help identify health concerns and perform preventative screenings to make sure your feathered companions continue to thrive at home!

03/27/2024

https://localnewspasadena.com/2024/unless-theyre-for-bunny-peeps-dont-gift-rabbits/

Resist the urge. Be strong.

03/25/2024

In this year’s Easter season advisory, Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation reminds the public that real baby rabbits, chicks and ducklings make poor Easter presents.

If you are tempted to buy a real rabbit for the Easter basket, please reconsider.

The typical “Easter bunnies” sold illegally on the streets or in pet stores are tiny babies, taken from their mothers before they are properly weaned. Many of these baby rabbits will die soon after purchase—hardly a fun experience for kids.

When you adopt a rabbit, you’re making a commitment to support a small, fragile prey animal over the next 10-15 years. Rabbits are not low-maintenance pets. They require feeding, cleaning, attention, and humane indoor housing in a bunny-proofed room. Veterinary care can be expensive. Exposure to other animals and young children must be supervised.

Furthermore, rabbits are not ideal pets for small children. Most rabbits do not like to be picked up and held and may scratch or bite in an effort to get free or be injured when dropped.

Similarly, baby chicks and ducks need a proper environment and diet. When they grow up, chicks may turn into roosters that disturb neighbors. In an urban environment where owning them violates zoning laws, many adult chickens end up in animal shelters.

Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation would like to make the following recommendations:

For Easter: A stuffed toy bunny is a safer option than a real rabbit (or other animal) for snuggling, and chocolate candy rabbits are usually a big hit in the Easter basket.

Forever: It’s important to learn about basic rabbit care before acquiring a bunny. If a rabbit is the right pet for your family, adopt from an organization that neuters and house-trains the rabbits.

For more information, visit www.larabbits.org.

Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation is a 501.c.3. nonprofit organization dedicated to domestic rabbit welfare, and the Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation Chapter of House Rabbit Society.

03/21/2024

Introducing our EAVC Angel Fund! You can scan the QR code below, or go to:
https://veterinarycarefoundation.org/donate-today/veterinary-practice-donation/?state=CA&member=CA101180

03/19/2024

What Do I Do If I Find a Baby Squirrel?

03/15/2024

"May your trouble be less. And your blessings be more. And nothing but happiness come through your door."
Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!! 💚💚💚

03/04/2024

Could My Bearded Dragon Have a Stomach Tumor?

By Dr. Roxane Aflalo, EAVC Veterinarian

Hi everyone! We’re working on developing methods for possible early detection of stomach tumors in bearded dragons and we need your help to do so. Please contact our receptionists to schedule a time to bring your dragon in for a quick and free blood test! We only need a tiny amount of blood from the tail. If you are interested, keep reading for more information.

Gastric neuroendocrine carcinomas are a recently recognized type of cancer increasingly affecting bearded dragons in captivity. Cancers are usually relatively uncommon in reptiles (compared with mammals) and have infrequently been reported in bearded dragons. In a 2009 study, gastric neuroendocrine tumors (GNT) accounted for 1.5% of submitted bearded dragon cases. However, most cases likely go undiagnosed as the clinical signs are vague and often rapidly lead to death. GNT affects younger dragons, usually between one and three years of age. The primary tumor starts out in the stomach and can range in size from microscopic to being felt on exam. These tumors regularly metastasize (spread to other parts of the body), with the most affected organs being the liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Unfortunately, due to its rapid spread, a GNT diagnosis is usually fatal and there are currently no available treatments.

Clinical signs are vague and could often be described as just “not doing right.” The most common presenting signs are not eating, weight loss, and lethargy. Other possible clinical signs include vomiting and blood in the f***s. The most common abnormalities seen in bloodwork are elevated glucose (hyperglycemia) and decreased red blood cells (anemia), though many won’t have any abnormalities in the bloodwork. Hyperglycemia rarely occurs in reptiles though mild to moderate elevations may occur from stress, intestinal obstructions, and pancreatic or liver disease. However, the hyperglycemia seen with GNT is severe so a patient’s blood glucose reading as very elevated is highly suspicious for a GNT.

Currently, there are no rapid or cheap methods of measuring blood glucose in bearded dragons. We would like to see whether glucometers used to measure blood glucose in cats and dogs could be utilized in bearded dragons as a quick way of assessing patient prognosis in the clinic. To do so, we will measure blood glucose levels with a glucometer in the clinic and then submit the same blood to be run by a laboratory to compare the glucose levels between the two methods. If the values we get from the glucometer are comparable to those measured in the lab, we could start using cat/dog glucometers in bearded dragons and have a quick, cheap way to assess blood glucose in bearded dragons. If you are interested in participating in this study, please contact our receptionist to schedule a time to bring your bearded dragon in for a quick blood draw. It is completely free, and we will share the results of our findings with you.

Thank you for your interest and contributions to improving bearded dragon medicine!

02/26/2024

https://ktla.com/video/hawk-found-suffering-two-pellet-gun-wounds/9452380/

A red-tail hawk wounded by pellet-gun fire that was found stressed, suffering and unable to fly in a Pasadena resident’s backyard is getting a second chance thanks to some dedicated Southern California wildlife advocates. Jennifer McGraw reports for KTLA 5 News at 5, Feb. 21, 2024. Details: ktla.c...

02/25/2024

We are in need of new or gently used towels and blankets, of any size, at the clinic (no holes, please!).

We use them many times a day, for appointments, grooming, and inside the enclosures of pets that are staying for the day at the clinic. You can drop your towel/blanket donation at the clinic during normal business hours. Thank you!!

02/17/2024

As warmer weather approaches, so does shedding season for rabbits. We have already started to receive a lot of rabbits that are shedding heavily as well as a few bloat cases. We are taking this opportunity to review bloat prevention, which could save you a lot of money, but mostly your rabbit’s life!

1. WHEN YOUR RABBIT IS SHEDDING, BRUSH OR COMB THEM DAILY TO REMOVE THE LOOSE FUR, EVEN IF THEY DON’T LIKE IT!

2. WHEN THEY ARE SHEDDING HEAVILY, GIVE THEM A LAXATIVE DAILY (LAXATONE, LACTULOSE) TO HELP KEEP THEIR GUT HYDRATED AND THE FUR MOVING.

3. IF YOUR RABBIT STOPS EATING OR STOPS PASSING STOOLS, BRING THEM TO YOUR VETERINARIAN (OR EMERGENCY CENTER IF YOUR VET IS CLOSED) IMMEDIATELY. The sooner the rabbit is seen, the better the outcome!

4. IF YOU SUSPECT YOUR RABBIT COULD BE BLOATED, SYRINGE FEEDING THEM MAY MAKE THINGS WORSE.

Below is a more detailed explanation of bloat in rabbits:

Rabbits groom themselves or their friends, and swallow fur. Unlike cats, rabbits cannot vomit. This means that the fur they eat has to make its way through their gastrointestinal tract. If there is a lot of fur that was swallowed, or if the rabbit doesn’t eat enough hay (hay helps fur move along the GI tract) or if the rabbit becomes dehydrated for some reason (warmer weather, kidney disease, car ride, hospital visit, etc), the fur ball can get stuck in narrower portions of the gastrointestinal tract (usually at the exit of the stomach, the proximal duodenum}.

When this happens, the stomach cannot empty itself and becomes distended, and the rabbit becomes painful. This situation is called a Bloat. Bloat is a life-threatening emergency in rabbits. The initial clinical signs will be a quiet rabbit, either not taking its treats or just not wanting to eat. The rabbit will usually stop passing stools or pass smaller stools. As the hours pass, the rabbit will become more lethargic, might be belly pressing (because their abdomen hurts) and their temperature will drop. Their stomach will feel large and firm.

Rabbits can die within 24 hours of the onset of a bloat. This is because when the gastrointestinal transit of a rabbit is stopped, the bad bacteria in their gut multiply, and produce toxins that take over the blood stream and cause shock. The stomach can also become so large that is presses on the blood vessels of the thorax, and prevent proper blood flow to the heart, as well as the other organs (kidneys, liver). On X-rays, these rabbits have a very tiny heart, a very large stomach filled with gas, and an empty bladder.

Sometimes, this condition can be mistaken with Liver Lobe Torsion in rabbits, because it has a similar presentation. However, in these cases, the stomach is not blocked but one of the liver lobes has rotated on its axis and is causing internal bleeding. Blood work allows us to differentiate between the two.

Most bloat rabbits come to us in shock, are hypothermic, and must be stabilized rapidly. We need to warm them up aggressively, put in an intravenous catheter to give shock fluids, injectable painkillers, gut motility agents, amongst other treatments. The goal is to rehydrate the gut for the fur ball to move. If that doesn’t happen, and the stomach is very large, the rabbit will need to have stomach decompression, which is accomplished under brief anesthesia. This is sometimes immediately followed by intrabdominal bloat surgery, which consists of manually milking the fur ball in the intestines all the way down to the colon, where it will be passed naturally.

All these procedures are risky, expensive, and must be done on rabbits that are extremely ill and not stable.

BLOAT MAY BE PREVENTABLE. PLEASE KEEP YOUR RABBITS GROOMED, USE HAIRBALL REMEDIES, MONITOR THEM CLOSELY, AND BRING THEM IN TO THE VET AS SOON AS THEY STOP EATING.