How do I choose an avian veterinarian?
iVillager cl-Luv2cans says:
If your avian veterinarian is board certified, the initials after her name will read DVM, ABVP or VMD, ABVP. That means the veterinarian has passed tests that qualify her specifically as an avian veterinarian. Unfortunately, at this time, there are only about 80 in the United States, so how do we go about finding a veterinarian who has experience in avian medicine?
Here are 10 things to find out about your new avian vet.
- Is she a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians?
- How long has she been treating birds?
- Does she offer after-hour services?
- Who is her replacement avian veterinarian?
- Use avian terms to make sure she understands you. (I heard a story of a vet who didn't know what an umbrella was!) Use terms such as Yello Nape (if you have an Amazon), and talk about polyoma, beak and feather, PDD and so on.
- Does she have birds at home? (I think that to understand birds you have to own birds. Of course, if there is only one vet in town, you don't have much of a choice, but ask anyway.)
- What percentage of her patients are avian?
- How does she keep abreast of new methods in avian medicine? (This is extremely important; most vet colleges spend little time discussing exotic medicine, so many veterinarians have learned through reading journals, attending conferences and discussing cases with other avian veterinarians.)
- You and she should go over diet. (She should never recommend a seed diet over a pelleted diet.)
- Do both the vet and the tech seem comfortable handling the bird?
Get more tips and advice from members in the know:
- Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
- Birds message board
