Exotics Care Resources for Vets and
Vet Nurses
Hello friends and colleagues!
Come and learn about the wonderful world of exotics medicine…
Clinical tips, FAQs, interesting facts and more.
Enjoy!
Dr Izi
Sophie’s Legacy
I absolutely love my job. I always wanted to be a vet and I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. But like many of my peers, I have struggled through this career. It is something that many of us are familiar with, but the magnitude of this problem is unacceptable. Suicide rates among veterinary professionals are alarming and the industry is in crisis. read more
Operant conditioning
Operant conditioning is a learning process that can be used to shape the behaviours of any species; birds, rabbits, dogs, tigers, goldfish and humans! read more
Herp hearts
Did you know that frogs and most reptiles (not crocodiles) have 3 chambered hearts?! That’s 2 atria and 1 ventricle. How does it work?? read more
Rat mammary tumours
Rats have extensive mammary tissue and mammary tumours are one of the most common neoplasms in this species. Majority of these tumours are benign fibroadenomas, with a smaller percentage being carcinomas. read more
What is a bird beak made of?
The upper and lower beak are made of bones (essentially maxilla and mandible), vascular dermis and are covered by a layer of hard keratin. read more
Exotics Emergencies
I'm very excited to be joining forces with Centre for Continuing Education (CVE) @ University of Sydney to offer a TimeOnline course on exotics emergencies read more
Sedation in exotics
Sedation may be required to alleviate stress in nervous patients and to facilitate handling for minor procedures, such as radiographs. read more
Feather picking in parrots
Feather picking must be one of the most frustrating presenting problems that avian vets deal with. And one that is understandably frustrating for bird owners too. read more
Wing clipping
As veterinary professionals, being in a position to educate colleagues, breeders, pet shops, and bird owners about the wing clipping procedure is an important step in the right direction for bird welfare. read more
Fun feather facts
Feathers are a complex modification of hair, but they are truly amazing structures. If it wasn’t for feathers, would we have pens or aeroplanes?? read more
What it means to be a Prey Species
A paper has recently out on the use of gabapentin in rabbits and I thought the introduction was a great summary of what it means ... read more
Guinea pig dentition
Guinea pigs have continuously growing teeth, just like rabbits, but the dental formula, shape and orientation of the teeth are quite different to rabbits. read more
Exotic pets are not fragile, beginner pets or cheap
There is a societal belief that exotics are fragile, that they are beginner pets for small children, and that their care is cheaper in comparison to the more traditional pets. These notions are not only heartbreaking for those that work closely with exotics (exotics vets and nurses) but are an animal welfare issue where countless little lives are lost, and often easily replaced. “It’s just a rabbit” and “It’s just a bird” is something we hear all too often. read more
Rabbit urinalysis
Urinalysis is an important part of a minimum database in rabbits and can provide a multitude of information regarding the health of the rabbit. read more
Dental procedures in rabbits and guinea pigs
British Veterinary Zoological Society, in collaboration with the Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund, recently released a position statement on the use of anaesthesia in rabbit and guinea pig dental procedures. read more