Rant

[kme3388]

This is a rant as this is an issue I have ran into on a few occasions. Parrots & Vets. So I’ve called around today trying to get Nico a vet appointment to have his eye looked at. It seems fine to me, but just encase I’d prefer to have someone more experienced look at it. The only vet available (for parrots) is 2 weeks out in my local area. Nico’s vet has limited availability. Most places decline to even see parrots. If any of my parrots were to become gravely ill I’d be up a hill without a paddle in my local area. I would honestly have a dead parrot. It’s just a frustrating process.

 

[texsize]

I have had similar experiences where I live.

I have one avian vet in my area and I can usually get to see him quick in an emergency, it just costs more.
But if he's on vacation or something I can pick from a few exotic vets (and have done so).
Next closes avian vet I tried to see was a 2 week wait and a minimum of 1 hour drive depending on traffic.

Because I do live in Southern California there are a great many vets but I live in the extreme northern edge of LA county and it's kind of empty on the high desert.
So I have found some emergency vet clinics but it's 1 1/2 hours away on busy freeways

It's frustrating for sure.

 

[kme3388]

I just cry every time I have to deal with calling vets for an appointment for my parrots. I really do care about my parrots, and they are like children to me. It makes me even more sad when it comes to my sun conure if he gets sick, and I can’t find a vet. Although they are now considered endangered instead of critically endangered in the wild… The thought of them being extinct, and only in captivity is sad. They are beautiful, smart, and very charismatic.

 

[LaManuka]

My husband commented to me yesterday how EXTREMELY lucky we are to have one of the best bird vets in the country, if not the world, practising only a 2 minute drive from our house. We've been taking our birds to him for nearly 30 years and have always been able to get an appointment on the same day if any of our birds have ever had any issues. But he will inevitably retire fairly soon as he has his own health issues and he's not getting any younger, leaving the next best options a good 40 minutes drive away, depending on traffic, and I don't know how hard or easy it will be to get an appointment. Apparently there's a worldwide shortage of all types of vets at present, let alone avian ones. I sympathise ENTIRELY with your situation, @kme3388 though I have not experienced it yet but I fear I soon will!!

 

[Jcas]

I completely sympathize 🙁. I live kind of in the middle of nowhere. Very rural. Vets basically treat cattle. Even dog and cat vets are scarce, though we’re lucky to have decent one about twenty minutes away. Nearest emergency vet for them is over an hour away. Birds? Forget it. Nearest CAV is a 3-4 hour drive one way. My uncle was an amazing vet who specialized in small animals and birds. Even though he lived far away, I could call him any time. Just with me describing symptoms over the phone he could figure out what was wrong and how I could treat it at home about 98% of the time. He passed away last year. Not only do I miss him dearly but I’ve had so many times I wish I could get a phone line to heaven and ask his advice regarding my birds! As another poster said, it seems like there is a shortage of good vets in general and when it comes to specialty animals like birds, it’s even harder. I pray you and your birds will never have a real emergency 🙏. We love them so much, and not being able to find good care for them is both scary and frustrating. Honestly though, if a vet has no experience with birds, I think I would rather they refuse to treat them rather than risk harm coming to my birds from an inexperienced vet.

 

[kme3388]

I completely sympathize 🙁. I live kind of in the middle of nowhere. Very rural. Vets basically treat cattle. Even dog and cat vets are scarce, though we’re lucky to have decent one about twenty minutes away. Nearest emergency vet for them is over an hour away. Birds? Forget it. Nearest CAV is a 3-4 hour drive one way. My uncle was an amazing vet who specialized in small animals and birds. Even though he lived far away, I could call him any time. Just with me describing symptoms over the phone he could figure out what was wrong and how I could treat it at home about 98% of the time. He passed away last year. Not only do I miss him dearly but I’ve had so many times I wish I could get a phone line to heaven and ask his advice regarding my birds! As another poster said, it seems like there is a shortage of good vets in general and when it comes to specialty animals like birds, it’s even harder. I pray you and your birds will never have a real emergency 🙏. We love them so much, and not being able to find good care for them is both scary and frustrating. Honestly though, if a vet has no experience with birds, I think I would rather they refuse to treat them rather than risk harm coming to my birds from an inexperienced vet.

Thinking of this situation as a vet doesn’t know how to help parrots so they decline to see them does make me feel better.