Vet frustration

[Taprock]

Buzz is 18 and his previous owner had never taken him to a vet. He is also plucking so we wanted to get him looked over, make sure the plucking is behavioral like his owner thought. He has also been making a wheezy noise we are not sure if it is a respiratory thing or he is just making more noises.
I called my vet (Nonavian) and got a recommendation. So I call them, they are 45 miles away. Yes they see birds, "oh we only trim claws, wings and beaks." So I look up another avian vet now 65+ miles away. Yes we see birds. Oh we don't do anything diagnostic. Receptionist says "well we usually see them when they are about dead." Really!! She gives me the number of another "avian" vet, now we're at 100+ miles away. "I think we take birds, let me check. Yes we do. oh we won't do blood work."
How can you call yourself an avian vet if all you do is grooming? So we are still looking for a vet.

 

[MikeyTN]

Have you tried Northern Michigan Veterinary Hospital?

 

[JerseyWendy]

UGH! How frustrating!! Have you thought about perhaps sending 'SailBoat' (Steven) a message? I know he's in Western Michigan, and he knows of 2 great avian vets. He may be able to find, or know of someone, near you? http://www.parrotforums.com/members/25472-sailboat.html

 

[JerseyWendy]

Then there's this, too:
Association of Avian Veterinarians

In SE Michigan (Detroit Metropolitan Area)
Warren Woods Animal Hospital
29157 Schoenherr Road
Warren MI 48088
(586) 751-3350
Dr. Cappel and Dr. Kahlifah are awesome

After Hours Emergency:
AEC Rochester
265 East 2nd Street
Rochester, MI 48307
248.651.1788

This is my new one, and I'm comfortable with their qualifications and experience:
Parkway Small Animal and Exotic hospital
39321 Garfield rd
Clinton township , MI
(586)416-8800

Supposed to be first exit off 23. (exit 1) There's an avian enthusiast that shows birds (has the too that took nationals) from Eaton Rapids and she takes her birds there also....
Bird & Exotic Pet Wellness Center
Susan Orosz
5166 Monroe St.
Toledo, OH 43623
419-843-3217
birdexoticpetvets.com

There is also an A-vet in Saline MI that is supposed to be good also, but that Dr. Orosz is well known....and whom the bird enthusiasts (show birds) are taken to..

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[Cheri]

Wow. How frustrating! We have 2 excellent avian specialists within 10 miles, plus Tufts Vet School and Angel Memorial within 40 miles. Never realized how lucky we are but won't ever take it for granted again! Good luck!

 

[Taprock]

Have you tried Northern Michigan Veterinary Hospital?

This is the one I just found to call. They are two hours away but may be the closest. The others are about 5 hours away.

I think it's time to nag my vet that they need someone with avian experience there.

 

[OOwl]

Check your local emergency vet hospital if you have one of those. Most emergency hospitals employ at least one vet with exotics experience. My avian vet works at one of those but has regular office hours. The plus side to that is that I can almost always get my birds in the day I call, even for something just concerning and not a true emergency. Good luck. Hope your guy will be okay.

 

[Taprock]

Unfortunately no emergency hospital. I did find one about 2 hours away.

 

[SailBoat]

Known Vets with Avian experience:

Drummond Island Animal Clinic - Dr. Richard Bennett (Avian Qualified) Retired, splits time between Grand Rapids and Drummond Island.

Cascade Hospital for Animals (Greater Grand Rapids Area) - Dr. Tracey Ritzman (Avian Certified)

There is also an Avian Qualified Vet in Traverse City. I will get his name.

There are more, just that the numbers fall off-quickly the further north one travels.

 

[SailBoat]

Traverse City Area Avian Qualified Vet:

Northern Michigan Veterinary Hospital, Inc.
Williamsburg, MI
231 938 9500
Dr. Eric Peck DVM

We rehomed our DYH Amazon from the Traverse City area and his first medical screen was with this Vet.

 

[Taprock]

Dr. Peck is the one I contacted. We plan on going to see them. After this holiday and we have a stretch of good weather we want to have him looked at. I'm a bit nervous about the length of the drive if we don't have good weather. Going in the ditch would be bad but with a parrot, I can't imagine!

 

[SailBoat]

Check 'AccuWeather' on the Web and look at their extended forecast for your area and Traverse City. Select a day next week and set the appointment. IMO, AccuWeather has a better than average record in forecasting the oddities of Michigan weather.

When you make the appointment, assure that you tell them that you are rehoming and that you believe that the parrot has not seen a Vet in a long time. Also, 'any' health issues you are currently seeing. This will go along way in targeting the Vet visit.