Avian and Exotic Pets

Cascade Hospital for Animals is now able to offer avian and exotic appointments with the addition of Dr. Tracey Ritzman to our health care team.

Dr. Ritzman is a board-certified specialist by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in avian and exotic companion mammal medicine and surgery.  She is the only dual board-certified veterinarian in these two specialties in the state of Michigan.

Dr. Ritzman supports the veterinary community through teaching in the area of avian and exotic animal medicine. She is a speaker at both national and international veterinary meetings and also mentors veterinary students and technicians in the area of her specialties.

If your pet walks, flies, crawls, slithers, hops or swims, we are here to help.

We offer the following appointments for our avian and exotic friends:

• Health Consultation:- Our appointments are 30 minutes long, not 20 minutes which is what many other practices allow.  We believe this extra-long appointment give us plenty of time to examine your pet and discuss any husbandry, behavioral, or nutritional concerns you may have.  We will talk to you about wellness screening and come up with a plan to diagnose and treat any problems detected on the physical examination.
• Rabbits, Ferrets, and Guinea Pigs: Please remember to bring in a fresh urine sample so we may screen for kidney and bladder health.  A fresh fecal sample should also be brought along so we may screen for certain illnesses, particularly zoonotic diseases which are transmissible to humans.
• Birds: Please remember to bring a few hours worth of fresh droppings along with your bird as these provide vital clues to your bird's health. We may screen the droppings for zoonotic diseases.
•  Reptiles and Amphibians: Please remember to bring in a fresh fecal sample with your reptile or amphibian so we may screen for parasites, particularly zoonotic diseases such as pentastomes.
• Diagnostics Services:
• Bloodwork: Hematology & Biochemical Analysis
• Urinalysis & Fecal Analysis
• Gram Stains
• Cytology & Histopathology
• Radiology
• Ultrasonography
• Viral & Bacterial Testing
• Fungal cultures
• Surgery:
• Traditional Surgical Procedures: Spay/Neuter, Mass Removals, Fracture Repair
• Electrocautery
• Endoscopy
• Anesthetic Monitoring
• Day Admissions: - If you're on the go but have a pet that needs care, you may arrange to leave your pet with us.  Drop-off appointments allow you to drop off a pet sometime during the day without waiting around for the examination.  Dr. Ritzman will examine your pet and call you back with recommendations about its care.  You may pick your pet up at your convenience later that day.