Enhancing your practice with small mammals and reptiles

Abstract

Small mammals and reptiles are certainly more popular as pets than they ever have been. For a dog and cat practice, it is not a difficult transition to start seeing other small mammals and or reptiles in the practice. Important questions to ask before starting this new venture are: how do I have to modify the practice, what do I have to buy, what are the economics of exotic animals, and how does one become competent in this area of small mammals and reptiles? One very quick way to jump start your practice is to bring on a recent graduate from a veterinary school that educates its students about exotic animal medicine. Before you start seeing reptiles or small mammals as patients, evaluate your physical plant. If there is any area of the hospital that will likely require modification for small mammal and reptile patients, it is the ward area. Most medications for small mammal and reptile patients will already be in your hospital. Depending on your level of commitment to these pets, you may need to buy instruments specifically for small mammals and reptiles. Finally, if one is going to start seeing small mammals and reptiles, it makes sense to have a few small mammals or reptiles as hospital teaching animals and as blood donors.