Avian and Exotics

Ragoth, a 4-year-old male green iguana, was treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the UC Davis veterinary hospital for his mast cell tumors.

The Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service at the UC Davis veterinary hospital provides wellness care, specialized diagnostic testing, medical treatments, surgical options, and emergency care for exotic companion animals.

Aquatic animal health specialists performed surgery on a 4-year-old male oranda goldfish to trim his overgrown wen.

Jill Harris of San Francisco has been a dedicated and experienced rabbit owner for more than 20 years, enjoying volunteering at rabbit rescues and creating fun names for her many rabbits over the years. When her rabbit Lady Alaia McBiggs, an 8-year-old female Flemish giant, experienced a bulging right eye, Harris immediately took her to their primary veterinarian. X-rays there proved inconclusive, so Lady Alaia McBiggs was referred to the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service at the UC Davis veterinary hospital for more advanced imaging to discovery the cause of the bulge.

Since the scope of recent fires in the west is unprecedented, the full impact on ecosystems and populations will not be understood for months to years to come.

Rex, a 5-year-old male bearded dragon, was brought to the UC Davis veterinary hospital following a period of inappetence, lethargy, and dehydration. His mouth appeared very unhealthy, and his owners were concerned that it was the primary cause of his lack of desire to eat and drink. They hoped that the veterinarians in the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service could help.

Have you ever been eye to eye with a peregrine falcon? Enjoy a rare close-up experience with Phoenix, our resident peregrine at the California Raptor Center’s (CRC) Open House on Saturday, Oct. 19th from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

Mohave, a 61-year-old desert tortoise, was recently brought to the UC Davis veterinary hospital for a recurrence of bladder stones. Thanks to a minimally invasive procedure that saved his shell, and a UC Davis alumna connecting with her alma mater, Mohave is on the mend.

Dr. Jackie Gai ’01 serves as the director of veterinary services for the Performing Animal Welfare Society and works with elephants, lions, tigers and bears. But she still has a soft spot for ducks.

The 2019 edition of the Silicon Valley Tour de Coop has been scratched due to Virulent Newcastle Disease (vND), a highly contagious and fatal viral disease affecting all species of birds – including poultry.

As one of only 215 board-certified zoological veterinarians in the world, Dr. Jenessa Gjeltema is rarer than some of the endangered animals she treats at the Sacramento Zoo.

Dr. Joanne Paul-Murphy has been named the recipient of the 2019 Animal Welfare Award by the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Ginger, an 8-year-old female eclectus parrot, was not feeling like herself a few months ago. Over the course of several days, her decreased appetite caused her to skip a meal of kiwi—her favorite fruit—and she no longer danced around her cage like normal. Her owners thought she was having trouble with egg binding, a condition she suffered from previously. As regular clients of the Companion Exotic Animal Medicine and Surgery Service at the UC Davis veterinary hospital, they brought Ginger in for an examination.

Virulent Newcastle Disease (vND) is a poultry disease that has not been seen in California since 2002. It has recently re-emerged and represents a serious threat to backyard and commercial flocks.