About
Exotic Vet Care
We created Middle Creek Veterinary Hospital & Exotic Animal Clinic to provide the highest level of veterinary care to all of your pets. Your beloved companions may not be dogs or cats – or even have fur – but we will always give them the best attention. If your family, friends, or other vets have said your pets belong in a zoo, you have come to the right place for exotic vet care.
Our team is compassionate, educated, and experienced in caring for a wide range of exotic species. Whether you have a feathered friend or a scaly companion, we’ll provide them with the best possible treatment in a safe and inclusive environment.
Why Choose Middle Creek Veterinary Hospital for Exotic Animal Care?
At Middle Creek, we treat every patient with the same level of care and compassion we would offer our own pets. Our staff are pet parents to guinea pigs, snakes, birds, lizards, and even wolves!
We are also proud members of many veterinary exotic groups, which allows us to practice with the most up-to-date medicine, knowledge, and resources possible. A few of these dedicated groups include the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians (AEMV), Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV), and Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians (ARAV).
With our guiding expertise, we’ll help you understand the unique needs of your exotic pet and provide valuable advice on proper nutrition, habitat, and enrichment.
A Safe and Convenient Exotic Animal Hospital
At Middle Creek Veterinary Hospital, your pets always come first; their safety is our top priority. Our state-of-the-art facilities are designed to cater to the needs of exotic animals, ensuring they feel comfortable during their visit. We are also trained in employing non-aggressive handling methods, meaning that we know your pets’ body language and will never put them at risk.
In addition, we are also conveniently located right off of Highway 401 in Raleigh, about halfway between downtown Raleigh and Fuquay Varina, making your exotic pet care easily accessible. Our flexible appointment scheduling makes it easy to ensure your pet can be seen when they need it most.
Exotic Veterinary Care Services
Comprehensive Exotic Vet Care: From beak to tail, our staff have been trained for the species-specific needs of birds, reptiles, and mammals. We diagnose and treat a wide range of medical concerns and offer regular check-ups with species-specific vaccinations, preventive care, and surgical surgeries. We aim to keep your exotic pet healthy and happy!
Avian and Exotic Animal Care: We are well-versed in handling and providing tailored care for birds, reptiles, amphibians, rodents, and other exotics. Each species (and often subspecies) requires distinct husbandry, and we’re here to help you ensure they thrive.
Emergency Exotic Pet Veterinary Care: Accidents happen, and when they do, we’re here to help. Our exotic animal hospital is equipped to handle emergencies, and our team will act swiftly to provide urgent medical attention to your beloved pet.
Inclusive Education: We believe in empowering pet owners with knowledge. All of our services include education on your pet’s specific needs, behavior, and health concerns so you can make informed decisions about their well-being.
New Exotic Pet Care Consults: If you’ve just adopted or are thinking about acquiring an exotic pet, we’d love to discuss their needs with you! In addition to diet recommendations, we can show you how to set up their habitat, handle them properly, and prevent diseases and unwanted pregnancies.
What Exotic Pet Species Do We Treat?
About half of our patients are exotic pets, so we know just how trying it can be to find a competent vet. We are trained in the anatomy, behavior, common risks, and habitats of more species than we can list. In the past, we’ve treated porcupines, Savannah cats, spider monkeys, giraffes, squirrels, and kangaroos. No matter what kind of pet you have, we will always do our best to provide them with unparalleled care.
Here are a Few of Our Most Commonly Seen Exotic Pets:
Birds
People keep a myriad of bird species as pets, with the most popular being African Grey Parrots, Cockatiels, and Parakeets. However, not every avian needs the same care. Many have specific care requirements, such as a specific diet, to maintain optimal health and balance their reproductive hormones.
Whether you already have a bird or plan on getting one, we’d love to discuss what is most appropriate for your feathery friend. Common household items such as ceiling fans, cookware, and air fresheners can be deadly to pet birds because of their delicate respiratory systems. Additionally, the larger species of parrots can live more than 60 (human) years and have the intelligence level of an elementary school child. They require constant mental stimulation. These birds often get passed around from home to home because they have developed bad habits, like screaming and biting, which can be prevented. We can help you ensure that your pet bird is never bored.
Reptiles
Keeping reptiles as pets is much different than birds and mammals. Reptiles are “cold-blooded,” which means that they cannot internally regulate their own body temperature. Whether you’re interested in a bearded dragon, turtle, iguana, python, or other species, we strongly recommend you consult with us before bringing your scaly pet home.
Arguably, as pets, reptiles require the most up-front cost of any exotic species. For them to thrive, you have to create an entire ecosphere and microclimate inside a single enclosure. Reptiles that are purchased from pet stores often come with a “complete starter kit” that actually only has about half of what that species requires for a long and healthy life. Together, we can discuss appropriate enclosures, ground covering, and lighting. In addition, you’ll need to know how to monitor their tank’s temperature, humidity, and cleanliness. These critical steps may seem like minor details, but the number one cause of death in captively owned reptiles is due to improper living conditions.
Reptiles are wonderful pets, but they are not a good fit for everyone. Some species must eat live creatures, such as bugs or mice. Others are fun to watch but don’t like to be handled and may bite. Reptiles are incredible companions, and we want to ensure you know what you’re getting into ahead of time. Together, we can help you meet their needs from day one.
Exotic Mammals
Don’t let their size fool you! Even the smallest mammals have big needs and can greatly benefit from veterinary attention. Veterinary care for exotic mammals can be similar to that of dogs and cats. In numerous exotic mammal species, spaying and neutering can help decrease the likelihood of potentially fatal diseases, like cancer and anemia. Also, like dogs and cats, ferrets are very curious animals and may ingest foreign objects like legos, nails, or rubber bands (to name just a few) if bored or unattended. Small mammals are also subject to skin parasites like fleas and lice.
Did you know that some animals, like guinea pigs and rabbits, have teeth that grow their entire life? Animals with “open-rooted teeth” need a customized diet and may need particular chew toys or tooth-trimming. Without the right diet, rabbits can die as early as four years old, even though the average lifespan is 10 years. We suggest bringing your furry exotic pets in at least once a year (twice a year for those with shorter lifespans) to help them live their best life!
Anyone can find exotic animal care information online, but you will often find contradicting recommendations from different sources. Rather than trying to sort through fact and fiction yourself, let us help you. At Middle Creek Veterinary Hospital and Exotic Animal Clinic, exotic vet care is priority. We are here to guide you every step of the way with expertise and compassion.