Reptile (& bird) Exams at the Zoo (Pics!)

[dizzydynamo]

I went to the Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo to observe their annual reptile and bird exams. This was a special class for vet tech students only and the zoo was closed today. The exams were performed by an AWESOME husband and wife exotics vets that are very well known in the south bay area for birds and reptiles. Dr. Chris Sanders and Dr. Diana Welsh own Wildwood Veterinary Hospital (www.wildwoodvet.com). I've also shadowed Dr. Sanders before to San Jose State University for their annual reptile exams on campus. Definitely the go-to-vet for your herps! Enjoy!

Getting blood from sulcata. Coccygeal (tail) vein. Check out that scrub top!




He got it!


Drummeling beak


Palpating gopher snake


Checking eyes


Listening to heart


Drawing blood. Intracardiac stick


Ball python's turn!


Blood draw


Checking the mouth of boa. There's some type of infection/lump at the end of the cotton swab held on the vet's right hand.


Vet is removing the tissue for a biopsy.


Blood draw.


One handed blood draw from jugular vein. You can't see it but he has the syringe in his right hand.




Examining ears on red tail hawk.




Listening to heart


Blood draw from the leg




Skink's turn!






Hope you liked it!

[C&H Exotic Morphs]

Great pics and thanks for sharing!

[ShockBunny]

Awesome pics!

[WarriorPrincess90]

That is so cool! Thanks for sharing those pics! Are you in a two year or four year program?

[dizzydynamo]

That is so cool! Thanks for sharing those pics! Are you in a two year or four year program?

I am in the two year program. The four year program isn't necessary for those that just want to go into general practice. As far as I'm concerned, you only need it for animal research or zoo medicine. A bachelor's degree will lead you to become a veterinary technologist instead of technician. I'm currently in shelter medicine but I hope in the future I can work in a zoo. I already have a B.S degree in bioengineering so the two year program is all I need to work in a zoo.

I wanted to share these pics so that fellow members can see what an exam should look like from a reputable exotics vet. Most vets just know dogs and cats and don't really know anything else on herps.

[Shadera]

Love that RT! Harlan's?

[RestlessRobie]

Thanks for sharing the son and I loved looking at the pics

[WarriorPrincess90]

I am in the two year program. The four year program isn't necessary for those that just want to go into general practice. As far as I'm concerned, you only need it for animal research or zoo medicine. A bachelor's degree will lead you to become a veterinary technologist instead of technician. I'm currently in shelter medicine but I hope in the future I can work in a zoo. I already have a B.S degree in bioengineering so the two year program is all I need to work in a zoo.

I wanted to share these pics so that fellow members can see what an exam should look like from a reputable exotics vet. Most vets just know dogs and cats and don't really know anything else on herps.

That's awesome! I'm currently finishing up my B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Integrative Animal Biology. As much as I would love to go to school to be a vet (still the plan...but looking into some backups), I am also heavily considering going into a Vet Tech program when I graduate. But I would much prefer to go into Zoo medicine. So with a B.S., I would only need the two year program to do so? Cause that'd be awesome. Just sayin.

And again, thank you for sharing. I wish my vet was half that awesome. But it's neigh impossible to find a good herp vet.

[dizzydynamo]

Love that RT! Harlan's?

Are you referring to the red tail hawk? Sorry, I don't know what a Harlan is. If you're talking about the hawk, I just remember it came to the zoo with an injured wing that wouldn't heal correctly so it couldn't be released back into the wild.

[dizzydynamo]

That's awesome! I'm currently finishing up my B.S. in Biology with a concentration in Integrative Animal Biology. As much as I would love to go to school to be a vet (still the plan...but looking into some backups), I am also heavily considering going into a Vet Tech program when I graduate. But I would much prefer to go into Zoo medicine. So with a B.S., I would only need the two year program to do so? Cause that'd be awesome. Just sayin.

And again, thank you for sharing. I wish my vet was half that awesome. But it's neigh impossible to find a good herp vet.

You would need to go through a two year vet tech program and then take the exams to be licensed. From what research I've done, you need a B.S. to become a zookeeper and only an A.S. from an accredited vet tech program to be a vet tech at the zoo but having a bachelor's on top of it will give you a better chance. It is extremely difficult to get a job at a zoo vet clinic due to low turnover and limited positions available. You would have to get by on doing a bunch of unpaid (or small stipend) internships and volunteering at zoos as keepers before even consider applying. I recommend getting skilled at dogs, cats, horses, etc. first and then work your way up to zoo animals since most vets just base their diagnosis on domestic/common pets and then learn as they go.

Here are some zoo medicine websites for you to check out. Zoo medicine is also considered a specialty that takes 5 years to complete and then you take another exam.

American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
http://www.aazv.org/

Academy of Veterinary Zoological Medicine Technicians
http://www.avzmt.org/

Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians
http://www.azvt.org/

Association of Zoos and Aquariums
http://www.aza.org/

Hope this helps!