Finding an Avian Veterinarian for Your Pet Bird

Finding a veterinarian that is competent to see a cat or a dog, or even a horse isn't too challenging. Finding a competent bird vet is another matter. Just because a veterinarian is willing to treat a bird, doesn't make them an avian specialist. There is a big difference between a vet that sees birds, and a Board Certified Avian Veterinarian.

It's a common misconception that veterinarians study about all species of pets, including birds, in veterinary school. Not true. Classes in avian medicine are considered an elective in most veterinary schools. A veterinary graduate fresh out of school can call themselves an avian veterinarian without ever having training in avian medicine, or handling an avian patient.

For a veterinarian to earn board certification in avian medicine from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP) they must complete extensive study and residency requirements, and pass a rigorous examination process. There are currently only 126 Certified Avian Veterinarians in the US.

Tracking down a Certified Avian Vet for your bird can be a challenge. The ABVP website offers the most up to date list of Certified Avian Vets at http://www.abvp.com/FindDiplomate.aspx. Because there are so few Certified Avian Veterinarians, your best bet is probably just to leave the "City" field blank and enter the state you're looking in, and select "Avian" from the "Practice Category" dropdown menu.

Several states don't have a Certified Avian Veterinarian at all. The next best place to look, if you don't have a Certified Veterinarian near you is the Association of Avian Veterinarians (AAV) http://www.aav.org/vet-lookup. Unlike the AVBP, there are no requirements, other than a veterinary degree and a membership fee to join the AAV. However, membership does at least indicate a strong interest in birds and the practice of avian medicine.

Lack of Board Certification does not automatically make a vet incompetent to care for a bird. There a many wonderful avian doctors that have chosen not to pursue the long and expensive process toward avian certification. There are still others who may be on the road to certification, but because of the length of the process, do not yet have the title.

If after using these locator tools you are still unable to find an avian veterinarian close to your home, the last thing to try is to call your local dog and cat veterinarian. The veterinary communities in an area all tend to know one another. Your local vet can probably refer you to someone that sees birds regularly. The more experience a veterinarian has treating birds, the better.

There is a world of difference between the health needs of a bird and a dog. Finding a veterinarian that knows how to care for your feathered pet is vital to a long and healthy life.