Category Archives: Avian and Exotics

Medical professionals have special words for most conditions. One of those words is dystocia, which refers to a prolonged or difficult birth. In a previous blogpost, I wrote about one potential outcome of a difficult birth—Cesarean surgery. It’s not uncommon for veterinarians at the Schwarzman animal Medical Center to treat dystocia in dogs and cats. However, today’s blogpost will detail dystocia in a less common patient than a dog or cat: a red-eared slider.

The Chinese New Year starts February 10th, 2024. Twelve animals make up the annual Chinese Zodiac rotation, and this is the Year of the Dragon. I am always interested in anything about animals and was curious about the animals in the Chinese Zodiac. I chatted with my colleague Dr. Michelle Chu to learn more about these Chinese New Year traditions.

Being a casual birder, I was captivated last winter by the presence of a snowy owl in Central Park. The photo accompanying this blogpost was taken at the north end

In addition to dogs and cats, the veterinarians at AMC care for amphibians, birds, reptiles and small mammals like hamsters and guinea pigs. In AMC-speak, we call them “Exotic Pets.”

I was very lucky last month to have fulfilled a long-held desire to go to the Galapagos Islands. The desire stemmed from my general love of animals, a presentation on