Category Archives: Avian and Exotics

How Does an Owl Captivate New York: Barry the Barred Owl

A crowd in Central Park to watch Barry the Barred Owl

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 of the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir last February where I was one of hundreds braving the freezing cold and ice, hoping for a glimpse of

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Do I need to have my mini pig spayed? Or my bird? Or my rabbit?

Two mini pigs

Spaying, or ovariohysterectomy, is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in dogs and cats. On my April 6th SiriusXM Stars Channel 109 show, “Ask the Vet,” I was asked a question about spaying and I admit I could not readily come up with an answer. The question was: “Should I spay my mini

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Does Menopause Occur in Animals?

Last week, at the Animal Medical Center, our Avian and Exotic Pet Service examined a geriatric female iguana named Killer. One of her problems was osteoporosis, a disease of the bony skeleton common in post-menopausal women. Given that Killer is an older lady, her family asked a reasonable question, “Is my iguana post-menopausal?” A Different Type

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