VCBE is the only American Animal Hospital Association-accredited bird and exotics specialty referral hospital in NY, and the only hospital caring exclusively for birds and other exotic animals in Westchester and surrounding counties.

Are you having problems getting your bird on a nutritious diet? So often, the Veterinary Center staff hears owners say that they have tried getting their birds on pelleted diets, but that the birds don't like them and refuse to eat them. Read More >>

Don't miss our own Dr. Laurie Hess as she discusses nocturnal pets on the Hallmark Channel show, "Pet Keeping with Marc Morrone," Thursday, January 19th, at 12:30 pm Eastern. Read More >>

Listen to Dr. Hess and Dr. Read More >>

     Jade, a 3-year-old female leopard gecko, first presented to the Veterinary Center with a 1-2 week history of what the owner presumed to be constipation.  On physical exam, she had a very large and distended abdomen, but was bright and alert.  X-rays showed an enlarged structure within her abdomen but no discrete masses, foreign objects, urinary tract stones, or eggs.  Dr. Hess and Dr. Ravich ran blood tests which were normal.  Jade returned for an abdominal ultrasound (belly sonogram) the following day.  Approximately 5 round to oval structures were present throughout her abdomen, which were suspected to be developing follicles (early eggs) on her ovary.  As leopard gecko eggs take about 3-4 weeks to develop prior to being laid, and Jade’s condition was stable, the doctors started her on an oral calcium supplement, and they recommended also providing her with a moist/humid hiding spot in which she could lay her eggs.
     Over the next few weeks, Jade’s appetite continued to wax and wane. Read More >>

     Soto, a 1.5-year-old female lop rabbit, was brought to the Veterinary Center when her owners noticed she had bloody urine and a decreased appetite.  During her examination, Dr. Ravich and Dr. Hess could feel a tubular structure in her abdomen.  It was possible that the tubular structure was a normal loop of intestine; however, they were concerned it might be an enlarged uterus, as Soto was not spayed.  Blood can appear in rabbit urine not only from urinary tract disease, but also from reproductive tract diseases, including uterine tumors or infections.  The Veterinary Center staff took x-rays of Soto’s abdomen to look for bladder stones (that can irritate the inside of the bladder and cause bloody urine) and to see also if the uterus looked enlarged.  There were no bladder stones visible on the x-ray; however, there was a tubular structure visible near the bladder, most likely her uterus.  Blood drawn for routine testing was normal.  Intact (not spayed) female rabbits have a very high chance of getting uterine cancer.   In fact, some studies report incidence rates of uterine cancer in unspayed female rabbits over age 4 years to be as high as 50-80%.  In addition, if there is cancer in the uterus, it can potentially spread to other organs, including the lungs. Read More >>