Dr. Laurie Hess And The Veterinary Center For Birds & Exotics Are Featured In Newsday

BEDFORD HILLS, N.Y., March 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics, owned by Dr. Laurie Hess, is featured in Newsday this week to show the cutting edge, high tech medical care the Center's veterinarians and staff provide to the unusual exotic species they treat. Through numerous high resolution photos (http://newyork.newsday.com/lifestyle/dr-laurie-hess-exotic-vet-1.4805648) and video (http://newyork.newsday.com/lifestyle/exotic-vet-in-the-hudson-valley-1.4806438), as well as an on-line blog (http://newyork.newsday.com/westchester/westchester-now-1.3784383/westchester-hospital-is-for-the-birds-and-other-exotic-pets-1.4805319) (Note: if Optimum login box pops up when opening links, hit Escape button to view content), Newsday captured the action at the Center as veterinarians Dr. Laurie Hess and her associate, Dr. Michelle Ravich, performed complicated radiosurgery on an iguana, needle aspirated a Flemish giant rabbit's leg tumor, sampled blood from a ferret, and evaluated the heart of cockatiel displaying odd behavior. These were just some of the procedures the Newsday reporter marveled at as he followed the vets through a normal but hectic day at this unique veterinary hospital where they treat only birds and exotic pets such as ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, smaller rodents (gerbils, hamsters, rats, mice), reptiles, amphibians, and less commonly known species such as sugar gliders, hedgehogs, pot belly pigs, wallabies, prairie dogs, degus, and kinkajous, but not cats or dogs.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130314/NY77459LOGO )

"I founded the Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics as a special place catering to the needs solely of exotic pets," explained Dr. Hess. "Other veterinarians in our area treat exotic animals, but we provide a level of care a step above," she said. Dr. Hess, one of approximately 150 board-certified avian (bird) veterinarians worldwide, has treated exotic pets exclusively for 19 years and writes, lectures, and speaks about these pets internationally. This unique hospital provides full medical, surgical, emergency, and boarding care to birds and exotic pets not only via traditional veterinary therapies, but also through modern technology used in human medical care, such as digital radiography, ultrasonography, endoscopic surgery, and cold laser therapy. The Center is the only all-bird/exotic pet hospital in Westchester County, NY, and the surrounding areas, the only American Animal Hospital Association-accredited bird and exotics specialty referral hospital in NY, and one of only four such hospitals worldwide. "To become accredited," Hess noted, "the hospital had to undergo rigorous inspection and examination of everything we do, from how we handle patients to how we keep medical records, plus we have to recertify every 2-3 years."

Although the Center's veterinarians and licensed technicians frequently treat sick and injured exotic pets, they also focus on the need for routine preventative medical care for these animals. The staff educates exotic pet owners on proper nutrition, housing, and behavior of exotic pets so that these animals remain healthy. Recent statistics published by the American Veterinary Medical Association showed that of the 66.5 million households in the U.S. owning pets, 12.6 own exotic or specialty pets. While most cat and dog owners routinely take their pets to the veterinarian for check-ups, very few bird and exotic pet owners do this, instead waiting for their pets to get sick to establish a relationship with a vet. The mission of the Veterinary Center is to teach exotic pet owners that it is not only better for the pets, but also less costly for the owners, to seek out preventative care before their animals become ill.

To learn more about exotic pet care, about what the Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics does, or about Dr. Laurie Hess, visit www.avianexoticsvet.com and www.LaurieHessDVM.com, or call (914) 864-1414.

Contact: Dr. Laurie Hess, (914) 450-4281, [email protected]

SOURCE The Veterinary Center for Birds & Exotics