Pure Parents

Question:

: I’m moving South to San Diego and away (oh so sadly) from my spec’d amazon’s : lifelong vet. Can anyone recommend a good (great would be better) birdie vet Ginger, There are lots of great vets here, and we’re the home of PEAC! So you’ll have great speakers and an annual conference right in your backyard, check out: www.peac.org  for more info. I think the most important question is what area of San Diego you live in! Ideally you’ll want to be within 30 minutes of a good vet, in case of emergency. Here’s a few: Jeffry Jenkins, board certified, bird/exotics only at the ‘Avian and Exotic Animal Hospital’ (619-260-1412, Mission Valley/central SD area,) Benita Keiss is great, does dogs/cats too at Pacific Beach Vet Clinic (858-272-6255) Gary Gallerstein (author of a great parrot care book,) Acacia Animal Hospital (www.acaciavet.com) And more! Be sure to get a copy of your bird’s records to bring with you, so they have a more comprehensive history of his care!! Kelly Flynn

Response:

Vets in San Diego that I trust with my birds, or who come highly recommended by my local bird friends: 1. Dr Jenkins of the Avian and Exotic Animal Hospital in Mission Valley 2. Dr Cecil, same practice 3. Dr Stonebreaker at Del Mar Animal Hospital on Jimmy Durante Blvd. in Solana Beach/Del Mar 4. Dr Rosanne Brown in El Cajon/Spring Valley area 5. Dr Ridgeway on Normal Street near Hillcrest 6. Dr Corrigan in Pacific Beach 7. Dr Gallerstein in Escondido, Acacia Animal Hospital You will find you are moving to parrot heaven as far as vets go! Most of these vets are easy to talk to about fees and alternative treatments, so interview away to find one that you can get along with the best. There are also several great bird clubs that meet here, depending on the birds that you have and if they are pets or breeders or show birds. Welcome to San Diego!

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Hi; I’m moving South to San Diego and away (oh so sadly) from my spec’d amazon’s lifelong vet. Can anyone recommend a good (great would be better) birdie vet in the San Diego, CA area? Thanks, Fido’s my life and if I can’t get a good vet then I’m not moving. Ginger

Response:

Hi,   http://www.birdcrazy.com/welcome.htm I’m in the San Diego area. I’ve recently become a customer of this store. They’ve been in business 15 years. The store is clean, staff is knowledgeable, numerous and are always walking around answering ?? etc… They have a vet page on their site. Hope this helps a bit. BTW Welcome!! Even w/ all that’s in the media re: electricity This is the BEST AREA!! Lynn

Response:

> Hi, >   http://www.birdcrazy.com/welcome.htm I’m in the San Diego area. I’ve > recently become a customer of this store. They’ve been in business 15 years. > The store is clean, staff is knowledgeable, numerous and are always walking > around answering ?? etc… They have a vet page on their site. Hope this > helps a bit. BTW Welcome!! Even w/ all that’s in the media re: electricity > This is the BEST AREA!! Lynn

Thank you, Lynn! As you can probably tell, I’m totally dedicated to my beloved birdie. My vet says that he wishes he were her! She has her own (1 room totally dedicated with it’s own AC, gas heater – venting outside, of course! – and CD player. Her diet is Harrisons, different fruits and veggies daily (steamed and raw), carrot-based fruit juices, 1 peanut (how can I say no to that little face???),  and 2% Kraft Cheddar Extra Sharp cheese (her royal highness will tolerate none-other that Kraft!). She was dumped, cage and all, on my doorstep 14 years ago after 5 years on a cheap seed-only diet. They hadn’t cleaned her cage in all this time (it had to be sand blasted)  and her water dish was completely filled with poop. They called her "Doorbell" because she screamed all the time. She was screaming because they used to leave her covered for days on end and only took her out to play softball with her. The vet I initially took her to gave her 6 months to live but I sold my car (I was in college) and used the money for us to try to save her. The vet is a wonderful man and we were succesfull thanks to a steroid-based therapy with heavy vitamin supplimentation and a radical change in diet. Plus, now she gets a dedicated 3 hours per day just for little birdie. That was 14 years ago and she still sufferes from the trauma of that family but now, instead of hysterically striking out and screaming, she just curls under my long hair, at the nape of my neck, and stays put until the "danger" is gone. She’s taught my oodles about parenting and having had the joy of my Fido I have decided to forgo childeren and have parrots instead. Yours, Ginger

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