Beware of what the vets say (quaker that died)

[tattoo]

We just called the vets to get the report faxed to us at work. We have always thought through the advertising that they were certified but this we just checked deeper. We called and asked directly.
(This place is a very well known animal hospital in baltimore and recently (last 2 years I guess) added an avian hospital (24 hr emergency).

the call went like this....
Jenn: Are you Avian Certified?
Office: Yes, we see exotics and avians
Jenn: but are you avian certified?
Office: I don't know, let me find out.. (hold)
Office: if you are looking for a Diplomat we don't have any here and no we are not avian certified.

Our question.. what is a diplomat?

[Rrrma]

wow... that is bad.

there are a couple vets in town that have been treating birds for 20+ years, but aren't and never were avian certified. They won't advertise avian services, you won't find any evidence they treat birds on their website or brochures, but if you have a bird in need they will see it.

And then it turns out one of the vets at our newer hospital is an avian vet, but you wouldn't know it unless someone told you. Turns out he started in exotic medicine when he lived out of state, but eventually he grew to specialize in orthopedics and cancer. He still sees birds and exotics, but you wouldn't know that unless you asked. All of his advertisements are all about cancer and bones.

It's a shame there are places advertising avian services that aren't certified. Did you ask if the vets themselves were or just the facility? If they don't have a single avian vet I'd be temped to report them to the BBB!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

There seem to be a lot of pretty capable avian vets who are not Board Certified in Avian Medicine. I don't know if the certification process is particularly onerous or what. The vet we are using seems quite knowledgeable and has a practice which is dominantly birds, but she is not Board Certified in the specialty.

I'm not sure certification would help or hurt in a case like that of the poor little quaker. Experience seems way more important with a procedure like that. But certainly, do research on any vet for any animal!

[pfinarffle]

i'm in the baltimore area. which facility are you talking about? i'd never heard of a facility being avian certified, just vets. please tell us more about this.

anyway, all i know is that there are at least two offices in the baltimore area that have avian certified vets, and our sennie goes to one of them.

[entrancedbymyGCC]

By the way, Diplomate basically means "one who holds certification", in this case Avian Medicine Board Certification.

[birdvet]

Only vets can be avian certified, not the hospital. A diplomate (the US certification) is a veterinarian who has done extra study and exams and published journal papers and is a specialist in the field. Only people with this certification in Avian Health are allowed to call themselves avian specialists. However, many many veterinarians are competent Avian veterinarians but haven't done the board exam to become a diplomate of the american association of veterinarians. These vets are allowed to call themselves bird vets or vets with a special interest in bird medicine but NOT allowed to call themselves specialists.

The best way to find if your vet is at all competent with birds is to check and see if they are a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (aav.org). There is a link to the Australasian site through this webpage for all those Southern Hemisphere peeps . Most good bird vets are members of this association (or the Aussie one) and will attend regular meeting and do continuing education. However, of course there will still be dubious people that join these groups so word of mouth and recommendations from other bird owners are also invaluable.

Diplomates will have extra letters after the vet qualification (which is DVM or VMD in the USA). These letters will be something along the lines of dABVP (Avian health) or something similar. These vets can call themselves avian specialists. There are also qualifications from Europe and Down South here in New Zealand/Australia - but we use different letters .

It is very tragic that this has happened to this poor little quaker . I urge you all to find a certified avian specialist or a non-certified but recommended avian vet in your area and take your birds to these people. Vet schools don't teach much avian medicine so the extra study and an interest in the field is mandatory for vets to be competent avian veterinarians.

[MandyG]

The best way to find if your vet is at all competent with birds is to check and see if they are a member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians (aav.org).
...
Diplomates will have extra letters after the vet qualification (which is DVM or VMD in the USA). These letters will be something along the lines of dABVP (Avian health) or something similar. These vets can call themselves avian specialists.

Thanks for the link! I'm glad to see that the vet I'm going to next weekend is in fact on the list and has DVM behind her name. Although I'm a little concerned that there are only two listed for Manitoba and I was led to believe (by a reputable source) that more than two clinics in Winnipeg employed avian certified vets. I'm glad there's a place to find vets that are actually avian specialists.

[tattoo]

thanks all about the explination about the diplomat. calling the vet office they knew we were asking if the vet was certified. they should of known that answer without having to ask..sounded sneaky to me.

[Mona]

I agree that it doesn't sound right.

We have a vet in the Seattle area that "holds himself out" to be certified and he is not. I have also heard a lot of "Horror" stories about this particular vet and know a few birds that have died in his care. A lot of people like to go to him because he is "cheaper" but honestly, I don't think price is a factor for me. I want competence and I really want experience. I also do not want a vet that is experimenting with my bird. I also do not want a vet that will unnecessarily treat.

I do agree that there are good vets that are not avian certified because they have experience. I know one or two vets that specialize in avians but are not certified that I would not hesitate to go to HOWEVER a vet should NOT hold themselves out that they are certified if they are not.

The certification process is really just a really long test taking process....

Thx

Mona