dvm360 highlights emergency patterns in exotic companion animals

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dvm360 has published a new clinical overview, “Exploring exotic emergencies,” highlighting the emergency presentations general practitioners are most likely to see in birds, reptiles, and small mammals, with added perspective from zoological medicine specialists S. Emi Knafo, DVM, DACZM, and Katherine Quesenberry, DVM, MPH, DABVP (Avian). The article, published March 17, 2026, frames exotic emergency care around common presentations such as inappetence, gastrointestinal syndromes, and species-specific traumatic injuries, while related dvm360 interviews published in March add practical guidance on referral thresholds and perioperative considerations, especially for reptiles. In those companion pieces, Knafo said exotic practice commonly centers on rabbits, parrots, chickens, tortoises, aquatic turtles, and lizards, while Quesenberry emphasized that most general practitioners can provide initial triage, analgesia, fluids, and hemorrhage control before referral when needed. (dvm360.com)

Why it matters: Exotic companion animals continue to show up in general practice and emergency settings, even when a clinic doesn’t market itself as an exotics service. The takeaway for veterinary teams is practical: early stabilization still matters, but species-specific physiology and husbandry can quickly complicate care. That’s especially true in reptiles, where temperature support during anesthesia directly affects metabolic rate and anesthetic drug processing, according to Jb Minter, DVM, MS, DACZM. For clinicians, the message is to recognize the common emergencies, stabilize what you can, and refer sooner when advanced imaging, surgery, or overnight monitoring is required. (dvm360.com)

What to watch: Expect more continuing education and referral-focused guidance as dvm360 expands its recent March 2026 coverage of exotic companion animal medicine. (dvm360.com)