California-Southern

[Sylvester017]

T
This vet is where I got my first kitty spayed!!!

LIKE MINDS ARE GREAT MINDS!!!

He has been a great bird vet for us. Because he's not in an expensive neighborhood like Glendora or Pasadena his overhead costs and visits are more reasonable. Location is not always a good indicator of whether a vet is good or not. I was pleasantly surprised when his staff told me he loves chickens and would have them in the office backyard if he could! He advertises as a dog/cat/exotics/bird vet but dogs and cats have overrun his practice. So our occasional chicken visits attract a lot of attention from both staff and customers.

We had a reasonable and good vet for our dogs (when we had them) in La Verne but he moved his little practice to San Dimas and built a new large facility with a hospital and his prices soared comparatively. A good vet but we couldn't afford his hike in visits.

This is why I urge pet owners to seek out a vet in advance so you aren't forced in an emergency to go to just any vet in a panic. Also, not all vets will treat or like chickens either. Avian specialists are probably excellent but I found their charges exhorbitant for my senior income. My lovely vet gives me a senior break for visits where a Pasadena vet might not be as generous.

 

[tacopaco]

For all who read these vet posts research and then get to know a vet in advance - even if it's just a short chat on the phone.  Don't wait until an emergency to call.  Getting a vet who knows about birds and more important a vet that loves chickens is important.  I called my reference in advance and asked the staff that answered the phone about the probability of their vet being willing or liking to treat a chicken in particular.  I was thrilled to find that he loves chickens and would have his office backyard full of them if he could.  He also does his own surgeries.  I don't have to worry that he's going to refer me to some other specialist I never met before!  He advertises being a dog/cat/exotics/bird vet but dogs and cats have overrun his practice.  The office is delighted when we come in with a chicken for a change. The staff often come in to see her and pet her - Silkies are so cute anyway.  I never noticed the staffers popping in to visit the hyper dog patients but there's just something endearing and unusual about pet chickens - especially gentle well-behaved ones! 

We have a 2nd vet reference 20 miles further away in Pasadena but so far haven't needed them plus they are more expensive as avian specialists only.  I'm sure they would be excellent also since birds are their specialty but I love our current vet and so satisfied with his thorough exams.  He insists on us updating him about the progress of the treatments he prescribes.

My vet's office visit is $40 and from there injections, medications, and fecal tests are added costs.  My 4 visits this past year with one Silkie has run a total of almost $400.  My DH joked that her eggs cost $4/each this last year from vet visits alone but my DH is in total support and urges me to use the vet.  A couple visits I made were because of slight injuries and preferred an examination just to be sure.  But 2 other visits she was a very sick little bird and I went into the vet office thinking she would have to be euthanized.  But happily he pulled her through those 2 critical times with "flying feathers!"  I am always so satisfied with his thorough exams of her - not just cursory checkups.

My policy with chickens is that if something is "off" about a chicken and doesn't improve by end of day then we go to the vet the next morning.  Smaller pets can deteriorate fast if not treated as soon as symptoms appear that don't go away in 24 hours.

The name is Duarte-Azusa Animal Hospital on Huntington Drive in Duarte, CA   Phone # 626-357-2251

Thanks for the info! Didn't know there was a vet for my chickens so close by!

 

[Sylvester017]

Thanks for the info! Didn't know there was a vet for my chickens so close by!

He also has coupons for free office visits if you ever see his mailer ads for Duarte-Azusa Animal Hospital. We ask the USPS to always mail us circulars and local ads because we were given the USPS option to stop mailers. We have opted to have the free "junk" mail.

Once in a while one of his coupons will be offered for either a free visit, or $$ off a special kind of pet, etc. He's done this for about 10 years at least and that's how I discovered he was not just a dog/cat vet. I called a Pasadena avian specialist and their office visit was sky high. They are probably very good but so is my vet who is in an ordinary location and for a lot less $$.

I did call ahead before I ever needed him to make sure he would take my breed of chickens just because I am a worrier and like to plan ahead - probably wasn't necessary but it gave me peace of mind.

 

[ozexpat]

I may get myself into trouble here but I dont use vets for chickens. My chickens arent pets they are livestock. I have great respect for every bird but the cost versus benefit of taking a sick chicken to a vet is not in mathematical favor of a chicken.

If I had an issue that was affecting a number of birds, then perhaps I would reconsider.

I have found that biosecurity and a good vaccination and anti parasite schedule is way more cost effective. I vaccinate for Mareks, Newcastle Disease, Fowl Pox and Coryza. I use Ivermectin for round worms and external parasites and valbazen alternate for tapeworms and round worms

My birds get a complete diet with some free ranging. Chicks get a coccidistat medicated feed.

I have a war chest of medications that I am familiar with indications, dosage and administration. I have not used and antibiotic for many many months but will treat if needed. I dont use Sulmet but Dimethox as my first line drug. Its a Sulfa drug like sulmet but more gentle on the birds system and more effective for cocci. My second line go to antibiotic is Tetrox.

Birds get a physical inspection every month to check for lice.

My personal experience is that chicks most often get cocciadosis and birds13-18 weeks get Coryza. Both preventable. On occasion I get an adult bird drop dead without warning.

 

[estamets]

I may get myself into trouble here but I dont use vets for chickens. My chickens arent pets they are livestock. I have great respect for every bird but the cost versus benefit of taking a sick chicken to a vet is not in mathematical favor of a chicken.

No judgement here! If we had more land and could keep more chickens, it wouldn't be such a big deal to let one go. As it is, we're constrained to 4 (6 in chicken math, you know!) in our tiny urban backyard, so the loss of one is a bigger issue for us. Also, these ones are pets. Some day we may start raising meat birds, and then it will be a different story.

 

[ozexpat]

No judgement here! If we had more land and could keep more chickens, it wouldn't be such a big deal to let one go. As it is, we're constrained to 4 (6 in chicken math, you know!) in our tiny urban backyard, so the loss of one is a bigger issue for us. Also, these ones are pets. Some day we may start raising meat birds, and then it will be a different story.

i lost a big batch of juvenile birds to feral cats recently that will set my breeding program back a year

i mourn the loss of every bird - even if I just had 4-ish I could never name them for fear of losing them. An animal needs an 8 year life expectency to get a name in my house

 

[estamets]

Here's a list of vets that see chickens, local to Orange County:
http://www.thebirdclinic.com/contact-us/

Greek & Associates, Yorba Linda: 714-463-1190

Dr. MacDowell, Claremont: 909-625-1561

Long Beach Animal Hospital: 562-434-9966

 

[sumatrass]

Riverside county here, im new to byc I have I have 9 chickens and one rooster 5 of them egg layers, and 5 oriental!!!

 

[tacopaco]

What kind of orientals?
Ornamental or oriental as in games?
Pictures? I wanna see! Lol

 

[tacopaco]

You have Sumatras as well?? I've been wanting some for ages lol