Welcome to Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital

Follow this QR code for some important information on RHDV2
​More information below
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We provide veterinary care for avian and exotic animals.  We have a state-of-the-art facility designed specifically for avian and exotic animals!

Exotic pets like rabbits, ferrets, reptiles, birds, fish, hedgehogs, and guinea pigs have special care needs and Chicago Exotics specializes in meeting those needs. We operate a full service avian and exotic animal hospital featuring Dr. Susan Horton, Dr. Melissa Giese, Dr. Stephanie Moy, Dr. Dana Varble, Dr. Kristin Valdes, Dr. Deanne Strat-Zenoni, Dr. Jenifer Nix, Dr. Ellen Boyd, and Dr. Jessica Byerly!  Their extensive knowledge and expertise with exotic species combines the best of personal and clinical experience.   Our location is in Skokie, Illinois.  We provide service for the entire Chicago area as well as Southern Wisconsin and Western Indiana.

Our hospital has the capability of serving all sorts of animals from the smallest fish to the largest reptiles.  Our warm exotic ICU features avian incubators, reptilian incubators (aquatic and not), fish and amphibian ICU tanks, avian nebulizer units, and inline oxygen for all cages.  Outside the warm room, we have comfortable cages for all the soft fuzzy and not so fuzzy mammals and marsupials.  We are especially bird friendly! Our in house diagnostic capability includes full blood and chemistry work, cytology, radiology, endoscopy, ultrasound, and surgery.  We offer the opportunity for unique species to receive competent and compassionate veterinary care.  Cases are seen by appointment, but emergency patients are gladly accepted as the need arises.  We are no longer accepting personal checks for payment.

We are hiring!   See our jobs page here...
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We have CT appointments available.  Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital has invested in a Xoran Catscan for service to our tiny patients.  The appointment is a drop-off and stay until the end of the day type appointment.  Anesthesia is necessary as is a previous exam by one of the CE doctors.  We are using a panel of expert radiologists to read and report on our CT images.  Please call us if you have any questions.  Here is more information.

Now available: Acupuncture and Chiropractic medicine for exotics!  Dr Strat has been practicing these forms of alternative medicine for many years.  She now offers these therapeutic options every other Friday.  Call for an appointment today!

Chicago Exotics does provide inspections for USDA permit holders as well.  Call to get a quote for a site visit.
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We are available for honeybee consultation.  Dr. Horton has kept honeybees for many years.  For information on the new rules regarding medicine for your bees, see http://www.beeculture.com/do-i-need-a-vet-for-my-bees/

Erchonia Laser therapy is available by appointment!  Call and schedule your laser therapy today!!
Our Care Sheets section contains valuable information on caring for your pet.  If one of the doctors sent you to this website for a handout, this is where you want to go.

Are you a vet looking for referral information? You will also need to fill out this referral sheet and send all pertinent lab work and imaging. 

Are you a new client who needs new client form?  Please also fill out an Avian, Mammalian, Amphibian, Fish, or Reptile history form before you come in. Just print then fill out these forms before your next visit and bring them with you.  Please arrive 15 minutes early for your first appointment so that we can enter all this information into the computer.

​Are you a veterinary student looking for an externship?  See our externship page for more information!
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​Have a look at our new blog section!

Check out Dr. Horton in this personal interview with Linda Harrison from HBD Chat!

RHDV2 is in Chicago!!

Confirmed cases of the deadly RHDV2 have been confirmed in the Chicago as of 07/14/23.  Please use caution with your rabbits. 

1. Be sure your rabbits are vaccinated. 
2. Keep your shoes from the outside away from your rabbits.
3. Avoid exposing your rabbits to other rabbits that haven't been vaccinated. Do not pet or otherwise touch unfamiliar rabbits unless they have been vaccinated.
​4. Do not bring in any wild rabbits from the outside.
5. If you encounter suspicious deaths in outdoor or indoor rabbits, please contact - for Illinois Illinois Dr.  217-782-4944; 217-547-6030 (24/7); USDA APHIS Veterinary Services Attn: Field Operations, 3410 Hedley Rd, Springfield, IL 62711. Outside of Illinois, contact: this link
6. Please read the information provided in the link below.

Vaccines for Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease 2 

We have the vaccine in the clinic.  Please call to make an appointment to get the vaccine and then the booster 3 weeks later. You will need to have been seen in the last 30 days, otherwise a brief pre-vaccine exam will need to occur per the Medgene company (creators of the vaccine).
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​RHDV2 Fact sheet has the latest information here:

From House Rabbit Society:

• House your rabbits indoors. We strongly recommend that rabbits be kept indoors, or in enclosed environments, and not allowed outdoor playtime. Rabbits who live outdoors and those who exercise outdoors are at greater risk of contracting this disease.
• Wash your hands thoroughly before handling your rabbits, particularly when you come home from places where other rabbits may have been, or where people who have been in contact with rabbits may have been, including feed stores, pet stores, fairgrounds, humane societies, etc.
• Adopt a “no shoes in the house” policy, or keep your bunnies from running in high traffic areas of your home.
• Trim your rabbit’s nails and groom them at home. Learn how to trim your rabbit’s nails and groom them at home, instead of taking them to a rescue or vet’s office, which are higher-risk locations.
• Change your clothes and wash your hands after handling or coming in contact with other rabbits. Wash these clothes twice in hot water and dry in the dryer before wearing around your rabbit.
• Don’t let your rabbit come into physical contact with other rabbits from outside your home, for example, “hoppy hour” or “bunny playground” activities.
• If you volunteer at a shelter in an area with an outbreak, have special clothes and shoes that you wear only at the shelter. You may want to wear shoe covers or plastic bags over your shoes, secured with a rubber band. When you leave the shelter, remove the bags and dispose of them before you get into your car, making sure not to touch the outside of the bag. Follow clothes laundering instructions above, and shoe disinfecting instructions below. This protects the shelter rabbits as well as your own. The same considerations apply to anyone who sees rabbits at work and also has rabbits at home.
• To disinfect shoes that may have been contaminated, place the shoes in a bath containing one of the below disinfectants. The shoes must be in contact with the disinfectant for the required contact time, during which time the disinfectant must remain wet. Be sure to read the label instructions for contact time for your disinfectant.
• Use an effective disinfectant for this virus. Clean the item first, then disinfect. Read all disinfectant instructions and safety information provided by the manufacturer before using. See the USDA guidance for cleaning and disinfecting a RHDV2-contaminated premises. Ask your veterinarian about how to obtain these disinfectants.

 
See the House Rabbit Society for more information.

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Vaccination policy for RHDV2 during an outbreak of cases

Now that we have had several deaths confirmed from RHDV2, we will need to add some suggestions to improve protection.

1. All rabbits should have the first set of boosters 3 weeks apart.
2. Low risk rabbits are fine with yearly boosters.
3. High risk rabbits may need boostering every 6 months. They will have a higher direct exposure potential.
   1. Show rabbits
   2. Shelter rabbits
   3. Rabbits that belong to shelter employees

    4. Rabbits scheduling surgery should be vaccinated
The Medgene company does not have enough data to tell us how long a vaccine induced immunity is good for.

They will only guarantee the vaccine to 6 months but say probably at least a year
Most people suggest yearly vaccines are acceptable.

​The state (Mark Ernst) says they will be changing their quarantine period going forward to 4 weeks. They will not be doing depopulations routinely in the foreseeable future. 

Recent Avian Influenza outbreaks are killing our wild birds and having a devastating effect on the chicken industry;  More information here: Avian Influenza Fact Sheet  
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Wildlife questions
Finding injured or immature wildlife in your yard?  Check out this link for information on wildlife rehabilitation and orphans. 
Red Door Animal Shelter has a nice page on wild bunnies, etc.

See this excellent article, "Why Not to Give a Rabbit for an Easter Gift" here.

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​This beautiful artwork was done by Audrey Migeotte and will be featured in an
art show in Paris this September.  Click the image to see a larger version. She used one of Dr. Horton's pictures from our caresheet.  All of the pictures on this website are copyrighted.  Please contact us if you are interested in using them for your project. 

Email:  chicagoexoticspc@gmail.com

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Dear Chicago Exotics Clients and Referring Hospitals,

We would like to update you on recent developments concerning COVID-19.

COVID-19 Update 2/9/23

Masks are optional in the building. Emergencies, technician appointments, dental exams, drop-off appointments, and pick-ups will continue to be welcomed into our building.  When you arrive for your appointment, come into the building and check in.  Only two people at a time are allowed in the exam rooms.

Please be patient will we ensure everyone's safety.

• Referring hospitals – we are still accepting your referrals and have hired additional staff to accommodate you
• Clients, please be patient, there may be up to a 2-week delay for exams. 
• We have a zero tolerance for disrespectful behavior and foul language. Our wonderful staff is operating under Dr. Horton’s specific instructions and scheduling guidance. Please do not take your frustrations out on the staff.

All appointments require a deposit. The deposit will be applied to your final bill at the time of services.  This deposit is nonrefundable if you cancel with less than 24 hour's notice of the appointment.  

Please be advised that Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital has implemented new protocols because of concerns about spreading COVID-19. These protocols go into effect immediately. Our goal is to take care of your pets, while adhering to the recommendations of the CDC and limiting personal contact as much as possible. At CEAH, we want to be particularly cautious about COVID-19 to help protect you, your family and our staff.

• We ask that no one with active COVID-19 visit the practice, as doing so could expose members of our team, as well as other clients, to the disease. Anyone with a fever of 100F, cough, shortness of breath, or breathing difficulties (outside of their norm) should stay home
• Telemedicine; Clients, do email us your concerns and questions.  We will do our best to get back to you in a timely manner.
• Please come to your appointment on time. 
• If you cannot make it on time to your appointment, please be courteous to our other clients, patients, and staff. Call to cancel your appointment in advance so we can give another pet the slot.  Deposits are nonrefundable if you cancel with less than 24 hour's notice.
• Please clean your carrier as carefully as you can before your arrival with an alcohol-based solution.
• Please respect social distancing recommendations and maintain a distance of 6 feet from others and refrain from handshakes.
• We must limit your time while in an exam room. You may spend more time in the waiting room.

 
Be healthy and safe,

​Dr. Horton and the Chicago Exotics Animal Hospital Team

Associations

Member of the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians

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Member of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians

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Member of the Association of Avian Veterinarians

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Community Feedback

​See us featured on the Zupreem Facebook page!

Our staff occasionally participates in classroom projects.  Here is a lovely Thank You from Micaela.

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See Contact for our hours.

Emergency Care!

Meet Our Staff

Otto the iguana says: go Chicago White Sox!!!