Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana

Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana We provide medical, surgical, nutritional, behavioral, emergency care and general wellness care for Rich (DVM, LSU '85) & Dr. Leslie Pence (DVM, LSU '09).
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Previously West Esplanade Veterinary Clinic, Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana is led by the highly skilled animal lovers, Dr. Gregory A. Our clinic has over 40 years of combined hands-on experience working with birds and exotic animals. We provide medical, surgical, nutritional, behavioral and general care for a large variety of birds, reptiles and small exotic animals. We have given su

perior care to all species of birds and reptiles as well as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, frogs and many more. Our services include:

Endoscopy
Boarding
Surgery
Emergency Medical Services
Behavior Counseling
Hospitalization
Dentistry
Nutritional Care
Adoptions
Preventative Medicine
Wellness Care
Digital Radiology
Preventative Medicine
Wellness Care

Available for AFTER HOURS AND HOLIDAY EMERGENCIES

Coming up NEXT weekend, October 18-19, at the Alario Center, is the Bayou Country Exotic Pet Expo! If you are looking to...
10/09/2025

Coming up NEXT weekend, October 18-19, at the Alario Center, is the Bayou Country Exotic Pet Expo! If you are looking to add a new exotic pet to your family, check them out.

Don't forget that we always recommend a wellness exam on all new exotics within the first few weeks of getting them. This way we can help you make sure you are starting their life with you right! We will run f***l parasite checks, do a full physical exam, and go over all your care taking and diet questions!

Evelyn is looking for a new home! She is a 3-4 year old female Rosebreasted Cockatoo. 🩷 She was a breeder bird who becam...
10/06/2025

Evelyn is looking for a new home! She is a 3-4 year old female Rosebreasted Cockatoo. 🩷 She was a breeder bird who became egg bound and we almost lost her. We were able to remove the egg and nurse her back to health over the last few months. She is healthy and thriving now, and ready for a new home where she can be loved as a pet.

Cockatoo's are typically not good first birds, as they can be quite challenging and loud. Evelyn is on supplements to protect her kidneys, but she is doing great and maintaining weight. If you are interested in adopting her, please give us a call at 504-455-6386 to set up an appointment to meet her and fill out an application. Adoption fees will apply.

Edit 10/3 10am - we have power back, but our server and computers are still acting up. Please be patient with us for sch...
10/02/2025

Edit 10/3 10am - we have power back, but our server and computers are still acting up. Please be patient with us for scheduling appointments and checking out, but we are fully open. Emergencies are on a case by case basis.

Edit 2:30pm - we got power for an hour, then off again. Our battery back up’s are dying, and we may lose phones again. Please call 504-455-2538 for our back line, or text 503-455-6386. We are referring all emergencies to the lsu vet school at 225-578-9600.

Please be patient with us, we are out of power this morning. We are unable to do any lab tests in house right now, and may lose our phones soon. Please text us if we do not answer.

Every Monday needs a good cup of coffee! ☕ Who has any coffee themed pets to share with us on this National Coffee Day!?...
09/29/2025

Every Monday needs a good cup of coffee! ☕ Who has any coffee themed pets to share with us on this National Coffee Day!?

Did you know we offer several alternative medicine options for your avian and exotic pets? 🐇🦜🐢Both Dr. Pence and Dr. Heb...
09/24/2025

Did you know we offer several alternative medicine options for your avian and exotic pets? 🐇🦜🐢

Both Dr. Pence and Dr. Hebert are trained and certified in Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Acupuncture. ☯ Dr. Pence is also trained in Chinese Herbal Therapy, as well as Tui-Na, which utilizes massage techniques and acupressure points. 🌿 Acupuncture can be used to decrease pain and inflammation, improve healing, regulate multiple organ systems, and help restore the body's natural balance.

We also have a cold laser unit (also known as photobiomodulation), which we use to assist in wound healing, pain relief, and to improve post-surgical recovery.

Interested to see how these alternative therapies can help your pet? Call us today at 504-455-6386 to set up a consultation!

https://gregrichdvm.com/animal-acupuncture/

Most of our exotic patients are prey animals, so hiding pain is a natural instinct for them. There are sometimes subtle ...
09/23/2025

Most of our exotic patients are prey animals, so hiding pain is a natural instinct for them. There are sometimes subtle signs you may notice with your pets - loss of appetite (or even just refusing a favorite treat), hiding more, sitting hunched, slow to get up from laying down, limping, over grooming an area, or just "looking at you funny".

If you suspect pain, there are multiple ways we can treat this. First would be a complete physical exam and work up to find the source of pain - this may involve a sedated oral exam, radiographs, and blood work. Pain management can involve medications, supplements, acupuncture, cold laser therapy, massage, physical therapy exercises, diet management, dental work, or even surgery.

Have a concern about your pet? Call us today to set up a wellness exam and see how we can help you help your pet.

If you are in the Roseland area, they have ordered an evacuation within 1 mile of the explosion. If you have birds, we s...
08/22/2025

If you are in the Roseland area, they have ordered an evacuation within 1 mile of the explosion. If you have birds, we strongly recommend evacuating even several miles out, as birds are very sensitive to smoke toxins. Stay tuned to your local news for further updates.

Happy World Lizard Day! Someone is not very excited today… 🌎 🦎 🥳
08/14/2025

Happy World Lizard Day! Someone is not very excited today… 🌎 🦎 🥳

07/31/2025

UPDATED: Vitus Vet app is back up and running!

Our Vitus Vet app is currently down. Due to this, we are unable to access any texts. We are also unable to see any refill requests or appointment requests sent through the Vitus Vet app.

Please contact us at # 504-455-6386 in order to reach us.

Thank you!

Who was the most accurate!? 😂 🩺✂️
07/13/2025

Who was the most accurate!? 😂 🩺✂️

76 likes, 4 comments. “Do you think we got it right!?”

Mark your calendars for the Bayou Country Exotic Pet Expo in October!
07/08/2025

Mark your calendars for the Bayou Country Exotic Pet Expo in October!

We take your pet’s health seriously, and strive to prevent any cross contamination between pets and people. 🦠 Our staff ...
07/06/2025

We take your pet’s health seriously, and strive to prevent any cross contamination between pets and people.

🦠 Our staff is constantly washing our hands between patients - we definitely go through lots of soap and hand moisturizer!
🦠 Each room is thoroughly disinfected between each pet - the table and scales are sanitized, towels changed out, and floors swept and mopped if needed.
🦠 We do not allow any direct contact between boarding or hospitalized pets.

Address

3635 N I 10 Service Road W
Metairie, LA
70002

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm
Saturday 8am - 12pm

Telephone

(504) 455-6386

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Our Story

The Avian & Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana is led by the highly skilled animal lovers, Dr. Gregory A. Rich (DVM, LSU '85) & Dr. Leslie Pence (DVM, LSU '09). Our hospital has over 30 years of combined hands-on experience working with birds and exotic animals. We provide medical, surgical, nutritional, behavioral and boarding care for a large variety of birds, reptiles and small exotic animals. We have given superior care to all species of birds and reptiles as well as rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, rats, hamsters, frogs, axolotls, and many more. Our services include: Endoscopy Boarding Surgery Emergency Medical Services Behavior Counseling Hospitalization Dentistry Nutritional Care Adoptions Preventative Medicine Wellness Care Digital Radiology Preventative Medicine Wellness Care Available for AFTER HOURS AND HOLIDAY EMERGENCIES