Do you have a sick chicken or need some professional veterinary care for your flock? If so, you need to find an avian vet in San Diego so you can give your chickens the specialized care they need.
Avian or poultry veterinarians specialize in the care of birds. If you are raising chickens, I recommend making contact with an avian vet so you know them in case of emergencies.
Below, I’ve listed all the avian or exotic veterinarians serving the San Diego I was able to find. Hopefully, it makes your job of finding one near to you a lot easier!
Table of Contents
List of Avian Vets in San Diego, CA
| Name | Location | Phone | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avian and Exotic Animal Hospital | 1276 Morena Blvd, CA 92110 | 619-260-1412 | drexotic.com |
| Pet Emergency & Specialty Center | 5232 Jackson Drive, CA 91942 | 619-331-5706 | pescsandiego.com |
| Our Feathered Friends | 4420 Rainier Ave. CA 92120 | 619-280-5134 | ourfeatheredfriends.com |
| Pet Hospital of Penasquitos | 9888 Carmel Mountain Rd. CA 92129 | 858-484-3490 | pethospitalpq.com |
| Carmel Mountain Ranch Veterinary Hospital | 11925 Carmel Mountain Rd. CA 92128 | 858-592-9779 | carmelmountainvet.com |
| All Pets Animal Hospital | 149 S. El Camino Real, CA 92024 | 706-790-4548 | allpetsanimal.com |
| Morena Pet Hospital | 1540 Morena Blvd, CA 92110 | 619-275-0888 | morenapethospital.com |
| Animal and Bird Hospital of Del Mar | 2132 Jimmy Durante Blvd. CA 92014 | 858-755-9351 | animalandbirdhospital.com |
Avian and Exotic Animal Hospital
Address - 1276 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
Phone - 619-260-1412
Contact - Contact page
Website - drexotic.com
Pet Emergency & Specialty Center
Address - 5232 Jackson Drive, La Mesa, CA 91942
Phone - 619-331-5706
Contact - Contact page
Website - pescsandiego.com
Our Feathered Friends
Address - 4420 Rainier Ave. San Diego, CA 92120
Phone - 619-280-5134
Contact - Contact page
Website - ourfeatheredfriends.com
Pet Hospital of Penasquitos
Address - 9888 Carmel Mountain Rd. San Diego, CA 92129
Phone - 858-484-3490
Contact - Contact page
Website - pethospitalpq.com
Carmel Mountain Ranch Veterinary Hospital
Address - 11925 Carmel Mountain Rd. 802, San Diego, CA 92128
Phone - 858-592-9779
Contact - Contact page
Website - carmelmountainvet.com
All Pets Animal Hospital
Address - 149 S. El Camino Real, CA 92024
Phone - 706-790-4548
Contact - Contact page
Website - allpetsanimal.com
Morena Pet Hospital
Address - 1540 Morena Blvd, San Diego, CA 92110
Phone - 619-275-0888
Contact - Contact Page
Website - morenapethospital.com
Animal and Bird Hospital of Del Mar
Address - 2132 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Del Mar, CA 92014
Phone - 858-755-9351
Contact - Contact Page
Website - animalandbirdhospital.com
What To Look for When Choosing a Veterinary Practice
Let's be honest, it’s a pretty big deal choosing a vet. We love our chickens, and we want the highest standard of care for them - especially if they’re sick.
If you have more than one vet that you’re willing to travel too, there are a few things you should check before choosing one:
Avian specialty - I verified all of the practices and animal hospitals I listed above had at least one vet specializing in birds.
Every animal is different, and birds, such as parrots, chicken, budgies, etc. are a lot different from cats, dogs, and other common household pets. I’ve met vets before that didn’t want to treat chickens for this reason. So, it’s important to find a vet specializing in birds if you can.
Qualifications - It’s worth checking if a vet is qualified before going to see them. Of course, they always should be, and it should be obvious by looking on their website, but it doesn’t harm to just verify it.
All avian vets must have graduated with a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree. So, you’ll see those letters next to their name.
You may also see (ABVP), which means they are a member of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. This shows they have completed further studies into specific animals, often birds.
Recommendations - If you can get a recommendation from someone first hand, that’s usually the best way to decide on a vet.
Everyone has good and bad experiences, it’s never a guarantee. But knowing someone had a good experience is always reassuring.
Reviews - Personally, I don’t put much faith in online reviews. Especially if there are only a few. It is a good idea to at least check what reviews there are for a veterinary practice though.
If there are a bunch of negative reviews, you’ll kick yourself later for not paying attention if you go ahead and use them and end up with a bad experience.
Have a Sick Chicken? Should You Call a Vet?
A lot of people don’t want to call a vet unless it’s necessary. I understand that, obviously we want to provide the best care for our chickens, but there is a cost involved and it’s a hassle going to a vet.
Your chicken is likely sick if they're showing any of the following symptoms:
- Not eating or drinking
- Lethargic behavior
- Labored breathing
- Pale comb or wattle
- Diarrhea
If the symptoms aren’t life-threatening and your chicken is responsive and able to care for themselves, you can take steps to care for them before calling a vet.
The first thing you always need to do is separate them from the rest of the flock. This will ensure they are not picked on by the rest of the flock, and that they don’t pass any diseases they may have with the rest of the flock.
Check they are eating and drinking in isolation, that’s the most important thing. Antibiotics will help with most general illnesses, but I’d call a vet’s office and ask for their advice at this point.
Did You Find an Avian Vet Near You?
I hope the information in this article helped you better understand what avian vets do, as well as how to find one near you.
Chickens are hardy animals for the most part. I hope you never run into any health issues, but if you do, you can’t ask for more than a well-qualified and helpful vet.
Disclaimer -These were veterinary practices offering avian services at the time of publishing. I cannot be held responsible for any changes in services, personnel, or otherwise in the meantime. If you spot any inaccurate information, please contact me and I will verify and change it. Many thanks.
Image credits - Photo by Joey Csunyo on Unsplash
