Avian & Exotics

Avian & Exotics

Avian & Exotics

Dr Rina Maguire is a highly skilled specialist veterinarian for exotic companion animals for over 18 years. Her knowledge of exotic veterinary medicine is exceptional and widely respected. She also exhibits an entrepreneurial streak as the co-founder of Beecroft Animal Specialist and Emergency Hospital, a referral specialist and emergency hospital based in Singapore.

Before Beecroft Animal Specialist and Emergency Hospital, Dr Maguire practised in referral and specialist avian and exotic animal-only hospitals in Manhattan and Long Island, New York. She was also the resident zoo and wildlife veterinarian at the Singapore Zoo and Jurong Bird Park for two-and-a-half years.

Beecroft Avian & Exotics was established in 2019 as the first specialty service that delivers advanced medical and surgical care for exotic pets in Singapore. Our dedicated team is led by an exotics companion mammal specialist and avian veterinarian, Dr Rina Maguire, and an exotics companion mammal resident Dr Athena Lim. The department is also supported by a team of exotics nurses that are experienced and trained in all facets of avian and exotic pet medicine.

Beecroft Avian & Exotics Veterinary Clinic

Beecroft’s exotic service stands as Singapore’s only dedicated exotics-focused clinic led by a board-certified specialist. Our experienced team is equipped to manage a wide range of exotic species, including birds, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, reptiles, and other exotic pets.

We provide 24-hour hospitalisation and ICU support for critical exotic cases, with walk-in emergencies accepted both during the day and through our overnight emergency service. Our facility offers advanced diagnostic capabilities, including CT scans, cardiology studies, and detailed ultrasound imaging, which are often unavailable in smaller general practices.

Many standard clinics lack the specialised equipment and expertise to safely handle bloodwork and advanced procedures for exotic species. At Beecroft, we routinely perform complex surgeries such as orthopaedic procedures, soft tissue surgery, reproductive procedures (including spaying of birds, reptiles, and small mammals), as well as emergency surgeries for conditions like bladder stones or intestinal obstructions.

Preventive healthcare is central to our approach. We devote time during consultations to address the unique dietary, environmental, and husbandry needs of exotic pets. We strongly recommend post-purchase examinations for new exotic pet owners and encourage routine annual health checks to detect early signs of illness.

Our team also provides support for the export of exotic pets overseas, including required health certifications, diagnostic testing, and quarantine checks. We work closely with a trusted network of approved transport partners to ensure the safest and most compliant travel arrangements for your pet. However, it remains the responsibility of the transporter or owner to manage travel schedules and ensure compliance with relevant import/export regulations.

Our Services for Exotic Pets

Wellness Examination for Exotic Pets

A wellness exam is essential to ensure your exotic pet’s good health. This is especially important if you have acquired a species with which you are not familiar.

The information you may have read about exotic animal care may not be entirely accurate and could lead to detrimental mistakes in the animal’s care. Many exotic companion animals, such as hamsters, rabbits, chinchillas, gerbils, guinea pigs, and birds, are experts at hiding their illnesses because they must be constantly vigilant of predators to survive in the wild.

With our expertise and diagnostic capabilities, regular annual wellness checks can uncover underlying disease processes early. Our team is experienced in picking up subtle signs of illness and confirming them with diagnostic tests (where necessary) before a serious problem develops.

The screening begins with questions about your pet’s husbandry, socialisation, and nutrition before proceeding to a physical examination. From there, we may recommend diagnostic testing if there are concerns for abnormalities.

It is essential to have a new pet examined before allowing them to socialise with other pets at home and to adhere to a quarantine period.

Wellness screening tests may include:

It is common for fish to develop external infections on their scales, gills, and fins. Signs of infection include white spots, frayed fins, redness of the scales, and changes in swimming patterns and appetite.

If your fish exhibits abnormal swimming behaviour, such as floating, sinking, or swimming sideways, it can be a sign that a severe infection has set in.

Signs to consult a vet for your fish include:

  • Trouble breathing or gasping at the water surface
  • White spots on fins or body
  • Reduced appetite
  • Skin lesions or sores
  • Crooked back
  • Clamped fins
  • Bulging eye
  • Mucus on body
  • Long stringy or white stools
  • Flashing (scraping against objects)

For aquatic exams, we recommend a video consultation with the vet to view the fish and tank setup. Depending on the diagnosis, we will dispense or prescribe treatments and medications for simple issues. If the situation requires a follow-up, a house call or in-clinic visit can be arranged based on a case-by-case basis. To minimise travel stress, house calls may be better for your fish. If you have questions about your fish’s health, please email helpmyfish@birdvet.com.sg

Newborn animals requires focused care. If you plan on raising newborns of any exotic species, talk to us first. We can help you with the husbandry, the appropriate diet, and advice on what to expect as the newborns mature.

Older pets can develop age-related conditions and are also more vulnerable to disease and degenerative changes such as osteoarthritis. We understand the unique needs of aging exotic pets and highly recommend seeing them at least biannually for wellness exams and diagnostics. Catching illness as soon as possible is crucial for the health of your senior pet.

Diagnostic screening helps us build a clearer picture of your pet’s overall health. Our diagnostic tools include X-ray, endoscopy, ultrasound, CT, and MRI scans. When used appropriately, these can provide valuable information that aids in developing proper diagnosis and an effective treatment plan for your exotics pet.
Our in-house lab gives us a convenient and rapid way to assess your pet’s health right on the spot, which is crucial for coming up with the most effective treatment plan for all exotic pets visiting our clinic. We can perform a range of tests for both preventive screening and diagnosis of diseases.

The requirements for exporting animals vary significantly depending on the destination country.

Commonly performed tests:

    • Bloodwork – Blood chemistries (to evaluate organ function), Complete Blood Count (CBC) and anaemia testing.
    • Viral screening (specific for each species) – including Psittacosis, Avian Bornavirus (PDD virus), and Psittacine Beak and Feather Disease testing.
    • Avian sexing.
    • Faecal testing to look for parasites, occult blood, and overgrowths of yeast and bacteria.
    • Cytology, including microscopic samples of masses, avian crop sampling, and other microscopic samples.

Routine blood work is often done at your pet’s annual wellness exam. Establishing a normal baseline helps us evaluate any changes in their condition more accurately when they become ill.

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