Schedule an Appointment
We look forward to seeing you and your pet!
Please dial (704) 932-8111 to reach our office and make an appointment.
Our Office Hours
Monday-Tuesday: 8 AM – 5 PM, Wednesday: 8 AM – 12 PM
Thursday-Friday: 8 AM – 5 PM, Saturday-Sunday: Closed
Reasons to think your exotic needs an emergency visit
Birds: Any weakness, staying on the bottom of the cage, not perching, fluffed up while perched, sleeping a lot, not talking or singing (if normally does), loose droppings, not eating, blood in droppings, blood loss of any kind, prolonged straining to pass stool or egg.
Ferrets: diarrhea, vomiting, pawing at the mouth (may indicate nausea due to dangerously low blood sugar), frequent trips to the litter box with little or no urine production, pain in the abdomen, depression, and lack of appetite.
Rabbits, small mammals, marsupials: Diarrhea or decreased numbers of stools, lack of appetite, weak or depressed, painful when lifted or touched, head tilted to one side, rolling, flipping.
Reptiles/Amphibians: weak or unresponsive, open-mouthed breathing, tremors or twitching, prolonged lack of appetite, frantic movements, bloody droppings, prolonged straining to pass stool or egg.
Fish: Rapid respirations, thick slime coating on body, red or white blotches on the skin, listless, rubbing frantically against the bottom of the tank, loss of equilibrium.
Of course, if you are in doubt, call us, and we will help you assess whether your companion has an emergency.
Remember to warm your car adequately in the winter and bundle up your pet in an appropriate carrier and blankets. In summer, be cautious not to overheat your bird, ferret, rabbit, small mammal, or marsupial in a hot car.
Appointments
To schedule an appointment, please call our office at (704) 932-8111. One of our team members will be happy to help you.
Please note – New Patient Exams are scheduled for 45 to 60 minutes – and some may run longer than an hour. Please schedule enough time so that we may completely evaluate your pet during our initial consultation. We think you will find the time well spent.
Before contacting us to schedule an appointment, please consult the lists below to ensure we will see your pet. If your pet is not listed below, please call us to find out if our hospital can accommodate your pet.
Animals We See
- Small Mammals (ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, hedgehogs, hamsters, chinchillas, sugar gliders, etc.)
- Birds (parrots, canaries, finches, poultry, waterfowl, and others)
- Reptiles (non-venomous snakes, lizards, turtles/tortoises)
- Other pets (fish, amphibians, invertebrates)
- Chicken and Waterfowl
Animals We Don’t See
- Dogs and cats, and Farm Animals (Cattle, Sheep, Goats, Llamas, Ostriches, Pigs, etc.) and Pot Bellied Pigs
- ”Big” Cats (Ocelots, Servals, Lions, Tigers, etc)
- Monkeys or other primates
- Venomous Animals and Wildlife considered dangerous by the state (Foxes, Skunks, Raccoons, etc.)
Appointment Cancellation Policy
Because we value our time with you and your pet, we ask that you respect our time (and that of our other clients) by notifying us 24 hours or more in advance if you have to cancel, change, or miss an appointment. Our schedule is set so that there are a limited number of appointments available per day, and having even 1 or 2 no-shows or late (same day) cancellations greatly challenges our ability to see those clients and their pets available to come in for appointments. Multiple (more than 2) no-shows or late cancellations may require pre-payment of exam costs to book an appointment.
Emergencies and After Hours
We understand the stress and concern that occurs when you have an unexpected problem with your pet.
In an emergency with your exotic pet, please contact the following 24-hour veterinary hospitals. If you have time, please also send us an email to info@griffinexotics.com and/or leave us a voice mail
at (704) 932-8111 as we will try to follow up with you as soon as we are able.
24-Hour Veterinary Hospitals
Carolina Veterinary Specialists (Huntersville)
704-949-1100
Please call ahead to see if their ER doctor will see your exotic pet.
Long Animal Hospital (Charlotte)
704-523-2996
Please call ahead as only two of their ER doctors will see exotic pets.
North Carolina State College of Veterinary Medicine (Raleigh)
919-513-6999 (Exotic Pet Service) or
919-513-6911 (Emergency number)
Despite the distance from Kannapolis, they may be the best option in some circumstances, so please keep their number handy.