The Center For Avian & Exotic Medicine

My pet rabbit Matilda was sick today and not eating so I brought her in to be evaluated. It was an urgent walk-​in appointment, but I didn’t have to wait very long and everyone taking care of her was super sweet and knowledgable. Dr. Wilson did a physical exam and took a thorough history of what was going on, but she didn’t feel like they needed to run any labs or further tests before getting me a treatment plan and medication regimen for her problem. I had the option of leaving her overnight for nursing care, but I was confident that I can take her home and administer the meds so they gave me everything I needed to make that work.
I think a lot of the negativity about «money» comes from the shock most people experience when they learn that medical treatment for animals is expensive, particularly exotic pets. Plus people expect a diagnosis to be completely simple and straightforward, which is rarely how illness works. It’s worth paying specialists to see your pet if you have something other than a cat or dog. This place came recommended from The House Rabbit Society on a very short list of places in the city they have good rabbit care and they completely lived up to the recommendation. I will definitely be taking Matilda back here if she has any problems in the future.

I have not been here recently but I will be soon because I just got a new cockatiel who I love. Anyhow a few years ago I took a baby cockatiel that I was hand feeding in because something happened with his crop (sour crop? I can’t remember) but he was hours away from death. Lethargic, no eating, completely still and puffed up. They say when birds are like this they are hrs away. So I took the baby bird in thinking the worst. Well they gave me something for him and he survived! Can’t remember exactly what it was but he did a 360 and got better. Wish I remember who saw him but it was a woman vet. I’m so glad it’s not toooo far from my house.

I absolutely love this place! They’ve been wonderful with helping my 10 year old bunny with kidney disease get the care she needs.
We saw Dr. Wilson for our first appointment and think she is fantastic! Very informative, addressed all my concerns and was very thorough. She also spent a lot of time on the phone with me explaining to me my bunny’s bloodwork results and put me at ease. We formulated a care plan and Baby is doing fantastic since we started!
I also had a nurse appointment to show me how to give SQ fluids and it was super helpful. The techs are all friendly and very knowledgeable as well. I’ve never felt rushed in an appointment, even if they are busy and my questions are always answered.
I haven’t had any issues scheduling a convenient appointment time either, they are flexible and always try their best to be accommodating. I love that they are open on weekends too.
When it comes to the price, you have to pay for quality care. Exotics are not cheap pets to have and plus it’s Manhattan. I have no complaints. I just always ask for an estimate prior to anything being done and submit to my pet insurance after every visit.
We couldn’t be happier with the care we have received. Totally recommend!

Can you believe this place treats GOLDFISH? I’ve been desperately searching around to find a place to get my oranda a wen trim as his vision has been impaired from the overgrowth. I had thought about doing it myself if I couldn’t find any vets but I was too afraid I would kill my precious little guy. I was so glad to find something close to home as all the other places are either far out in long island and outside of new york city and I was afraid my goldfish wouldn’t even survive the trip there.
The office was nice and clean and everyone there seems to love animals. I thought I would be the only person bringing in a goldfish but they told me they also had another one downstairs. Hurrah for more fish lovers like me who refuse to flush a sick fish down a toilet if they get sick.
We met with Dr. Wilson who specialized in reptiles and aquatics. She was really nice and patient in explaining the procedure and addressing my many questions. I loved how she was not pushy about getting the procedure done rather it is up to the pet owner to decide what they thought was best since the overgrowth was non-​threatening. We decided to go through with the procedure since I often see him sulking at the bottom of the tank and not being able to get the food as quickly as his tankmates.
The procedure was relatively quick, It took about 2.5 hours between getting the water ready, anesthesia and recovery time. We weren’t allow to go downstairs to see the operation but they were nice enough to take some photos for us and share it with us. check out the full procedure on their facebook page!
I can’t thank them enough for helping out my little guy. He’s so happy to get his vision back and is now parading the tank like he’s king.

I am very surprised by these reviews. I took my hamster Lucy here on Saturday for an injury she sustained after chewing on her cage bars. Every single person I encountered during our visit was extremely helpful and seemed to love working with animals. They took excellent care of Lucy and explained everything i needed to know about her condition and how to administer her medication. Dr. Pilney even emailed me a few hours later asking to be kept in touch with Lucy’s progress. Yes, the costs are a little pricey but if you can’t afford medical costs for your pet, then maybe you should rethink getting one.

I don’t have enough words to express my love for this place. Everytime I come here, I see a clean, professional and loving environment, not just for the pets but the pet parents. Every person treats us with such care. Dr. Anthony Pilny is absolutely the best in his field and has been a Godsend to me. He has cared for my bunny Mocha since she was a baby — she is almost 9 years old now. She had uterine cancer and he performed her surgery and had her as good as new. His manner with Mocha (who is very particular on who gets to touch her) is amazing. She is at ease and she lets him examine her without any kind of struggle or fight. It’s as if she knows she can relax whenever she sees him. Plus he is just the nicest person. The prices can be a bit high but it is absolutely worth it. The care your pet will receive is unlike any other. If you have a rabbit or any kind of exotic animal, I highly recommend Dr. Pilny and the Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

The previous reviews are correct in saying this place only cares about money. My review was deleted but I won’t personally attack anyone this time even though they have no problem doing that within the confines of their establishment. They are shockingly unprofessional and passive aggressive. One person told me straight up I was a bad person and should be able to afford a two thousand dollar treatment, after not even letting me see my pet. Compare this to other vets, who will Kindly give you other payment options instead of grilling you and telling you that you have to pay the whole thing at once. They specifically told me that I would need to pay the full amount in order to get my pet back. If I only knew how many great vets, along with non profit organizations were in this area I would have never stepped foot in this horrible place. Anyway, fast forward a few years and I found a great loving vet just a a few blocks away who loves people and animals. She is fantastic. People, if you do not get at least a decent first impression from a vet, if they personally attack you in any way, and if they seem unable to smile or have any form of compassion… run for the hills. Do not trust your pet to a complete stranger, let alone ones who have nasty attitudes ²⁴⁄₇! Have a wonderful day.

UPDATE: Please refer to the amazing response from the manager below as the best evidence for why you should consider going elsewhere. I told her only that I’d leave a Unilocal review, and from that she came up with words like threat, blackmail, and slander. Would love to hear what specifically is a disparaging lie in my review. As for the cone, the nurse told me once that it was a size too big for my bird, but then immediately that it would be fine after she trimmed it. It wasn’t fine.
AWFUL SERVICE, GO ELSEWHERE. I told the manager I was dissatisfied with their way of doing business and that I would describe my experience on Unilocal.She accused me of blackmail and threatened to never let me back in there again. Which is fine, I wasn’t planning on going back…
I tried this place because it was close to my apt and my cockatiel had begun plucking, and on both of my visits, they made me wait at least 30 mins past my appointment time before someone saw my bird. The doctor, Anthony Pilny (very nice guy) told me all the possible root causes for plucking, which i had already learned from a quick online search. He gave me a bunch of expensive options, including x-​rays and blood tests. He GUESSED that it could be a skin bacteria and sold me on some antibiotics. (Turns out it wasnt a skin bacteria. So another $ 27 (on top of the $ 120 for the useless appointment, down the drain).
A day later I decided to get an e-​cone for my cockatiel to prevent her from picking until I could afford another test. They told me AFTER I got there they didn’t have cones in her size and that they’d cut a large one to fit her. I waited over 1 hour while they kept my bird under supervision with her new cone. I told them that I was unaware I would be waiting so long and that I had engagements that I had to attend. So they said no problem, and brought my bird back. She was wearing what looked like a bad arts and crafts project. The nurse did a terrible job cutting and taping this already poorly-​designed product. She simply explained that it will take time for my bird to adjust and that that she might sit at the bottom of the cage for some time. By the time I walked my bird home, she had chewed the rubber rim off the collar. The $ 16 e-​collar was in the garbage 15 mins after I left the vet.
So I called and told them that this product has been chewed apart and destroyed. The receptionist apologized and told me I would be refunded the next day when her manager came in to sign off on it.
Here is where things got really unprofessional and the horrible customer service came in…
THE MANAGER called me and explained that she could not reimburse me. That it’s not their fault that this product fell apart immediately. She explained that sometimes people have to buy 5 or 6 of these! I was shocked. This was the first time I had heard this. You would think that they would mention this before making me pay and spend 2 hours at their office. She said it was my fault for leaving with my bird early and that some times they have to stay over night (which would require another expensive hospitalization fee). Again, why wasn’t I informed of any of this prior to my appointment? The manager had a TERRIBLE attitude. Possibly the worst customer service I’ve ever had. I told her that it was wrong of them to leave this information out before selling me this product. And she had the nerve to blame me for not waiting there longer, possibly over-​night. But this was never recommended to me by the nurse. She said it was ok for me to take my bird home. So the manager simply didn’t want to reimburse me $ 16 no matter what. The most shocking part about our conversation was that she felt that it isn’t their responsibility to tell me these details. ALSO, BE CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO THE E-​CONE… That Manager told me that THIS PRODUCT HAS EVEN KILLED BIRDS! Naturally I responded «I think you’re supposed to tell your clients about these risks»
I told the manager how disappointed I was in their services and that I will include our conversation in my Unilocal review. She then raised her voice, saying that I’m blackmailing her! I explained its not blackmail. its called BAD CUSTOMER SERVICE! Even if she reimbursed me, I’d still feel obligated to warn people of the terrible service. People need to know. And they’re not putting all the facts out there. She wished me bad karma and then hung up. once again, showing how she runs her business — extremely unprofessionally.
I highly recommend a different veterinary service. Humane Society is great. They’re much friendlier and less likely to try to rip you off. I’d rather travel further and get better, more trustworthy service when it comes to my bird’s life and well-​being.

They killed my baby!!! They only care about money!!!

These guys treated my chinchilla, Radagast, after he escaped his cage during the night and was acting very strangely the next morning. The doctor allowed us to voice all our concerns and comments about Raddy and his behavior and courteously answered our million questions about chin care/​health.
We were sent home with pain meds for his swollen leg and electrolytes for his dehydration. Over all the visit was a bit costly ($ 250) but it was considered an emergency visit, I believe a regular appointment is closer to $ 90.
The cherry on top was a call from them a few days later just to check in on him and see if he was feeling better :)

I have been going to see dr. pilny for many years now for my sun conure bird –dutch rabbit and guinea pig. I have to say that he is the best avian vet out there! he is so knowledgable kind caring and a great friend! he is rare person who I am lucky to have and my animals agree with me! thank you dr. for always being there for me!
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Took our rabbit, Attila the Bun, to Dr. Pilny for the first time last Saturday. We found him after he’d been abandoned in Prospect Park close to two years ago, and decided to take him in for a check-​up and to see if he was young and healthy enough to be neutered. I really can’t speak highly enough of Dr. Pilny — his calm, gentle demeanor kept our rabbit at ease and he answered every single question my husband and I asked. Not once did we feel rushed during our appointment. After the thorough examination and discussing the potential neuter, he gave us an estimate for costs on both the high and low end, and I scheduled an appointment for today. Dr. Pilny called me himself following the surgery to let me know that everything had gone well and Attila was doing fine — something I really appreciated. Following the initial appointment, he emailed me to provide his contact information and to say I could email any time with any questions — whether it be a weird poop or behavior or dietary question. This facility is clean, well-​staffed and a place where I feel comfortable handing over my furbaby, knowing he’s in good hands. Though I certainly hope I don’t have to bring Attila back too often, I’m glad to know Dr. Pilny is available should he need a vet!

I took my lory here a few times — check ups, grooming, dna testing, and treatment for fungal/​yeast infections. I have to say I’m really happy with the place and the veterinarians. They are very thorough about explaining things, have really good bedside manner, and they handled my bird with the up most care. The only negative criticism I have is how expensive a visit can be. Before any tests are performed, they give you an estimate up front. I highly suggest you do some research to aid in your decision making.

I took my African grey here a few years ago when I noticed he wasn’t talking and he was limping. I thought he broke his leg. He was examined and they were able to tell that his leg wasn’t broken so they took blood work and his white cell count came back high. It winds up he had a really bad kidney infection. I didn’t have the money to put him in the hospital so the vet said that I can get the antibiotics and give it to him myself at home. It took about 1 to 2 weeks (can’t remember) of antibiotics three times a day which he fought and bit me every time but it needed to be done. After the antibiotics were finished I took him back to the vet & his blood work was normal and he was back to his old self and has been good ever since. I was very pleased with this vet and I would definitely take him back if needed.

Unfortunately these people seem to care about your wallet more than the animals.
They are happy to run infinite tests to «rule out» this and that, but don’t really seem interested in learning the *real* reason your animal is having problems.
Rather than working as a team to figure this out, they don’t ask the right questions, nor are they interested in hearing your theories about what’s causing the problem. Instead, they will run tests up the kazoo to increase the bill.
To make matters worse, they don’t even follow up after discharge to see how your animal is doing.
While this place is aesthetically pleasing — beautiful facility on the UWS, their «essence» is not as pretty as the exterior.
I have no intention of taking my birds back there.

I have two rabbits and have come here a number of times for check ups and urgent care. It always felt like the vet didn’t spend enough time and the cost was too high — for example a routine exam at Humane Society literally costs half as much. On my last trip my rabbit had stasis after getting ahold of a wine cork dropped on the floor (we later found). The prescribed course of action included a series of tests, two pain killers, fluids, other drugs, overnight stay and what not. The total was over $ 1k. When I questioned the need for multiple pain killers and blood tests I got a guilt trip from the receptionist — why wouldn’t I want to do this $ 300 test because the rabbit might have a serious infection and if I don’t do it now I would regret it later? Sigh I eventually relented even though I knew they wouldn’t find anything (they didn’t). I decided to leave my rabbit overnight for care, and luckily she rebounded the next day so I could take her home. However a funny thing happened, her bounded mate didn’t recognize her when she returned home from the vet, perhaps she smelled different, and was hostile to her for a day before things returned back to normal.
Anyway, I’m not saying to not come here, but be prepared to dig deep in your wallet and risk getting shamed/​judged if you disagree with their (excessive) treatment options. I just think a more honest and/​or experienced vet could have diagnosed the situation better and saved me the headache of trying to decide what was really necessary.

My 2 & ½ year old mini lop (rabbit) abruptly stopped eating for 2 days, so I took her in today and they did a basic diagnosis. Everyone from nurse Anita to Dr. Brown were very tentative to Thumper and were empathetic. They were also able to work with me on the price, giving me a range and options. Though Thumper is still awaiting a full recovery, I HIGHLY recommend this center, they’re awesome!

Brought my sick bunny here yesterday. I picked him up tonight and he is doing so much better. Everyone here is really caring and knowledgeable. I liked that they gave me treatment options (take bunny home and give him the meds myself or leave him overnight) and also a cost breakdown of best and worst case scenarios. I opted to have him stay overnight and he is doing a lot better now. I definitely recommend this place given how difficult it is to find a rabbit-​savvy vet. The cost seemed reasonable to me. Fifth star is pending bunny’s full recovery!
Forgot to update this review — my rabbit made a full recovery!

This is the first time I’ve had to take my bunny Lulu to the vet because something is wrong. He stopped eating and pooping for 2 days. I was very worried. They admitted Lulu and administered GI Stasis meds and fluids. In 2 days, I had him home and by day 4, he was completely better! If I had not taken Lulu in, he could have died.
They allowed me to visit Lulu for a couple hours after day 1, which was very nice!
I’m so grateful for the care Lulu receives there. If you have trouble paying for the visits, you can get Care Credit. It is a financial product like a credit card special for vet visits. GE Capital created Care Credit.
Thanks again to Dr. Pilney and the staff from me + Lulu!!!

My female cockatiel laid eggs for the first time. I called Avian and Exotic for advice because I did not want her to hatch babies. I had Google-​researched different methods of stopping the eggs from hatching (such as shaking the eggs or putting them in the freezer) and wanted to speak to a professional. The vet tech that I spoke to (I don’t know his name but he was a male) told me to take the eggs away from my cockatiel. This was very bad advice because a female cockatiel will lay more eggs to replace the ones that are «lost,» therefore further depleting her body of calcium. I disregarded his advice and my cockatiels eventually lost interest in the eggs. I can’t help but feel that if I had listened to his advice, my bird might be dead.
Relative to the vet’s response to my review, telling me to bring my bird in to be examined: Nesting is both physically and psychologically stressful for birds and any type of stress impairs the immune system. Since my bird was nesting, reluctant to move out of the nest to eat food, drink water and exercise, why would I pack her up away from her eggs, put her in a travel cage, get a cab and ride for thirty minutes on a bumpy journey to take her to a strange place? She was aggressively defending her nest from even her mate– doing her job and protecting her eggs, why would I then pick her up and handle her when she is in that state? Everything in her body is telling her to stay right there.