Preparing for Your Home Visit
One of the greatest advantages of concierge veterinary medicine is that your bird or exotic companion can be examined in the comfort of their familiar environment, reducing travel-related stress and allowing us to better evaluate their daily lifestyle and husbandry.
A little preparation before your appointment helps us maximize our time together and allows us to provide the safest, most efficient, and highest quality medical care possible.
Before Your Appointment
Complete Your Pre-Visit Forms
Prior to your appointment, you will receive electronic forms requesting information about your pet’s medical history, diet, environment, current concerns, and medications.
Please complete these forms before your appointment whenever possible so our team can review your pet’s history in advance.
Schedule Your Complimentary Nursing Check-In
Before your first appointment—and whenever appropriate for future visits—our veterinary nursing team will schedule a brief pre-appointment telemedicine consultation.
This allows us to:
- Review your primary concerns
- Discuss your pet’s current condition
- Answer logistical questions
- Ensure any previous medical records have been received
- Help determine whether additional time or equipment may be needed during your visit
Send Previous Medical Records
If your bird has previously been evaluated by another veterinarian, specialist, emergency hospital, or diagnostic laboratory, please send those records before your appointment whenever possible.
Helpful records include:
- Previous examination notes
- Laboratory results
- Radiographs or CT scans
- Surgical reports
- Medication history
- Culture or pathology reports
Having these records beforehand often prevents unnecessary repeat testing and allows us to spend more time discussing your pet.
Preparing Your Bird
Before we arrive, please:
- Secure your bird in their normal cage or an appropriately sized travel carrier unless instructed otherwise.
- Remove access to ceiling fans.
- Close exterior doors and windows.
- Turn off any scented candles, incense, essential oil diffusers, aerosol products, smoke-producing appliances, or non-stick cookware that may produce fumes.
- Minimize loud noises whenever possible.
If your bird is flighted, please avoid allowing free flight immediately before your appointment.
Preparing Exotic Mammals
For rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, ferrets, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, and other small mammals:
- Keep your pet safely housed in their enclosure before our arrival.
- Have fresh hay, pellets, and normal diet available.
- Avoid fasting your pet unless specifically instructed.
- Have recent fecal output available if gastrointestinal illness is a concern.
Preparing Reptiles & Amphibians
Please ensure:
- Heating and lighting remain on as normally scheduled.
- The enclosure is accessible.
- UVB lighting information is available if applicable.
- Temperatures and humidity can be discussed.
- Recent feeding history is available.
Have These Items Ready
Please have available:
- Current medications and supplements
- Recent weights (if available)
- Favorite treats
- Any questions you’ve written down
- Samples requested before the appointment (feces, photographs, videos, etc.)
Videos taken before the appointment can be extremely valuable for evaluating behaviors that may not occur during the examination.
Examples include:
- Sneezing
- Seizures
- Collapse
- Regurgitation
- Tail bobbing
- Breathing changes
- Lameness
- Behavioral concerns
Preparing Your Home
To help us provide care safely, we ask that you:
- Secure dogs, cats, and other household pets unless they are also scheduled to be examined.
- Ensure children are supervised during the appointment.
- Clear a workspace near your bird’s enclosure whenever possible.
- Provide access to a nearby electrical outlet if available.
- Notify us of any parking restrictions or gate codes before arrival.
During the Examination
Every appointment is designed to be collaborative.
We encourage you to:
- Ask questions throughout the visit.
- Share any changes you’ve noticed at home.
- Discuss nutrition, behavior, husbandry, and preventive care.
- Take notes if desired.
Whenever appropriate, we will explain examination findings as we work so you understand exactly what we are seeing and why we recommend specific diagnostics or treatments.
Diagnostics & Treatment
Depending on your pet’s condition, your veterinarian may recommend:
- Blood work
- Fecal testing
- Cytology
- PCR testing
- Radiographs
- Ultrasound
- Laser therapy
- Acupuncture
- Nail, beak, or wing care
- Microchipping
- Medication administration
Whenever possible, estimates will be discussed before diagnostics or treatments are performed.
If Hospitalization Is Needed
Although many medical conditions can be diagnosed and treated during a house call, some patients require hospitalization, advanced imaging, surgery, oxygen therapy, intensive care, or continuous monitoring.
If this occurs, we will discuss your options and coordinate referral to one of our trusted emergency or specialty partners. We remain involved in your pet’s care and are happy to communicate directly with the referral team throughout treatment.
Post-Appointment Veterinary Consultation
Every Wandering Wings house call concludes with a complimentary 10-minute Post-Appointment Telemedicine Consultation with your veterinarian.
This dedicated time allows us to review your pet’s examination findings, answer any remaining questions, and ensure you feel comfortable and confident with your pet’s treatment plan before we leave your home.
During this consultation, your veterinarian will:
- Review examination findings and any diagnoses.
- Explain laboratory or diagnostic recommendations.
- Discuss medications, treatment plans, and expected outcomes.
- Review husbandry, nutrition, and environmental recommendations.
- Demonstrate medication administration or home care techniques when needed.
- Outline follow-up appointments and recommended monitoring at home.
- Answer any remaining questions you or your family may have.
Our goal is for every client to leave their appointment with a clear understanding of their pet’s condition and a personalized plan for moving forward. We believe that education is one of the most important aspects of exceptional veterinary care, and we are committed to ensuring you never feel rushed or uncertain about your companion’s health.
Following your appointment, you will also receive a detailed written medical summary through our client portal, including examination findings, recommendations, treatment instructions, and follow-up care.
After Your Appointment
Following your visit, you will receive a detailed medical summary that may include:
- Examination findings
- Diagnoses
- Laboratory recommendations
- Treatment plan
- Medication instructions
- Husbandry recommendations
- Follow-up schedule
- Educational resources
Our Concierge Care Program members also benefit from ongoing support through monthly nurse check-ins, unlimited veterinary nurse messaging during business hours, reduced after-hours consultation fees, and care coordination with primary veterinarians and specialists.
Our goal is to create a calm, educational, and personalized experience that allows your pet to receive advanced veterinary care in the place they feel safest—home.
We are honored to be welcomed into your home and are committed to treating your family, your pet, and your home with the utmost professionalism, compassion, and respect.
What To Expect
Wellness that comes to
you, all year long
Scheduled Home Visits
Seasonal wellness exams planned around your flock.
Priority Access
First pick of appointments — weekdays through weekends.
A Direct Line
Message Dr. Zonenshine between visits, whenever questions come up.