The article below sheds so much light on best exotic vet schools, vet tech for exotic animals & louisiana state university school of veterinary medicine, exotic vet salary wildlife, veterinarian schooling. Read on to discover more below.

You will also find related posts on how to become an exotic animal veterinarian, best vet schools in the world & exotic vet salary on collegelearners.

 American Association of Zoo Keepers

Veterinary Schools with Exotic Animal Programs

If working with exotic animals is your life calling, and you want to become an exotic animal vet, you must first get into a veterinary program! To begin with, we will go over what is an exotic animal vet. In addition, how to become one will also be discussed.

Firstly successful veterinarians in any field must show a great deal of empathy.  Secondly comes patience, knowledge, and confidence. Namely, these are just a few of the successful traits. That is to say; an exotic animal vet must share all of these qualities and more. There are so many places where can veterinarians work, and becoming an exotic animal vet will open the doors to many more.

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine

3505 Veterinary Medicine Basic Sciences Building
2001 South Lincoln Avenue
Urbana, IL 61802
217/333-2760
They have a teaching hospital which has a wildlife rescue center. They also deal with the occasional exotic; e.g. tigers or bears.

Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine

112 Trotter Hall
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506-5601
(785) 532-6011
An excellent teaching hospital offering plenty of exotic animal experience. They take care of the animals at Sunset, Topeka, and Rolling hills and zoo.

Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine

Veterinary Teaching Hospital and Clinics
Skip Bertman Drive
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
(225) 578-9600
FAX (225) 578-9559
Teaching hospital with an exotic animal program.

Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine

Office of the Dean
G100 Vet Med Center
East Lansing, MI 48824-1314
PH: 517-355-6509
FAX: 517-432-1037
Teaching hospital with exotic animal specialty. They work with the Potter Park zoo.

Oklahoma State University Center for Veterinary Health Sciences

Stillwater, OK 74078
(405)744-7000
Zoo, Exotics, and Wildlife program. They work with the Tulsa and Oklahoma city zoo.

Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine

PO Box 647012
Pullman, Washington 99164-7012
(509) 335-1532
FAX (509) 335-6133
The teaching hospital offers exotic animal services.

Zoological Medicine Schools

Zoological Medicine Training Programs

The following Training Programs are approved by the American College of Zoological Medicine:0

• Illinois Zoological & Aquatic Animal Residency Program (IZAAR)
• Veterinary College at Copenhagen University (Copenhagen Zoo)
• Lincoln Park Zoo
• Ohio State University (Columbus Zoo)
• National Zoological Park
• Cornell University
• North Carolina State University
• Louisiana State University
• Oklahoma State University (Oklahoma City Zoo/Tulsa Zoo)
• Michigan State University (Potter Park Zoo/Toledo Zoo/Michigan DNR)
• Ontario Veterinary College (Toronto Zoo)
• Texas A&M University
• University of California Davis (Captive Wildlife Emphasis/ Zoological Companion Animal Emphasis)
• University of Georgia
• University of Florida
• University of Tennessee
• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of Zurich (Zurich Zoo)
• University of Veterinary Medicine Hanover (Wuppertal Zoo)
• Wildlife Conservation Society
• Université de Montréal (Granby Zoo)

Top Universities for Veterinary Medicine

Top 10 Universities for Veterinary Science in the World Based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021
Rank	Name of Institution	Location
1	Royal Veterinary College, University of London	United Kingdom
2	University of California, Davis (UCD)	United States
3	University of Edinburgh	United Kingdom
4	Cornell University	United States
5	University of Guelph	Canada
6	Ohio State University	United States
7=	University of Cambridge	United Kingdom
7=	University of Copenhagen	Denmark
7=	Vetsuisse Faculty Bern and Zurich	Switzerland
10	University of Glasgow	United Kingdom

Should I Become a Zoo Veterinarian?

Zoo veterinarians provide both emergency and routine medical treatment to the many species of exotic animals kept at zoos. By observing an animal’s behavior and providing a physical examination, a zoo veterinarian can diagnose illnesses, learn the extent of injuries and provide treatment. Dealing with sick animals can be emotionally stressful, and the zoo atmosphere may tend to be noisy.

Zoo Veterinarian: Career Requirements

Degree Level	Doctoral degree
Degree Field	Veterinary medicine
Experience	Varies; 1-2 years experience
Licensure and Certification	All states require a license; certification optional
Key Skills	Decision-making, interpersonal, management, and problem-solving skills; compassion; manual dexterity
Median Salary (2019)	$95,460 (for all veterinarians)

Steps to Become a Zoo Veterinarian

Let’s look at what steps you’ll need to take to become a zoo veterinarian.

Step 1: Get an Undergraduate Education

Aspiring veterinarians need undergraduate training before entering veterinary school. Veterinary programs generally require students to have already completed such subjects as anatomy, animal science, biology, chemistry, physiology, and zoology. Students may select any undergraduate major in preparation for veterinary school, provided they complete all the classes necessary for admittance to a veterinary program. While no specific major is required, biology may be a good undergraduate choice for aspiring veterinarians.

Step 2: Earn a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree

Future zoo veterinarians need a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (D.V.M. or V.M.D.) degree from an accredited veterinary medicine college. Programs typically take four years to finish and involve classroom studies, laboratory experience, and clinical work. The coursework generally covers topics like animal anatomy, animal illnesses, and physiology.

Step 3: Obtain a State License

Every state mandates that veterinarians hold a license to practice, and licensing regulations can vary by state. Aspiring veterinarians must have graduated from an accredited veterinary school and successfully completed the North American Veterinary Licensing Exam. Many states also demand that applicants pass a state exam in addition to the national test.

Step 4: Complete an Internship

In order to be a zoo veterinarian, new vets must acquire work experience with exotic animals, which can be accomplished through a voluntary internship. Many zoos have internship programs with veterinary schools that allow interns to work under the supervision of experienced zoo veterinarians in treating exotic animals. Interns may serve rotations in various aspects of zoological medicine, including surgery, dentistry, and anesthesiology. Completing an internship usually takes one year and can prepare interns to serve a residency training program in zoological medicine or to work in private practice or perform clinical scientific work at a university. Serving an internship can also help veterinarians who want board certification.

Step 5: Obtain Specialized Training in a Residency Program

Veterinarians planning to seek certification in zoological medicine must complete a residency program lasting 3 to 4 years. Residency programs are approved by the American College of Zoological Medicine (ACZM), the certifying board for zoological medicine, and are taught and supervised by board-certified zoological veterinarians. Residency programs give veterinarians in-depth training in zoological medicine and sharpen their clinical skills and research abilities while working at zoos, aquariums, wild animal parks or other sites with captive exotic animals. Residency training can lead to a Master of Specialized Veterinary Medicine degree, but some residency programs don’t result in a degree.

Success Tip

Join a professional organization. Organizations, including the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians and Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians, can provide networking opportunities. Members may also have the opportunity to discuss current issues in the field of exotic animal health.

Step 6: Get Certified in Zoological Medicine for Career Advancement

Certification isn’t mandatory for veterinarians, but getting certified in zoological medicine displays expertise and extended training in that specialty. To be eligible for certification from the ACZM, applicants must be graduates of a veterinary medicine program accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association, possess a veterinarian license and have published a minimum of five articles on zoological medicine in professional journals. Other eligibility requirements include finishing an ACZM-approved training program lasting at least three years or working in zoological medicine for six years after veterinary school. Applicants who meet all eligibility requirements receive board certification and recognition as a diplomat of the ACZM.

To become a zoo veterinarian, you’ll need to complete an undergraduate degree program, medical program, internship, and residency, along with obtaining a license and any certifications you prefer.

Exotic Vet Salary

Exotic Animal Veterinarian Salary

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay
Top Earners	$105,000	$8,750
75th Percentile	$88,000	$7,333
Average	$64,135	$5,344
25th Percentile	$32,000	$2,666

How much does an Exotic Animal Veterinarian make?

As of Jul 26, 2021, the average annual pay for an Exotic Animal Veterinarian in the United States is $64,135 a year.

Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $30.83 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,233/week or $5,345/month.

While ZipRecruiter is seeing annual salaries as high as $121,000 and as low as $16,500, the majority of Exotic Animal Veterinarian salaries currently range between $32,000 (25th percentile) to $88,000 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $105,000 annually across the United States. The average pay range for an Exotic Animal Veterinarian varies greatly (by as much as $56,000), which suggests there may be many opportunities for advancement and increased pay based on skill level, location and years of experience.

Based on recent job postings on ZipRecruiter, the Exotic Animal Veterinarian job market in both Lagos, NG and the surrounding area is very active. An Exotic Animal Veterinarian in your area makes on average $64,135 per year, or the same as the national average annual salary of $64,135. ranks number 1 out of 50 states nationwide for Exotic Animal Veterinarian salaries.

To estimate the most accurate annual salary range for Exotic Animal Veterinarian jobs, ZipRecruiter continuously scans its database of millions of active jobs published locally throughout America.