Providing Care You Can Trust at Our
Exotic Animal Clinic In Philadelphia, PA

On behalf of Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, I cannot express enough how impressive the immense amount of skill and professionalism comes out of the Avian and Exotic Medical Surgical Center. I have had the absolute pleasure of working with Dr. Susan Tyson and her team for several years now. Not only do they come out to help keep the collection of Ambassador Animals at Hawk Mountain they are responsive to all of my pop-up needs regarding the collection, they respond quickly and effectively even if I am not on the books for that day. I can firmly say that the vet team that Hawk Mountain Sanctuary has chosen to utilize is one of the best allies these animals can have. Our collection of a: Barn Owl, Screech Owl, Great Horned Owl, Red-tailed Hawk, Black Vulture, and American Kestrel Falcon could not be in more competent hands.

The bottom line is Dr. Tyson is the goat. She's good at what she does. If she doesn't know something, she researches it and talks with her peers all over the country. She doesnt just throw caution to the wind, wing it and hope for the best. She gets all the proper tests results and facts and then makes an educated diagnosis. Using her experience and knowledge, she teaches others so they can grow. And not only is she extremely smart, she's compassionate and down to earth. It's rare to find a doctor who is as clinical as her and also personable who will love our animals as they were their own while in their care. (A few times, I got Freddy and Sammy back and they both smelled like her so I know she was bunny snuggling.) I will never stop going to her as long as I have an exotic animal. She is the absolute best. Hands down.

Words just can’t express how amazing Dr. Tyson is! She is incredibly knowledgeable and so devoted to giving her very best to her patients. I really don’t know what we would do without her! She has a terrific team of nurses that are equally amazing and so personable! They are all very kind and skilled at what they do. Nova loves visiting all of his friends at Avian and Exotic Medical Surgical Center! Knowing he is getting the best care is a huge peace of mind and I am so thankful for this wonderful team!

Our bunnies have seen many veterinarians over the years, and Dr. Tyson is just the best. In addition to providing great care for our elderly buns, Dr. Tyson is an excellent communicator. We always appreciate the time she takes to educate us on what to look for at home, and we have learned a lot about pet care from our office visits. The staff are also extremely knowledgeable and kind. Our old man bun, Luca, is especially grumpy when he has to see a doctor, but AEMSC is one reason he and his bondmates have lived such long and happy lives.

Our lop-eared rabbit Squeak has chronic ear infections and dental disease. In the summer of 2021, he developed a severe ear infection which extended into the bone of his skull leading to decreased range of motion of his jaw and facial paralysis. Our best option was a TECABO to remove the diseased bone. Dr. Tyson skillfully performed the procedure and guided us through his recovery. His jaw range of motion has greatly improved, but most importantly, Dr. Tyson saved Squeak’s life. Two years later, he’s doing better than ever. Through regular care, Dr. Tyson has also successfully kept any infection in his other ear in check. 

If I was trapped on a deserted island, Dr. Tyson is my top pick for who I’d want there with me. She’s intelligent, an excellent communicator, a team player, innovative, and compassionate. It’s all of these skills that make her not just a good veterinarian but an excellent one! Dr. Tyson has been taking care of my beloved turtle Chuck and tortoise Daisy for almost 10 years. I’d drive my pets halfway across the country just to be treated by her. One of my favorite qualities of hers is that she treats every case as an opportunity to educate the client. When she herself doesn’t know something she taps into her network of veterinarian colleagues and researches the topic. As a wildlife biologist, she has helped me personally grow in my career and consulted on cases I encountered, even connecting me with her network of professionals. She’s a top notch Doc and an even better mentor and friend!

When our 10-month-old Mexican Green Conure Francis fell from the top of her cage and injured her leg we tried every vet hospital in our area to find someone to treat her to no avail. None of our local vet hospitals handle avian pets. After broadening our internet search, we happened upon the Avian & Exotic Medical Surgical Center’s (AEMSC) website. We called and left a message and was called back quickly. They were able to see Francis the same day! I can’t emphasize enough how friendly and accommodating the staff at AEMSC have been from that initial phone call through our subsequent follow up visits with Francis. They are very knowledgeable on pet birds and their needs. We have owned exotic birds before and thought we understood them, but we have learned so much more through our visits to AEMSC. Most importantly they helped Francis heal and she is back to her usual silly self. I honestly think the staff at AEMSC love Francis as much as we do, and we will never take her anywhere else.

Dr. Tyson is everything you could want in an exotics vet. Since 2018, I have been taking my parrots to her, as well as the parrots I foster with my rescue For The Love of Birds. I continue to trust her with all my birds due to her extensive knowledge and experience with all bird species. She is highly knowledgeable, inquisitive, and compassionate. She takes time to explain what she's doing during the physical exam. If she recommends diagnostic testing, she explains what she hopes to learn from each test and will help you determine which tests are needed to develop a treatment plan.

Dr. Tyson's patience and expertise will help you learn about and care for your pet, as I experienced during the exam of my foster female cockatiel, Birdie. I questioned Dr. Tyson's diagnosis of Birdie having a huge lipoma in her chest that I thought was an egg. Rather than being dismissive, she kindly explained what were looking at on the x-rays and how she could tell Birdie was not egg bound, but rather had a large lipoma. Dr. Tyson cares about the wellbeing and quality of life of every pet she sees and is equally wonderful with their human caregivers. I would recommend her to anyone seeking care for their exotic pet.