Simple, Practical Steps for GP and Emergency Vets in the First Critical Hours

Exotic patients present unique challenges in general practice and emergency settings. As prey species, they often mask clinical signs until disease is advanced, and when they do present, deterioration can be rapid and unforgiving. The goal of this session is to provide a clear, practical framework for managing these patients in the first critical hours. By focusing on a small number of high-yield principles and techniques, clinicians can dramatically improve survival and patient outcomes.

The 7 Key Principles

1. Fix the environment first
2. Assume pain and treat early
3. Fluids matter
4. Feed early and learn to crop feed
5. Gut stasis is a symptom, not a diagnosis
6. Birds crash quietly, stabilise before diagnostics
7. Do the basics well: IV access and early diagnostics