Predominant Non-Traditional or “Exotic” Pet Species and Affected Body Systems and Sense Organs at a Veterinary Referral Center: An Eleven-Year Retrospective Study

This study characterized the non-traditional or “exotic” pets most frequently admitted to a referral center (Center for Medicine and Research in Wild Animals–CEMPAS) located in Botucatu, São Paulo state, Brazil, and identified the main reasons for admission according to affected body systems or sense organs. A retrospective review of medical records was performed over 11 years, and data were grouped into four vertebrate classes: reptiles, mammals, amphibians, and birds. From 2014 to 2019, bird admissions exceeded mammals (p = 0.0001), whereas no significant difference was observed from 2020 to 2024 (p = 0.625). Reptiles were the least represented, and no amphibians were recorded in any year. In the bird class (n = 961), cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) were the most common species (47.76%), followed by domestic chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) (15.19%), and blue-fronted Amazons (Amazona aestiva) (8.01%). The digestive, integumentary, and musculoskeletal systems were the most affected. The mammal class accounted for 882 admissions, with rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) predominating (52.38%), followed by guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) (17.57%), brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) (10.77%), and Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) (6.00%). In these animals, digestive disorders were most common, followed by integumentary, musculoskeletal, and reproductive conditions. The reptile class accounted for 164 admissions, mainly tortoises (70.12%) and turtles (18.90%), with the integumentary, musculoskeletal, and digestive systems most frequently affected. Overall, birds and mammals were the most commonly admitted non-traditional or “exotic” pets, while the digestive and integumentary systems were the most frequently affected across species, emphasizing the value of regional epidemiological data for improving exotic animal veterinary care.