Recommended by: Joanne (cornishcats@rogers.com)
Date of Recommendation: April 2002
Number of rats treated there: none yet
Saw this vet for how long: 2 years
What your rats were treated for: nothing yet
Comments: I am a new rat owner but an experienced ferret owner. My vet is excellent with small animals and I know that they treat a lot of rats at this clinic. There are 2 full time vets, Tim and Christine, and a part-time vet. Besides my ferrets (4), I have had my dog and 3 cats (2 cornish rex, 1 siamese) treated there. If you live in the Brampton area, check this clinic out!

Recommended by: Jann Finch (jann_finch@hotmail.com)
Date of Recommendation: March 2002
Number of rats treated there: 10
Saw this vet for how long: 3 years
What your rats were treated for: check-ups, infections, last rites
Comments: Dr. Mingram loves rats, has had them as pets. He really understands what great pets and companions they are.
  

Recommended by: Rolanda Morin (rolandamorin@sympatico.ca)
Date of Recommendation: August 2006
Number of your rats treated here: all of my 37 who've needed treatment
Saw this vet for how long?: over 10 years
What your rats were treated for: respiratory problems,tumors,blood in urine,injury.
Comments: These vets have never steered me wrong in all the time I've been going to them.They go out of their way to find a solution if they're stumped,and are very up-front with you if they don't have an answer.

and another:

Dr. Nicky Brown
Campus Estates Animal Hospital

Recommended by: Mhairi Colgate (pearsonchick@hotmail.com)
Date of Recommendation: November 2006
Number of your rats treated there: 1
Saw this vet for how long: 6+ mos
What your rats were treated for: Bumblefoot, blood diagnostics, protein deficiency testing/liver testing, dental work, old age checkups, skin care, diet care
Comments: I took home 2 rats from the humane society who were in pretty rough shape...I lost one of the brothers prior to finding campus estates but Nicky was brilliant with Maurice. He was old (almost 5) and had been abused and was overweight (almost 1lb) when I brought him home and to her care...she was amazing, and so caring towards a rattie who many would have given up on. She was great at informing me of all options as well as providing resources and references where possible. I would travel back to Guelph to see her!

Recommended by: Lee-Ann (lee-anne@studiographics.ca)
Date of Recommendation: July 2002
Number of rats treated there: 6
Saw this vet for how long: 4 years
What your rats were treated for: tumors, respiratory infection, mites
Comments: Wonderful vet & clinic. Some of my rats were medicated and also had successful surgery.

Recommended by: R vanLoon 
Date of Recommendation: March 2004
Number of your rats treated there: 3
Length of time you've used this clinic: 1 year
What your rats were treated for: Respiratory disease, tumour, various skin issues
Comments: He was great, loved the animals, and was flexible about payment issues

Recommended by: Linda Loney lloney@worldaccess.com
Date of Recommendation: January 2005
Number of your rats treated there: 2
Length of time you've used this clinic: 4 months
What your rats were treated for: I had one euthanized. The other was treated for choking.
Comments: I have been very pleased with both the care and concern I have received from Mitchell Animal Hospital. I recently switched to them from another vet who I found to be pricey and the care given lately was not at good as it once was. Dr. Nina treated my rat with great care and also followed up with a personal phonecall a few days later to see how he was doing (she called herself..not a receptionist). The facilities are fantastic. They have their own pharmacy on site. The hours are excellent and all staff are very friendly. I would recommend anyone to visit their website and "take a tour". Although I have not met Dr. Gerald Gyorffy as of yet, I have heard he has pet rats of his own.

Recommended by: Patricia Brown (puttputtpatti@hotmail.com)
Date of Recommendation: March 2002
Number of rats treated there: 2
Saw this vet for how long: 1 1/2 years
What your rats were treated for: Respiratory Infection and a lump
Comments: Dr. White has owned rats of her own though but all doctors are good here.

Also Recommended by: Claudette Horton  cshorton82000@yahoo.com
Date of Recommendation: September 2005
Number of rats treated there: 2
Saw this vet for how long: 2 months
What your rats were treated for: my boys where treated for mites that they had when they left the pet store
Comments: they are well informed about rat's and their physical well being they go to great lengths to treat them properly. i would recommended this vet to anyone in the Brampton and Mississauga area.

(There are two other vets at the clinic that I've had limited experience with and therefore cannot recommend)

Recommended by: Joe Szukalski (Jszukalski@sympatico.ca)
Date of Recommendation: January 2007
Number of your rats treated there: 1
Saw this vet for how long?: 1
What your rats were treated for: Mammary tumor
Comments: Excellent disposition to the rat. Very friendly and caring. She raised rats as a child growing up on a farm.

Recommended by: Sheryl Rutherford (srutherford4939@rogers.com) 
Number of your rats treated there: 1 
Saw this vet for how long: 1 week
What your rats were treated for:  Myco
Comments: Dr. Dunning was fantastic. All the vets and their staff have or have had rats. She got into veterinary practice specifically for small animals and exotics. She was extremely knowledgeable and I was presented with an information package for rats upon arriving at the hospital. She described in great detail about myco and how I should care for Mr. Jingles, signs to look for that indicate I should bring him back. She was great.

Recommended by: Sheryl Rutherford (srutherford4939@rogers.com)
Date of Recommendation: November 2002
Number of your rats treated there: 1
Saw this vet for how long: 1 year
What your rats were treated for: Abcess and complete physical
Comments: Dr. Verrette first did a complete physical and asked if I had a companion for him, what he was eating, if he had enough time outside the cage and how big the cage was. As soon as she saw what Mr. Jingles had, she knew what it was. She was very knowledgable and I could really tell she liked rats. Mr. Jingles adored her and tried to climb in her sleeve. When she lanced the abcess Mr. Jingles didn't even feel it. She really put me at ease. I highly recommend her.  I was in Dr. Verrette's office for about 40 minutes. The total charge for everything was $50.00...not very expensive.

Recommended by: Carole Nelson (www.lilratscal.com)
Date of Recommendation: November 2003
Number of your rats treated there: 30
Saw this vet for how long?: 1 year
What your rats were treated for: lice and mites, absesses, put to sleep using gas first.
Comments: Dr. Mobarak is a small animal hospital and treats rats and has come to my home as well He is very reasonable and compassionate. I really like him and his family.

Recommended by: Dawn (twich_hamsterific@yahoo.ca)
Date of Recommendation: November 2006
Number of your rats treated there: 1
Saw this vet for how long?: 4
What your rats were treated for:  
Comments: The entire staff treats small animals, and although this is my frist trip with a rat, I've been bringing rodents in for 4 years. All the verts are very compassionate and try to find the best treatment for you and your pet. They are very knowedgable and understanding people. They send a sympathy card when animals pass away.

Recommended by: Daphnesgirl (jordanpillinger@hotmail.com)
Date of Recommendation: March 2003

Recommended by: Joanne Bouchard (j-s.b@sympatico.ca) 
Date of Recommendation: August 2003
Number of your rats treated there: 15 
Saw this vet for how long: 10 years  
What your rats were treated for: Mites, Myco, tumors, skin tears after a fight. 
Comments: This vet is absolutely excellent with all pets.

Recommended by: Heide Walsh (boomtown@justrats.com)
Date of Recommendation: April 2002
Number of rats treated there: 3 (7 mice)
Saw this vet for how long: 3 years
What your rats were treated for: myco related illnesses, parasites, sebaceous dermatitis, geriatric supplements
Comments: Waits are minimal, and all critters are greeted by name and fussed over. Dr. Emms also tries to work with the client to stay within a budget if that is required. All staff are extremely compassionate and respectful of the human/animal bond.

Recommended by: Lee-Ann Kuznak (sfrattery@hotmail.com)
Date of Recommendation: July 2002
Number of rats treated there: Quite a few (4 i know of)
Saw this vet for how long?: 2 Years
What your rats were treated for: Mycoplasma, eye infection, general health issues.
Comments: He's Great! we take all our animals to him and he does a wonderful job! He's very knowledgeable of smaller animals and goes above and beyond to help out his paitents.

Recommended by: Jen Horbaty (jen@petratscanada.com)
Date of Recommendation: June 2002
Number of rats treated there: just 1 so far
Saw this vet for how long: a couple of months
What your rats were treated for: a severe respiratory infection
Comments: Although I've only used this clinic for a short time, I want to recommend it because it has a special hard-to-find, injectable doxycycline (Vibravenous) which is a good drug for bad respiratory infections.  The clinic specializes in exotics.  Unfortunately it sometimes takes 3 business days for them to get liquid oral doxy or azithromicin in from the pharmacy but they were starting to carry it more frequently.  Dr. Mavromatis has had experience treating rats, is willing to listen, and won't try and rush you out the door.  Dr. Axelson is the senior vet at the clinic and although I haven't seen him yet, I've seen him listed on many lists of recommended vets for small animals. This clinic is somewhat more expensive than regular clinics.  (Please note that I only recommend these two vets)

Recommended by: Dennis Madison (madisond@rogers.com)
Date of Recommendation: June 2002
Number of rats treated there: 1
Comments:  I just wanted to add my recommendation of Dr. Mavromatis.  We brought our girl, Dewey, to him when we discovered a lump on her cheek.  He examined her carefully and told us it was either an abscess or a tumor - he recommended an operation. We decided upon the operation and it turned out to be a tumor.  Dewey is now recovering and the scar is healing nicely (photo).  While the operation was quite expensive, we felt that the proper care and advice was given regarding Dewey's condition.

Vet Tech (at Links Road Clinic): Elga Brum
Recommended by: Cindy (cinderbloxx@hotmail.com)
Date of Recommendation: August 2003
Treatment: Euthanasia
Comments:  The euthanasia was performed by a Vet Tech named Elga Brum. Seeing how upset and worried I was, she assured me the procedure would be painless for my rat "Ben", and that she would talk me through every step of the way. This was comforting to hear. She gently laid him on the table in the fluffy towel I brought him in with. She then held the hose for the gas very gently over his head. He barely struggled at all before relaxing completely. After a few minutes, she showed me that he was completely 'under' as she could move his body around and firmly pinch his toes with no response. She assured me he could feel nothing at this point. It was then time for the injection into the heart, during which he made absolutely no noise at all. His heart stopped beating seconds later and he was gone. She asked me if I would like to have a few moments alone with him, which I did. I took his little body home and buried him in my backyard. The procedure was $37.00 in total and well worth every penny. I highly recommend this clinic, namely Vet Tech Elga Brum, to other rat owners facing this sad event. She showed a great deal of care and compassion towards both Ben and I, and I am satisfied that Ben left this world peacefully, and with the dignity he deserved.

Recommended by: Charlotte Stanley (squeekweek@yahoo.ca)
Date of Recommendation: October 2002
Number of your rats treated there: 16
Saw this vet for how long?: 2 months
What your rats were treated for: Respiratory problems
Comments: This clinic was the only Ontario clinic recommended on the RMCA (Rat and Mouse Club of America) website. Dr. Moroz is the highly touted Dr. Parker's replacement, who was recommended along with Dr. Regan (still there). He is less experienced with rats than Dr. Regan, but very knowledgeable nonetheless, and had a good grasp of how respiratory organisms work, and how to approach them. He is very willing to look to the most up-to-date research. Dr. Moroz also stressed the role of diet and environment in treating rat respiratory illness, which was dead-on. The clinic is relatively inexpensive, and truly cares about the animals (especially RATS). I heard they have never yet lost a rat to surgery. My friend's rats lived 4 years under their care, and her brother's 3.5 years. It is worth the commute from other areas, as you will save a lot of valuable time and money in the end.

Recommended by: Sally (kathleen.dachuk@bljc.com)
Date of Recommendation: October 2002
Number of your rats treated there: ~6
Saw this vet for how long?: 6 years
What your rats were treated for: tumors, myco, spider mites
Comments: -great bedside manner with beasties -has seen more than most

Recommended by: Donna-Lynne Pilsworth skinnyhippiechick@yahoo.com 
Date of Recommendation: July 2006
Number of your rats treated there: 3
Have seen this vet for how long?:  first visit
What your rats were treated for: respiratory issues, mites
Comments: Knowledgeable, approachable, open-minded, reasonably priced, totally inspires confidence and her love for the animals comes shining through. Wish I'd known about her a year ago!! Well worth the trip to Scarberia!!

Recommended by: Jennifer Klapp (jsweets@ratworld.com)
Date of Recommendation: July 2002
Comments:  They have one doctor who specializes in cats and dogs, and Dr Markus Luckwaldt specializes in rodents, birds, and reptiles. Dr Luckwaldt spent two hours with me the first time I was there, going over my rats' history and possible treatment options when I first brought them in for treatment of Mycoplasma. He was very informative and helpful, and truly seemed to care about my boys health. In the beginning, I called many different Vet offices, trying to determine the best place to take my boys, and every single place in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) told me "Yes, we do see rats, but you are better off to go see Dr Luckwaldt. He's the best with rodents." So I did. He kept my Perrin alive for another 5 months, and Rand is still going strong after 8 months of treatment! I thought that I wouldn't even have my boys through Christmas 2001. This man TRULY CARES. When I lost my Perring back in March, he and his whole staff made a sympathy card for me, and I didn't even know that they knew about Perrin's death. I had to take him to an emergency clinic at 1:00am on a Sunday night for euthanasia, and I guess they notified him. (Perrin was in severe distress, he could barely breathe, couldn't walk, or even drink water anymore) Every time I call for a prescription refill they ask how my boys are doing, and really mean it. I believe that they are not just in it for the money, which is a nice change. I would recommend this doctor for anyone with rats, no question about it.

Recommended by: R Graves RobGraves@hotmail.com
Date of Recommendation: December 2004
Number of your rats treated there: several
Have seen this vet for how long? 4 years
What your rats were treated for: Tumors, abscesses, teeth, etc
Comments: Caring, compassionate, knowledgeable, reasonable
 

Recommended by: Kevin Sexton (kasexton@sympatico.ca)
Date of Recommendation: February 2002
Number of rats treated there: three
Saw this vet for how long: 9 months (incl. rabbits)
What your rats were treated for: General Checkup (all three) Upper respiratory (Just one)
Comments: I adopted a rat with diarrhea, sneezing and snuffling. My girlfriend had been taking her rabbit to Dr. Buhrows so we knew she specialized in small animals and exotics and had a lot of rat experience. Although most of our experience with her involves the rabbit, I was pleased to see that she offered the same excellent level of care, knowledge, and interest in my sick ratty as she did for the rabbit. She deals regularly with rats and her knowledge is outstanding. The best part is she's one of those doctors who is aptly named for her specialty. There is something fun about taking a rat or a rabbit to a vet named 'Buhrows.'

Also recommended by:  Linda (ltcaissie@yahoo.com)
Date: October 2003
Comments: she actually spent 45 minutes on both of my girls and gave them a complete examination (checked temperature, their ears, nose, skin, fur, gums, lungs, bums, and even checked for any lumps). Dr. Buhrows also warned me against pine and cedar (which I already knew anyway) and talked about diet and housing. AND she even talked baby talk to my girls!!"

Recommended by: Anon.
Date of Recommendation: December 2006
What your rats were treated for: Resp. disease, and epilepsy
Comments: Dr. Feurth actually owns rats himself. He is a caring and kind vet who takes the job of being an exotic vet seriously.