Does the United States have requirements or certifications to be classified as an "Exotic Animal Veterinarian"?

Question

An answer from How can I gauge a vet's experience with reptiles? mentions The Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians, which as best I can tell is a membership organization, not a certifying organization. They have some great goals, and I see that one of my favorite rabbit vets is a listed member, but a second, very good, rabbit vet is not. According to Wikipedia, interest in treating exotic pets is the first criteria; additional training and certifications are secondary.

Is there any official certification I should be looking when evaluating a potential exotics vet? If so, what level of competence does it imply?

Answer 1

The short answer to your specific case is no. The longer answer is that there are board certified veterinary specialists, covering a rather wide swath of specialties, but not the specific one you mentioned (unless you're counting zoo and wildlife animals as a reasonable proximity).

You can find a list of recognized veterinary specialties and their designations for Europe and the United States on VetContact.