Wheaton Animal Hospital logo
Wheaton Animal Hospital
Kensington, Maryland

Wheaton Animal Hospital - Exotics Veterinarian

VeterinarianFull-Time

Compensation

Pay not listed

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Job Description

Wheaton Animal Hospital, located in Kensington, Maryland just outside of Washington D.C. and Baltimore, has been providing quality, compassionate care for Maryland's pets since 1947.

Treating dogs, cats, and exotic animals, our team is staffed by compassionate professionals focused on providing pet care in a relaxed environment. Our facility offers modern technology and a wide range of services, including wellness care, surgery, dentistry, diagnostics, and emergency care.

With more than sixty years of experience, the Wheaton Animal Hospital team are tried and true specialists whose goal is the safekeeping of our small animal patients.

Wheaton Animal Hospital in Kensington, Maryland is seeking an experienced Exotic Veterinarian to join our established and collaborative team.

This is an exciting opportunity for a veterinarian who is passionate about exotic animal medicine and wants to join a practice where exotics are already an important and established part of the hospital. For more than 50 years, Wheaton Animal Hospital has been a trusted part of the Kensington and Wheaton communities.

Our full-service hospital provides comprehensive veterinary care while maintaining a well-established exotic animal caseload that includes birds, reptiles, small mammals, fish, and other exotic species.

Why Wheaton Animal Hospital?

Exotic medicine isn't an add-on at Wheaton, it's an important part of who we are. Our team has experience caring for a wide variety of species and is equipped to provide species-specific medical, diagnostic, surgical, and preventive care.

Our Exotic Services Include

  • Wellness and preventive care
  • Advanced diagnostics and medical workups
  • Digital radiography and ultrasound
  • Exotic animal surgery, including spays, neuters, and mass removals
  • Dental care
  • Husbandry and nutritional consultations

Urgent Care When Appropriate

Care for birds, reptiles, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, chinchillas, rodents, fish, and other exotic species

You'll join an experienced veterinary team that values collaboration, strong client relationships, and thoughtful, individualized medicine. We're looking for someone who is excited to become an integral part of our exotic medicine services while continuing to grow and develop this area of the practice.

Who We're Looking For

We're Seeking an Experienced Veterinarian Who

  • Has at least 2 years of experience practicing veterinary medicine
  • Has demonstrated experience and confidence treating exotic species
  • Is comfortable independently managing medical cases involving birds, reptiles, and small mammals
  • Enjoys the variety and challenge that comes with exotic animal medicine
  • Has an interest in continuing to grow an already established exotic caseload
  • Is comfortable with diagnostics, treatment planning, and surgical procedures involving exotic patients
  • Values collaboration and enjoys working alongside an experienced veterinary and support team
  • Is committed to providing high-quality medicine and an excellent client experience

This position is best suited for an experienced veterinarian who is comfortable independently managing exotic cases and is looking for a hospital where they can continue developing their passion for exotic animal medicine.

Primary Responsibilities

Provide consistent, high-quality medical care and exceptional service to exotic and companion animal patients and their owners while maximizing efficiency and productivity.

Evaluate, diagnose, and treat a variety of exotic species, including birds, reptiles, small mammals, and other exotic pets.

Perform complete diagnostic workups, establish accurate histories and physical examinations, develop thorough treatment plans, and deliver appropriate preventive, urgent, and ongoing care.

Perform surgical and dental procedures and other treatments appropriate to the veterinarian's experience and the needs of exotic patients.

Provide species-specific client education regarding nutrition, husbandry, preventive medicine, environmental needs, and ongoing care.

Practice veterinary medicine in a manner compliant with the State Veterinary Practice Act and federal and state controlled substance laws.

  • Maintain complete and accurate medical records that meet practice quality-control guidelines.
  • Prescribe and administer medications, vaccines, and other therapies as appropriate.

Effectively communicate diagnoses, treatment plans, prognoses, and home-care instructions to clients and the veterinary medical team.

Promote the safety of patients, clients, and team members through appropriate handling and restraint techniques and adherence to hospital protocols.

Build strong, lasting relationships with clients and establish trust through thoughtful communication and individualized care.

  • Collaborate with fellow veterinarians and support staff to provide continuity of care across the hospital.
  • Attend department and team meetings, both in person and virtually, to stay informed, collaborate effectively, and support broader practice alignment.
  • Demonstrate integrity, ethics, and VetEvolve's core values.
  • Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM/VMD) or equivalent, with an active or eligible Maryland veterinary license
  • Minimum of 2 years of veterinary experience, with demonstrated experience treating exotic animals
  • Confidence managing a variety of exotic species, particularly birds, reptiles, and small mammals
  • Strong medical, diagnostic, and surgical skills
  • Ability to independently evaluate and develop treatment plans for exotic patients
  • Excellent communication and teamwork skills
  • Ability to collaborate effectively in a fast-paced, client-centered environment
  • Commitment to maintaining professional ethics, safety, and high-quality patient care
  • Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds and safely handle animals up to 130 pounds
  • Comfortable sitting, standing, walking, bending, and kneeling for extended periods throughout the workday
  • Professional, neat appearance consistent with hospital standards

About VetEvolve

Memorial Veterinary Hospital is part of the VetEvolve hospital network. VetEvolve is a network of veterinary practices built to support the people delivering care and the practices they lead.

We combine clinical insight with operational strength to give our teams the support, tools, and structure they need to thrive, without losing what makes each practice unique.

We are intentionally focused on growth, not as an end in itself, but as a way to strengthen our practices, expand access to care, and create more opportunities for our teams. Guided by our values: Care First. Better Together. Grow Forward. Own It.

We create an environment where veterinary professionals can do their best work, build meaningful careers, and deliver exceptional care. Growth with intention. Care without compromise.

Position Summary

The primary purpose and function of the Associate Veterinarian is to provide the highest quality of veterinary care and exceptional client service.

The Associate Veterinarian advocates for pets and their quality of life; builds a long term bonding relationship with clients; contributes to the development and maintenance of the human-pet bond; and educates clients on all aspects of pet health.

This role partners with the Practice Manager as a driving force in support of a positive, high-performing culture that aligns with VetEvolve’s guiding principles of Care First, Better Together, Grow Forward, and Own It.

Compensation and Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision coverage. In addition, employees are eligible to participate in our 401(k) retirement plan. Other benefits include paid time off, paid holidays and access to employee assistance program.

Hours

Must be able to work a flexible schedule and be available for scheduling during all hours the practice is open to support hospital operations.

Apply here or contact Meaghan Mostriansky at mostriansky@vetevolve.com for more information and a confidential, exploratory conversation!

Key Responsibilities

The veterinarian will provide high-quality medical, surgical, and diagnostic care for a variety of exotic species while maintaining accurate medical records. They will also build strong client relationships and collaborate with the hospital team to ensure continuity of care.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Veterinary surgeryDiagnostic imagingAnimal restraintMedical record keepingHusbandry consultationSoft tissue surgery

Exotic Animal Medicine Career Context

Of the 50 active Veterinarian listings this role was benchmarked against, 2% are remote, 72% have no call, 76% require no weekends.

Veterinarian pay on WeekdayDoc is up 1.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Maryland is 105.0 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)). 62.9% of Maryland clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Veterinarian Jobs

37 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution18 jobs · 13 employers

3
<$125k
6
$125k-160k
7
$160k-195k
2
$227k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks18 jobs · 13 employers

401k / retirement match
100% this job
Sign-on bonus
83%
CME allowance
78%
Relocation assistance
56%
PSLF eligible
11%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

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Work-life snapshot

median 3.9this job 2.8
Better work-life than 30% of Veterinary listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 4,311 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Kensington

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$706k
Typical market rent
$3,150/mo
Residents’ average commute
29 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.9
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

City-level figures. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Wheaton Animal Hospital logo

About Wheaton Animal Hospital

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage
401(k) Retirement Plan
Paid Time Off
Paid Holidays
Employee Assistance Program