Exotic Animal Doctor Vol. 1

Exotic Animal Doctor #1

by Kano Ninomiya

A sweet manga series about an animal hospital that specializes in caring for exotic animals!

Welcome to Gekko Animal Hospital, where the staff treats the kinds of patients most vets won't dare touch! Whether your pet has fur, scales, talons, or razor-sharp fangs, this dedicated team is ready to help. From a tortoise with a cracked shell to an anemic tarantula or a snake recovering from burns, they work tirelessly to provide expert care and heartfelt compassion to some of the world’s most extraordinary animal companions.

Genres: Manga, Animals

216 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2026

Reviews

[Sol · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly thought this was amazing. The story was well-written and thematically mature & clever, and I thought that the art was beyond breathtaking. The character designs are so cute and great. I'm definitely sat for the rest of this series!

Please be warned that this is about an animal shelter, so there are instances of hurt animals or animals in distress. In the first chapter, a turtle cracked its shell, and you can see its innards, though I wouldn't describe it was "gory" -- more "realistic" than anything. There's also an instance where a rabbit falls off of the examination table, but is caught, and Director Gekko explains that it could have hurt itself if it had really fallen. There's also a lot of instances of humans getting bit by snakes in this manga, though that isn't gory or bloody whatsoever.
If you're extremely sensitive to animals being hurt or at risk, please be aware before you begin this manga.

[Kimi Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, beautiful animation, I'm looking forward to the second one as it did end on a bit of a cliffhanger.

[Jill booksandescape · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exotic Animal Doctor by Kano Ninomiya follows a vet who has lost his job as a vet due to a dog allergy. He discovers that an exotic vet clinic is in town and decides to try to get a job there. As he arrives, he is quickly roped in to helping during a disaster situation.

This was so cute and honestly so beautifully written. As a lover of animals, I couldn’t recommend this manga enough!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

What is a vet to do when they develop an allergy to dogs? Why, join an exotic animal hospital of course! We are introduced to a caiman, tortoise, and rabbit in this volume.

I love manga where the character has a clear goal and works hard to achieve it. This definitely fits the bill!

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so charming, following a young veterinarian as he develops skills in an exotic animal clinic. Lots of cute art of dogs, cats, and bunnies, plus an obvious love in the writing for science and pet care. I would love to have this available in schools as kids think about career paths!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A vet manga where no animals die? Yes, please! I was a little thrown by the fact that rabbits are considered "exotic" pets in Japan, but this was overall fascinating.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this little subgenre of manga evidently. But this was a very light, fun volume. I'll happily continue this series.
If you enjoyed Dinosaur Sanctuary this is a great pickup.

[Carver Kilgore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading manga about passionate people experiencing a world I've never stepped into. What an incredible read, excited for volume 2!

[Mish · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cute! I love the story, and the allergy to cats and dogs was a cute segue into "still a vet 😩". And exotics matter too. I really love this little series.

[Tyler · Rating 5 out of 5]

The artwork is amazing!