Small mammals and exotics pets receiving specialist care at Exeter vet practice

A top Devon primary care vet practice provides high-level specialist care to exotics and small mammals thanks to a highly-regarded expert leading the team.

Remarkably, Livia Benato is an EBVS Specialist in Small Mammal Medicine and an RCVS Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine (Mammalian).

It is very unusual for a primary care vet practice to have a specialist as part of the team, and Livia’s role at Linnaeus-owned CityVets in Exeter sees her providing caring for rare and exotic animals, together with small mammals such as rabbits and rodents,  reptiles and birds.

The European Diplomate in Small Mammal Medicine is using her position to continue to boost the impressive offering of exotics care at CityVets while also advancing the field of small mammals in medicine and surgery.

Additionally, she is taking charge of the delivery and planning of the clinical work in the department, including supervising and training the European College of Zoological Medicine -ECZM Resident in Small Mammals who focus on the treatment of rabbits, rodents, ferrets, and other small mammals.

Highly-experienced Livia, who is also writing a PhD thesis in Pain Recognition of Rabbits at the University of Bristol together with being an affiliate lecturer at the University of Glasgow and Chair of the ECZM Scientific Committee, said: “My ambition and main research focus is to promote recognition of pain in rabbits and exotics, and to improve the peri-operative pain treatment of these species.”

Livia has nearly two decades of professional and academic expertise in zoological medicine, and before joining CityVets, she completed a residency in rabbit and exotic animal medicine at the University of Edinburgh. She worked as a veterinary officer at Chester Zoo and as a veterinary clinician at the University of Glasgow.

Livia, who has been with CityVets for eight years, added: “I’m really excited about heading up the exotics and small mammals team, helping to build upon delivering the best possible care for the animals and the best experience for our clients.”

Outside work, Livia enjoys skiing, travelling and visiting new countries, swimming, listening to music and going for long walks. She also has a passion for rugby and rowing.

CityVets has four practices across Exeter, in Alphington, Heavitree, St Thomas and Whipton, which are all committed to delivering the highest quality, professional and caring service.

For more information, visit www.cityvets.co.uk or search for CityVets on social media.