314: 4 best practices on handling exotic pets

The Vet Blast Podcast presented by dvm360

Known as the practice geek, Madonna Livingstone, BVMS, MRCVS, qualified from Glasgow Vet School in 2002 and is Head Vet and Head of Exotics at the Ark Veterinary Clinics Ltd, Coatbridge, Scotland with a 80% exotics case load. Livingstone delivers all the clinical exotic lectures for Glasgow Veterinary School, is the clinical lead for the Final Year selective Exotics rotation for Glasgow Veterinary School, delivers the husbandry and nutrition lectures for exotics to the Veterinary Bioscience course, and is an affiliate veterinary surgeon of Glasgow Veterinary School.
She also is the exotics consultant for Nation Wide Laboratories and Lab Services Ltd, has a diploma in parrot behavior, has been published on rabbits, reptiles, parrots, ferrets in peer reviewed journals and is sole author of a textbook on rabbits and small exotic mammals (Exotics Made Easy: Demystifying Rabbits and Small Exotic Mammals), is currently co-authoring a pictorial guide to rabbit and small exotic mammal surgery and is in the planning stages of writing the follow up Exotics Made Easy textbook on reptiles.
Livingstone speaks widely on exotic animal medicine and surgery to Vets and Veterinary nurses via conferences and webinars plus delivers bespoke in house CPD (CE) for practices. She has also spoken at the Scottish Parrot Society, Beloved Rabbit Charity events, and the International Herpetological Society to owners and enthusiasts.
She has a firm belief that all species deserve the same high level of care and is passionate about empowering veterinary professionals to incorporate these amazing species into their caseload. Although her main interest is in exotic animal species, she also enjoys soft tissue surgery and behaviour of all species.
Livingstone was awarded with the prestigious UK Rabbit Vet of the Year Award (2022) by Burgess and the Rabbit Welfare and Association Fund (RWAF) and the External Lecturer of the Year Award (2022, 2023, and 2024) by Glasgow Vet School students.
When not working, Livingstone can be found spending time with her husband, her three dogs, 20 chickens, 8 ferrets, 4 cockatiels, and 2 dwarf puffer fish.