Dr. Villalva joined our team at West Gate Pet and Bird Hospital as an associate veterinarian in June of 2020 following graduation from Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine.
Dr. Jillian Villalva is Fear FreeSM certified through the AAVSB RACE, she is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), Texas Veterinary Medical Association (TVMA), Capital Area Veterinary Medical Association (CAVMA), and American Associates of Avian Veterinarians (AAV). Some of her veterinary interests include avian medicine and surgery, small animal and exotic dentistry, exotic companion medicine, behavior, and orthopedic surgery.
Dr. Villalva hails from Portland, Oregon. Her love of exotic animals began at the Oregon Zoo where she worked in the education animal department for many years. She moved to Massachusetts and studied ecology and conservation biology at Boston University where she graduated with a BA in 2013. Thereafter, she moved to South Austin with her husband, Nick. She worked for several years as a technician before heading to College Station for veterinary school. At Texas A&M, Dr. Villalva focused her education on exotic animals. This pursuit included traveling to South Africa and Peru to learn about exotic animal medicine and conservation efforts. She has studied under many avian and exotic specialists including the specialists at the Center for Bird and Exotic Animal Medicine (CBEAM) in Bothell Washington, as well as many specialists around the state of Texas. Dr. Villalva plans to pursue a specialization in Avian Medicine through the ABVP while she is working here at West Gate Pet and Bird Hospital.
Dr. Villalva's favorite thing about being a veterinarian is making a happier home by caring for her patients. "I love helping improve the human-animal bond through education and fostering an environment where we are all a collective team working towards a healthier happier life."
In her spare time, Dr. Villalva likes to go camping, swimming, and paddle boarding with her husband as well as spending time stocking her pantry with home canned, pickled, and prepared goods. She has a veritable zoo at home with a yellow-headed Amazon parrot named Romeo, a white-bellied caique named Tybalt, a dog named Goose, and a one-eyed cat named Odin.
