Exotic animals
The increased boom in ownership of ‘pocket pets’ is resulting in a demand for veterinary care of these animals, and as a result, exotic animal owners may find it difficult to locate a veterinarian in their area who has experience with exotic animals.
The Veterinary Clinic and Hospital is catering for this need by welcoming unusual and exotic animal consultant, Dr Brendan Carmel to its team.
Dr Carmel was a zoo veterinarian for three years at Healesville Sanctuary where he completed a Master of Veterinary studies in Australian Native Wildlife. He is the past president of the Unusual & Exotic Pet Veterinarians special interest group of the Australian Veterinary Association; a founding member of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians and the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians. He is the veterinary consultant to Melbourne Museum, and a lecturer in wildlife and unusual and exotic pet medicine at the University of Melbourne, and also an associate editor of the Australian Veterinary Journal.
Over the years Dr Carmel has worked on many unusual cases - from treating an anorexic spider, undertaking a health check on a 40kg snake, to trimming the beak of a 30kg land tortoise.
Dr Carmel undertakes clinics at the Veterinary Clinic and Hospital every Wednesday morning. On weekdays, clients can consult with resident veterinarian Tina Knight who also has a special interest in exotic pets, and has worked alongside the exotic animal consultant in the past.
If you would like your pet to be treated in state-of-the art facilities by veterinarians with extensive exotic animal experience call 9731 2000, or ask your current veterinarian for a referral.