Dr Phil Sacks
Head Vet
Dr Phil moved with his family to Australia in 2001 for a safer life.
His first vet appointment in Melbourne was as a small animal Anaesthetist at the Melbourne University Veterinary Science teaching hospital in Werebee.
His second vet appointment was as a Veterinary pathologist at Gribbles Veterinary Pathology.
Phil then joined a small animal clinic in Burwood .
He became a part owner of Bird Vet Melbourne and a Member of the ANZCVSc by examination in Bird Medicine 2003. His other veterinary interests include internal medicine, clinical pathology and veterinary dentistry. He has regularly attended veterinary conferences in both Australia and North America to keep up to date, he writes for Talking Birds and has conducted a basic microscope course for aviculturists.
Away from work he jogs, swims and enjoys sunsets, sunrises, meditation, and nature walks. His favourite place in Victoria is Wilsons Prom.
Specialist Qualifications
- BVSc – A bachelor of Veterinary Science
- Postgraduate
- BVSc – Honours – Small Animal Medicine
- BVSc -Honours – Clinical Pathology
- MACVSc – Avian
Areas of Expertise
- Dog and Cat Medicine
- Clinical Pathology
- Veterinary Dentistry
- Canine Dementia
- Avian
Phil At Work
Vet Story
Dr Phil graduated in 1990 from the University of Pretoria in South Africa, after which he worked in a small animal practice until called up for his military service. He served as an army veterinarian (with the rank of lieutenant), treating military dogs and Army horses.
In 1992 he was accepted into a residency program in the Department of Medicine at the University of Pretoria. His duties included teaching the clinical pathology course to final year students as well as attending small animal medicine clinics and running outpatients. In 1997 he graduated with a postgraduate Honours degree in Dog and Cat Medicine and Clinical Pathology from the University of Pretoria. He was invited to become an external examiner overseeing exams for veterinary students at the university.
From 1994 he worked in a private practice in Johannesburg where he also did relief work for the Johannesburg Zoo. The clinic expanded and Dr Phil found himself doing veterinary dentistry with animal dentist Dr Joubert with whom he set up a referral dental clinic in Parkview while Dr Phil treated exotics pets and birds. Amongst his achievements there he lists three caesarean sections on pet marmosets in one week, as well as root canals on two Siberian Tigers, caring for a new born Black Rhino abandoned by its mother, and treating an elephant with an orange stuck in its food pipe!
With his background in clinical pathology, Dr Phil set up a veterinary clinical pathology laboratory in 2000.
Pets at Home
