Veterinary clinic and hospital welcomes exotic pet consultant
Press release
25 February 2008
Most of us used to be happy with a cat or a dog as a pet. However, with the availability and affordability of many unusual exotic species, more people across Australia and the world are considering keeping these animals in their homes.
Exotic pets, also know as ‘pocket pets’, as they can often just fit in your pocket, include a wide range of species such as rats, mice, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, spiders, tortoises and snakes to name a few.
The increased boom in ownership of ‘pocket pets’ is resulting in an increased demand for the quality of veterinary care of these animals, but often exotic animal owners find it difficult to locate a veterinarian in their area who has experience with exotic animals.
The Veterinary Clinic and Hospital in Werribee is catering for this need by welcoming unusual and exotic animal consultant, Dr Brendan Carmel to its team of veterinary experts.
Dr Carmel 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.
“Over the years, I have worked on many unusual cases, from treating an anorexic spider for not eating, undertaking a snake health check on a 40kg snake to trimming the beak on a 30kg land tortoise,” said Dr Carmel.
“I will be undertaking clinics at the Werribee 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 me in the past.”
If you would like your pet to be treated in state-of-the art facilities by experts with extensive exotic animal experience call 9731 2000, or ask your current veterinarian for a referral.
For further information please contact Andrea Jones, Marketing Manager, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Melbourne, Tel: 8344 7844 or email: ajone@unimelb.edu.au