• exotic
128 Highbury Rd, Burwood
Melbourne
AUS

P: +61398089011
Send Email
Connect with them:
  • Practice Homepage
  • Facebook Icon
  • Instagram Icon

Bird Vet Melbourne


Bird Vet Melbourne (BVM) is a full service veterinary hospital that specializes in all avian species-- -anything from exotic parrots, finches and canaries to backyard chickens. The hospital is outfitted with the latest medical technology and equipment. BVM is located in south eastern Melbourne, Australia and open 7 days a week. BVM is passionate about bird health and welfare, and their entire staff are highly trained and experienced working with birds. Dr. Phil Sacks is the owner of BVM, and he works alongside Dr. Michelle Sutherland and Dr. Esther Yuen. Drs Sacks and Sutherland have postgraduate qualifications in avian medicine (Membership of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (MANZCVS)), and Dr. Sutherland will be sitting examinations to become a specialist in avian medicine in 2018. Dr. Yuen is currently training towards her MANZCVS qualifications.

Esther Yuen, DVM MANZCVS (Avian Medicine)

Esther graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2013 and joined Burwood Bird and Animal hospital in March 2017. Originally from Singapore, she decided to return to Melbourne for work. She is both fluent in English and Mandarin.

Esther previously worked at an avian and small animal clinic in Singapore after graduation for 3 years and decided to pursue further studies in Avian health. In 2018, she completed a post-grad qualification in Avian medicine and is a member of the Australian and New Zealand college of Veterinary Scientists. Her main interests in particular are avian and exotic medicine. Esther enjoys working with birds and pocket pets such as rabbits & guinea pigs.

Outside of work, Esther enjoys swimming, cafe-hopping, reading and cooking.

Philip Sacks, DVM MANZCVS (Avian Medicine)

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!