Dr Rob Labuc BVSc, MVS, FACVSc (Specialist in Canine Medicine)
Dr Rob Labuc graduated from Melbourne University in 1982, completed an internship at Massey University (NZ) and a stint in general small animal practice before taking up the registrar’s position at Melbourne University where he obtained a Master of Veterinary Studies. After an initial period in private referral practice, Dr Labuc accepted a lectureship at Murdoch University and shortly thereafter gained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (Canine Medicine) in 1993. Dr Labuc returned to Melbourne in 1998 to join Dr Merrett in the medical referral practice.
Dr Darren Merrett BVSc, MVS, Cert. SAC, FACVSc (Specialist in Canine Medicine)
Dr Darren Merrett graduated from Melbourne University in 1984 and completed internship/residency programs at Melbourne University (where he obtained a Master of Veterinary Studies) and then Bristol University. Whilst at Bristol University Darren obtained his certificate in Small Animal Cardiology from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. He obtained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (Canine Medicine) in 1994 and founded a private referral practice at that time. Over the last following years the medical referral practice has grown and now utilises the skills of three specialists, two registrars and two residents.
Dr Peter Bennett BVSc, FACVSc, Dip. ACVIM (Specialist in Veterinary Oncology, Specialist in Canine & Feline Medicine)
Dr Peter Bennett practices as a Specialist in both Internal Medicine and Oncology. Dr Bennett graduated from The University of Melbourne in 1982 and subsequently worked in private practice in Melbourne and the UK. While in private practice, Dr Bennett commenced the long journey to specialisation with stints at the universities of Tennessee, Georgia, Melbourne, and Massey (NZ). Dr Bennett obtained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 1999 and Diplomate status in Small Animal Internal Medicine from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). He pursued further specialisation in oncology when he joined the faculty at Purdue University (Indiana), USA, in the Comparative Oncology Program, where he ran the Clinical Department. He also obtained Diplomate status in Oncology from ACVIM in 2001. Dr Bennett has presented at numerous seminars both nationally and internationally, and is involved in teaching of veterinary medicine as an Associate Academic at the University of Sydney, a Senior Fellow at The University of Melbourne, and as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Massey University, New Zealand.
SENIOR RESIDENT
Dr Jennifer Brown BVSc (Hons), MACVs (Small Animal Medicine)
Dr Jennifer Brown graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1997 and worked in private practices in rural Victoria and in the UK. Dr Brown then moved to Brisbane where she worked in private practice and as a resident in the small animal hospital at the University of Queensland. She obtained Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in small animal medicine in 2004 and then took up a position at a specialist practice in Brisbane before joining the MVSC medicine team in late 2005. Dr Brown is under the direct supervision of Internal Medicine Specialists, Dr Merrett, Dr Labuc and Dr Bennett, and is undergoing a recognised specialist training program (which complies with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria Guideline 14.4.3).
RESIDENTS
Kate Heading BVSc (Hons), MACVSc (Small Animal Medicine)
Kate graduated from University of Melbourne with a Bachelor in Veterinary Science with first class honours in 2000. Kate has worked in a variety of small animal practices in Victoria and the UK. Kate achieved membership in 2007 to the Small Animal Medicine chapter of the ACVS (Australian College of Veterinary Scientists). She has joined MVSC in March 2008 as a Resident in Medicine. Kate is under the direct supervision of the MVSC specialist Dr Merrett, Dr Labuc and Dr Bennett, and is undergoing a recognised specialist training program (which complies with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria Guideline 14.4.3).
Lydia obtained a Bachelor in Veterinary Science with first class honours (2002) at the University of Melbourne. Lydia has worked in a variety of mixed and small animal practices in Victoria and South Australia. She has also worked as a volunteer with Vets Beyond Borders (India) and the Esther Honey Foundation (Cook Islands). In 2007, Lydia achieved membership to the Small Animal Medicine chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. She joined the Medicine Department at MVSC as a Resident in April 2009. Lydia is under the direct supervision of the MVSC specialist Dr Merrett, Dr Labuc and Dr Bennett, and is undergoing a recognised specialist training program (which complies with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria Guideline 14.4.3).
Dr Greg Burton graduated from the University of Queensland BVSc (Hons) in 1983. He spent 10 years in general small animal practice in Melbourne and became a Member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Small Animal Surgery in 1993. He completed his residency and became a Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Dermatology in 1997. Dr Burton has been a director of the Animal Skin, Ear and Allergy Service at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre since 1999 and has been the Principle Fellow in Dermatology at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Teaching Hospital since 2001. Dr Burton is responsible for all the undergraduate dermatology training for veterinary students at the University of Melbourne. He has lectured widely in Australia, USA, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and New Zealand. Dr Burton’s professional interests are canine atopic dermatitis and topical therapy in the management of skin diseases.
Dr Rebecca Bassett has completed two university degrees — the first at the University of Sydney in Agricultural Science in 1992 and the second in Veterinary Science at the University of Queensland in 1997. Dr Bassett worked in rural mixed practices in NSW before moving to Melbourne in late 2000 to do a residency in Dermatology at the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre. She gained her Membership of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Canine Medicine in 2002 and Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Veterinary Dermatology in 2005. Dr Bassett has written several articles for peer-reviewed journals and has given several seminars for continuing education in Dermatology to veterinarians. Her current professional interests are in hair loss in dogs and ear infections.
Dr David Robson BVSc (Hons), MACVSc (Canine Medicine), FACVSc (Dermatology)
Dr David Robson graduated from the University of Queensland with honours in 1992 and spent almost seven years in general small animal practice in Brisbane. He moved to Melbourne in late 1999 to commence his residency in veterinary dermatology at the Animal Skin, Ear and Allergy clinic (now part of Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre). He attained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 2005. Dr Robson has lectured in Australia and overseas (New Zealand, United States, Hong Kong, Austria) and has authored and co-authored several peer-reviewed scientific articles. His current professional interests include pollens and pollen allergies, otitis diagnosis and treatment, and barrier dysfunction.
Dr Arthur House BSc, BVMS(Hons), PhD, Cert SAS, Dip ECVS (Specialist in Small Animal Surgery)
Dr Arthur House completed his residency training in Small Animal Surgery at the Royal Veterinary College in the United Kingdom in 2003 and achieved Diplomate status of the European College of Veterinary Surgeons in 2004. He went on to complete a PhD investigating the aetiology of anal furunculosis in dogs in 2007 and lectured in Small Animal Surgery at the Royal Veterinary College, London.Dr House has a particular interest in soft tissue surgery, surgical oncology, and minimally invasive surgery and brings a wealth of research experience in surgery to our surgical team. He is a Specialist Surgeon in both Australia and Europe.
Dr Simon Kudnig BVSc, MVS, MS, FACVSc, Dip ACVS (Small Animal Surgery)
Dr Simon Kudnig graduated from the University of Melbourne with an honours degree in 1990, and completed a MVSc degree in 1995. After spending several years in Melbourne establishing his veterinary career, Dr Kudnig completed a residency in Small Animal Surgery at Colorado State University (CSU) in the United States in 2003. He then completed advanced training in Surgical Oncology at CSU’s Animal Cancer Centre as the Clinical Fellow of Surgical Oncology. In 2004, Simon passed his American surgical board examinations (ACVS) and also became a fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists. Over the years he has published scientific and peer reviewed articles and has authored textbook chapters. He has also co-edited a textbook for veterinary surgical oncology. His primary interest is in surgical oncology, but he also has extensive experience in general surgery and orthopaedics.
Dr Pete Laverty BVSc, MACVSc, Dip ACVS (Small Animal Surgery)
Dr Pete Laverty graduated from the University of Melbourne with an honours degree in 1985. Since then he has achieved a formidable academic and practical record. After 10 years in general small animal practice in Melbourne, he pursued specialist surgical training in the United States. He completed a Small Animal Internship at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. During this time he worked in an advanced emergency and critical care department, gaining valuable knowledge in this field. Dr Laverty went on to complete a Small Animal Surgical Residency at the Purdue University Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Indiana. While at Purdue, Dr Laverty became an integral part of the team at the Centre for Paralysis Research. This allowed him to pursue his interest in spinal cord injury and to develop expertise in neurosurgery. In 2002 Dr Laverty was awarded Diplomate status in the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. Dr Laverty has been active in undergraduate/ postgraduate training and is an active participant in further education as a key speaker at conferences and seminars. Dr Laverty has published numerous research papers, case reports and review articles. He brings an extensive range of specialist surgical experience and skills to the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre. He routinely performs orthopaedic, soft tissue and neurosurgical procedures, including: fracture repair; tibial plateau levelling osteotomy; total hip replacements; brain tumour removal; spinal cord surgery; and plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Dr Peter Bennett BVSc, FACVSc, Dip. ACVIM (Specialist in Veterinary Oncology, Specialist in Canine & Feline Medicine)
Dr Peter Bennett practices as a Specialist in both Internal Medicine and Oncology. Dr Bennett graduated from The University of Melbourne in 1982 and subsequently worked in private practice in Melbourne and the UK. While in private practice, Dr Bennett commenced the long journey to specialisation with stints at the universities of Tennessee, Georgia, Melbourne, and Massey (NZ). Dr Bennett obtained Fellowship of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in 1999 and Diplomate status in Small Animal Internal Medicine from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). He pursued further specialisation in oncology when he joined the faculty at Purdue University (Indiana), USA, in the Comparative Oncology Program, where he ran the Clinical Department. He also obtained Diplomate status in Oncology from ACVIM in 2001. Dr Bennett has presented at numerous seminars both nationally and internationally, and is involved in teaching of veterinary medicine as an Associate Academic at the University of Sydney, a Senior Fellow at The University of Melbourne, and as an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at Massey University, New Zealand.
SENIOR RESIDENT
Dr Maureen Cooper DVM, MACVSc (Small Animal Medicine)
Dr Maureen Cooper, originally from Canada, obtained her veterinary training at the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. After completing a combined Medicine/Surgery internship at Purdue University (Indiana), USA, Dr Cooper spent time in a mixture of general and referral practice in New York. Dr Cooper has completed her residency in Veterinary Oncology under the direct supervision of Dr Peter Bennett, with support from Dr Darren Merrett, Dr Rob Labuc, and Dr Peter Laverty. In her first year in Australia, prior to her appointment at MVSC, she worked throughout Melbourne as a locum veterinarian. Dr Cooper hopes to achieve Fellowship of the Australian College in Veterinary Oncology.To view a list of Dr Cooper’s published scientific, peer reviewed articles click here.
RESIDENT
Dr Laura Brockley BVSc (Hons), MACVSc (Small Animal Medicine)
Dr Laura Brockley graduated from The University of Melbourne with a Bachelor in Veterinary Science with honours in 2001. Dr Brockley has worked in a variety of small and mixed practices in Victoria, NSW, and the UK. She joined Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre in 2008 as an Oncology Intern. Dr Brockley achieved membership of the Small Animal Medicine chapter of the ACVS (Australian College of Veterinary Scientists) in 2009. Dr Brockley works under the direct supervision of MVSC Oncology Specialist, Dr Peter Bennett and is undergoing a recognised specialist training program (which complies with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria Guideline 14.4.3).
Dr Kersti Seksel BVSc (Hons), MA (Hons), FACVSc (Animal Behaviour), DACVB, DECVBM-CA, CMAVA
Dr Kersti Seksel graduated in Veterinary Science with Honours from the University of Sydney and became very interested in animal behaviour while working overseas. She graduated from Macquarie University with a BA in Behavioural Sciences with a major in Psychology. Dr Seksel is a registered specialist in Animal Behaviour, a Fellow of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in Animal Behaviour and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviourists. Dr Seksel is a member of the American Veterinary Society of Animal Behaviour, member of the Australasian Society for the Study of Animal Behaviour and the Delta Society. She has presented at conferences and meetings in Australia, NZ, UK, Japan, China, Thailand, Europe, Canada and USA. She has published numerous papers on animal behaviour in scientific journals, magazines and periodicals and is a regular contributor to print and electronic media. She is also a regular presenter on ABC radio on pet care and behaviour problems.
RESIDENT
Dr Jacqui Ley BVSc (Hons), MACVS (Animal Behaviour), CMAVA
Dr Jacqui Ley is the inaugural Hills™ Resident in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine and is currently working with Dr Seksel and the Sydney Animal Behaviour Service and the Melbourne Veterinary Specialist Centre. She graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1995 and worked in companion animal practice in metropolitan Melbourne. While studying, she recognised veterinary behavioural medicine as an area that brought together her interests in animal behaviour, animal training and the functioning brain. She obtained her membership to the Veterinary Behaviour Chapter of the Australian College of Veterinary Medicine in 2000. Dr Ley recently completed her PhD, through Monash University, describing a model and a questionnaire for assessing canine personality. Her current research project investigates what makes a good relationship between an owner and their dog. Other research interests include the human-animal bond and factors affecting this, tests for measuring fear and other behaviours in dogs and the social relationships in dogs and cats. She has been involved in teaching the Graduate Certificate in Animal Welfare at Monash University. Dr Ley works under the direct supervision of Dr Seksel at the MVSC and is undergoing a recognised specialist training program (which complies with the Veterinary Practitioners Registration Board of Victoria Guideline 14.4.3).
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Dr Peter Bennett
Dr Jennifer Brown
Kate Heading
Dr Greg Burton 
Dr Rebecca Bassett
Dr David Robson
Dr Arthur House
Dr Simon Kudnig
Dr Pete Laverty
Dr Maureen Cooper
Dr Laura Brockley
Dr Kersti Seksel
Dr Jacqui Ley
