PET TIPS
After hours vet centres may admit several cases simultaneously. As such, our treatment room is open plan, allowing us to observe multiple patients as a time. The treatment room is equipped with modern, comprehensive facilities to stabilise, treat, manage and monitor your pet.
AAE opened in 2005 as a vet clinic Melbourne pet owners of all descriptions can visit when emergency vet services are needed. The clinic is serviced around the clock by eight vets, many of whom have completed post graduate training in critical and emergency vet care.
AAE is a Melbourne animal hospital and after hours vet located at Essendon Airport, located just off the Tullamarine Freeway. As a Melbourne veterinary emergency centre, our centre is permanently staffed with highly-trained emergency vets.
Meet Our Staff
Front Line Team
Our Front Line Team includes our Vets, Nurses and Animal Caretakers. They work together and form the Healthcare Delivery Team. Our Teams work 24 hrs a day ensuring pets receive the best care that can be provided.
The Vets are responsible for examining patients, performing surgery, dispensing medications. We always have a vet on shift working directly with the rest of the healthcare team.
The nurses work tirelessly providing personal care to all patients. They carryout patient orders from the vets, monitor vitals and progress throughout their shift. They examine pets on arrival to the emergency centre. There are so much important functions that the nurses perform.
Our Animal Caretakers have the important role of ensuring the emergency centre remains as clean as possible. They are involved in preparing foods for patients and running pathology tests.
Our Vets:
Dr Trudi Mcalees BSc, BVSc, MACVSc, FACVSc
Our Medical Director is a specialist in Emergency and Critical Care. Our Medical Director has the task of providing training to all staff while ensuring that are patient care is at a high standard.
Dr Belinda Gibbs BVSc (Hons) MACVSc
Belinda has worked at Animal Accident and Emergency for nearly 3 & half years and has enjoyed her career change from mixed practice. Belinda’s veterinary career started 10 years ago in East Gippsland treating dairy cows and small animal pets. She then spent 18 months in the United Kingdom, mainly based in York.
She completed her Memberships in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care in 2008 and is passionate about her care and treatment of sick and injured pets.
Dr Melanie Kuehn BSc, BVSc, MSc, MACVSc
Melanie was born in Canada but spent half her life in New Zealand where she received her training as a vet. She started off as many vets do in mixed practice e.g. cattle, sheep, horses, goats, as well as cats and dogs, but soon the travel bug hit and she headed overseas to the UK where she lived for 6 years. Four of those years were spent in emergency work, developing her experience with cats and dogs, but also 'pocket pets' such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and other rodents. She moved to Melbourne 1 1/2 years ago and has been working for AAE for the last year.
Melanie holds two other degrees: Bachelor of Science in Zoology and a Master of Science in Zoology and is currently studying for her memberships to the Australian College of Veterinary Surgeons in Emergency and Critical Care.
Dr Juliette Riddall BVSc, CertVA, MACVS (feline medicine), MRCVS
Juliette qualified as a vet in Liverpool UK and has a wealth of 20 years experience as a veterinary surgeon working in both general practice and emergency services in both Australia and the UK. She also has worked extensively as a volunteer vet in a third world country, working in a spay neuter program for street dogs and cats.
She has further qualifications in the fields of anesthesia and feline medicine from the Royal college of Veterinary Surgeons and the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists and is currently working towards attaining further qualifications in her current area of interest: emergency medicine.
Dr Isabella Lam BVSc (Melb)
Isabella graduated from University of Melbourne in 2008 and initially participated in the internship here at AAE. She enjoys the dynamic working environment and loves the challenge of having different type of cases. She finds the most rewarding aspect of her job is being able to discharge recovered animals home.
Dr Vibeke Russell - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian BVSc MACVSc MIPH (Masters of International Public Health)
Specific ECC interest:
- Endocrine and metabolic emergencies,
- Respiratory disease,
- Toxicities
Dr Juliette Riddle - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian VSc CertVA MACVSc (feline medicine) MRCVS
Dr Juliette Riddal is currently studying for her ECC memberships. She qualified as a vet in Liverpool UK and has a wealth of 20 years experience as a veterinary surgeon.
Specific ECC interest:
- Feline medicine
- Anesthesia
Dr Melanie Kuehn - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian Bsc BVSc MSc MANZCVS
Dr Melanie Kuehn was born in Canada but spent half her life in New Zealand where she received her training as a vet. She started off as many vets do in mixed practice e.g. cattle, sheep, horses, goats, as well as cats and dogs. In the UK she spent 4 years in emergency work, developing her experience with cats and dogs, but also 'pocket pets' such as rabbits, guinea pigs, rats, mice and other rodents.
Specific ECC interest:
- Feline medicine
- Anesthesia
Dr Kate Sheales - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian BVSc (hons)
Specific ECC interest:
- Analgesia
Dr Alexandra Nefedova - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian BVSc
Dr Alexandra Nefedova is a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and is currently studying for her memberships in Emergency Medicine. She is currently researching magnesium levels in DKA cats and the relation to morbidity and mortality.
Specific ECC interest:
- Cardiac physiology
- Trauma management
- Toxicology
- Wound management
- Soft tissue surgery
- Multimodal analgesia
Dr Holly Kang - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian BVMS
Specific ECC interest:
- Triage on emergency and critical care of small animals
Dr Emily Treweek - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian BVSc (hons) MACVSc (ECC)
Specific ECC interest:
- Head trauma
- Heat stroke
- Envenomations and toxicities
- Emergency management of cardiovascular disease
Dr Miranda Coffey - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian BAgribus(Hons) BSc BVMS(Hons) MANZCVS
Dr Miranda Coffey had graduated from Murdoch University then moved to Melbourne to work in a 24 hour emergency and critical care hospital. Dr Miranda enjoys the variety and challenge of emergency and critical care work and has completed Membership of the Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Emergency & Critical Care.
She is currently studying to sit exams for Membership of the Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Feline Medicine.
Dr Claire Flaherty - Emergency and Critical Care Veterinarian BSc BVMS (hons)
Dr Claire was a sole practitioner in Adelaide for 8 years during which time she also provided veterinary care for the Royal Society for the Blind Guide Dog Service. She is currently studying Emergency Medicine and will sit for memberships in Emergency & Critical Care in 2013.
Specific ECC interest:
- Intoxications
Our Nurse Team
Our Nurse team is headed by Sonia Ross and Janelle Parkinson.
Sonia Ross
In 2011, Sonia Ross will head the development of our Point Cook Emergency Centre. Sonia has been involved in veterinary nursing for over 20 years, the last 5 years has been in emergency and critical care. At Animal Accident and Emergency, Sonia is involved in Veterinary Nurses Standards of Care and Training whereby providing our clients and patients with the best trained staff in emergency and critical care nursing.
She frequently travels to the United States attending Emergency & Critical Care conferences to keep abreast within the industry in knowledge and skills.
Janelle Parkinson
Janelle began her career in Veterinary Nursing in September 2001 after completing a Bachelor of Animal Science. She worked in a small animal practice for 8 years and during that time attained her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing. She began working at AAE in January 2008 as a casual nurse and then enjoyed it so much that she decided to start full time in December 2009.
Janelle enjoys the challenge of emergency nursing as there is never a boring or routine day. She has an interest in medical nursing and enjoys nothing more than watching her patients walk out the door with a wagging tail or purring after a hospital stay
Lyn Munks
Lyn has worked in the animal care industry for nearly 25 years. After 18 years in various small animal practices around Melbourne, she joined AAE and reveals that she thoroughly enjoys her time due to the fact there is never a dull moment and always more to learn.
Along with other nurses at AAE, Lyn also hand rears and re-houses many of the orphaned kittens that find their way through our doors.
Louise Jory
Louise has been a full time emergency nurse at AAE for approximately 2 years. Prior to joining the team at AAE, Louise had had 2 and a half years experience as a veterinary nurse, graduating in 2009 for the certificate IV qualification. Louise is undergoing her Diploma in Veterinary Nursing and is looking forward to furthering her education and experience in the Veterinary Industry.
Sarah Sutherland
Sarah has been with Animal Accident & Emergency for over a year but her career in this industry started on a horse racing stud farm in training and preparing horses for sale. For the past five years, she has since worked in a number of general practices across Melbourne and successfully completed her certificate IV in veterinary nursing. She is now studying for her Diploma of Emergency & Critical Care in veterinary nursing.
Sarah loves working in a challenging environment and finds there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a patient go home after a long stay in hospital.
Jessica Grasso
Jessica started at AAE in April 2010 as an emergency nurse. The previously 4 years she worked in small as well as large veterinary practices in Melbourne. She has completed her Certificate in Animal Studies & Companion Animal Services and is currently studying for her Certificate IV Veterinary Nursing as she aims to complete also a Diploma in Emergency & Critical Care.