Animal Emergency Centre + Specialty Care Moorabbin

Our specialist surgery service is led by Dr Malcolm Jack and Dr Charles Kuntz, both highly experienced surgeons with extensive expertise in advanced and complex procedures.

Dr Jack and Dr Kuntz perform a full range of soft tissue, orthopaedic, thoracic and oncologic surgeries, offering tailored treatment plans for each patient. Whether it’s a challenging fracture repair, tumour removal, or a delicate airway procedure, their focus is on precision, safety, and the best possible outcome for every pet.

Our surgical team is supported by skilled anaesthesia and surgical nursing staff, ensuring comprehensive care from admission through recovery. We welcome referrals from general practitioners and other hospitals across Victoria.

Our Specialty Medicine service is led by Dr Chad Berman, an internal medicine specialist with a strong focus on thorough diagnostics, evidence-based treatment and collaborative care. Dr Berman manages a wide range of complex medical conditions including immune-mediated disease, endocrinopathies, chronic gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory disease, hepatobiliary conditions and challenging infectious diseases.

Using advanced imaging, endoscopy and comprehensive laboratory testing, he works to achieve accurate diagnoses and tailored treatment plans for each individual patient. Our Medicine service works closely with our Emergency and Surgery teams to provide seamless, coordinated care. We welcome referrals from general practitioners and are always happy to discuss cases prior to referral.

AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin's Emergency and Critical Care department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including public holidays, for pets across Moorabbin, Highett and the southern and bayside suburbs of Melbourne. Our experienced emergency and critical care veterinarians and nurses manage time-sensitive presentations, including trauma, poisoning, breathing difficulty and sudden collapse, alongside ongoing intensive monitoring for critically ill patients. Our Critical Care Unit features oxygen cages with precise temperature, oxygen and humidity control, and high-flow nasal oxygen therapy for pets in respiratory distress. In-house laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and continuous monitoring support fast, accurate decision-making at any hour. We work closely with referring general practice vets to provide seamless, collaborative care, keeping you and your pet's regular vet informed every step of the way. No referral or appointment is needed, day or night.

Our purpose-built 1,310 sqm hospital has been designed with both patient and client comfort in mind. From quiet, calming spaces to state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technologies, every detail supports the wellbeing of pets and the people who care for them.

Key features include:

• Separate dog and cat waiting areas to create a low-stress environment
• Eight consult rooms plus a, oversized visiting room for families to spend time with their pets
• Three oversized surgical theatres equipped for advanced and complex procedures
• Critical Care Unit (CCU) with Menios oxygen cages, allowing for precise temperature, oxygen and humidity control
• Dedicated ultrasound, endoscopy and x-ray suites
• On-site CT scanner
• Fluoroscopy for advanced real-time imaging
• Purpose-built dog, cat, wildlife and isolation wards, designed for comfort, safety and infection control
• An enclosed dog exercise area for gentle rehabilitation and outdoor breaks

Our facility combines cutting-edge medical capability with a welcoming, calm atmosphere, ensuring every visit is as comfortable and stress-free as possible for both pets and their families.

AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin's Emergency and Critical Care department is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including public holidays, for pets across Moorabbin, Highett and the southern and bayside suburbs of Melbourne. Our experienced emergency and critical care veterinarians and nurses manage time-sensitive presentations, including trauma, poisoning, breathing difficulty and sudden collapse, alongside ongoing intensive monitoring for critically ill patients. Our Critical Care Unit features oxygen cages with precise temperature, oxygen and humidity control, and high-flow nasal oxygen therapy for pets in respiratory distress. In-house laboratory testing, diagnostic imaging and continuous monitoring support fast, accurate decision-making at any hour. We work closely with referring general practice vets to provide seamless, collaborative care, keeping you and your pet's regular vet informed every step of the way. No referral or appointment is needed, day or night.

Our in-house laboratory, featuring a comprehensive IDEXX diagnostic suite, a Radiometer blood gas analyser, a Vcheck V200 and a broad range of other point-of-care testing, allows the Moorabbin team to run blood tests, urinalysis and other diagnostic samples on site, with many results available within minutes rather than days. This rapid turnaround is critical in emergency triage, where fast, accurate results help our vets make time-sensitive decisions about a pet's treatment. For our specialist medicine and surgery patients, in-house testing supports thorough diagnostic work-ups, pre-surgical screening and ongoing monitoring throughout treatment and recovery. For more specialised or less time-critical tests, samples are sent to our network of external reference laboratories, with results communicated back to you and your referring vet as soon as they are available. Having laboratory services on site, alongside imaging and pharmacy, means your pet's full diagnostic picture can typically be built without leaving the hospital.

AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin has an on-site pharmacy stocked with a broad range of medications used in emergency and specialist veterinary care, including pain relief, antibiotics, anti-inflammatories and medications for the ongoing management of chronic conditions. Prescriptions can generally be dispensed at the time of consultation, so emergency patients heading home and specialist referral patients starting a new treatment plan can leave with the medication they need without a separate pharmacy visit. Our team will talk you through dosing instructions, potential side effects, and how to administer medication at home. The pharmacy serves both our emergency and specialist referral patients. If your pet needs an ongoing prescription refilled, please contact the clinic ahead of your visit so we can have it ready for collection. 

AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin's specialist surgery team, led by Dr Charles Kuntz, provides neurological and spinal surgery for pets with conditions such as intervertebral disc disease, spinal trauma, and neurological signs including seizures or sudden changes in mobility. Our on-site CT scanner supports detailed pre-surgical imaging and diagnosis. Neurological cases are assessed collaboratively between our surgery and medicine teams to determine whether surgical or medical management is the right path, and treatment is tailored to each patient. We welcome neurology and spinal referrals from general practice vets across Melbourne and Victoria, and are always happy to discuss a case before referral.

AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin offers dedicated surgical oncology, led by Dr Charles Kuntz, an ACVS Founding Fellow of Surgical Oncology, one of a small number of surgeons in Australia to hold this credential. Our team manages the surgical removal of tumours and cancerous masses across a wide range of locations and complexity, from routine mass removals to advanced procedures requiring careful surgical margin planning. On-site CT imaging supports staging and surgical planning, helping to define clear margins and improve outcomes. We work closely with referring vets throughout diagnosis, treatment planning and post-surgical care, and welcome oncology surgery referrals from general practices across Melbourne and Victoria.

Yes, AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin offers specialist vet services, including specialty surgery and internal medicine, alongside our 24-hour emergency care. Both services operate from the same purpose-built hospital in Moorabbin, so pets needing advanced or ongoing specialist treatment can be seen without travelling to another clinic

Yes, a referral from your regular vet is needed to see a specialist at AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin. Our surgery and medicine teams work closely with referring vets and are always happy to discuss a case before or after a referral is made.

Yes, AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including public holidays, for pet emergencies. No referral or appointment is needed. Our emergency and critical care team is ready whenever your regular vet is closed.

AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin's specialist surgery team performs soft tissue, orthopaedic, thoracic, neurological and oncologic procedures, including complex fracture repairs, tumour removal and airway surgery for conditions such as BOAS. Our three surgical theatres are equipped for advanced and complex cases.

Yes, AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin has diagnostic imaging on site, including x-ray, ultrasound, endoscopy, fluoroscopy and a CT scanner. Imaging is available to both emergency patients and pets referred for specialist care, helping our team reach a diagnosis quickly.

BOAS (Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome) affects flat-faced breeds like Pugs, Frenchies and Bulldogs, causing breathing difficulty. Yes, AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin treats BOAS, with airway assessment and surgical correction available through our specialist surgery team.

After your vet refers your pet to AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin, you contact us directly to arrange an appointment with the specialist. Our team gathers relevant information ahead of time, including medical history, pathology results and imaging, which the specialist reviews before the consultation. During the consult, our specialist examines your pet and, together with all available information, recommends a diagnostic and treatment plan.

Yes, AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin's specialist surgery team treats neurological and spinal conditions, including disc disease and spinal trauma, supported by on-site CT imaging for detailed diagnosis and surgical planning.

Yes, AEC + Specialty Care Moorabbin offers surgical oncology, led by a surgeon with Founding Fellow status in Surgical Oncology from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, for pets needing tumour removal or cancer surgery.