About Dr Phil Sacks

Dr Phil has been seeing bird, dog and cat dental cases (both primary and referral) at Bird Vet Melbourne for over 15 years. He worked with Bird Specialist Dr Pat Macwhirter for 14 years. Dr Phil is not a bird Specialist yet, but is an empathetic, caring veterinarian who loves working with avian patients.

Background & Education

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 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 Veterinary students as well as attending small animal medicine clinics at the veterinary university, and running the veterinary faculty 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 also invited to become a Veterinary external examiner overseeing exams for veterinary students at the university.

Professional Experience

From 1994 he worked in a private practice in Johannesburg, seeing birds and other exotics where he also did relief work for the Johannesburg Zoo. The clinic expanded and Phil found himself doing both veterinary dentistry with animal Dentist Dr Joubert. They set up a referral Veterinary dental clinic in Parkview.

Dr Phil treated exotic pets and birds. Amongst his achievements he lists three caesarean sections on pet marmosets in one week, as well as root canals on two Siberian Tigers, caring for a newborn Black Rhino abandoned by its mother, and treating an elephant with an orange stuck in its food pipe.

With his background in clinical pathology, Phil set up a veterinary clinical pathology laboratory in 2000.

Move to Australia

Because Phil was concerned about increasing crime levels in South Africa, he and his family moved to Australia. On arrival, he did a locum in anaesthetics at the University of Melbourne Veterinary School, then a five-week locum at Gribbles Pathology Laboratory as a veterinary clinical pathologist. A short spell at the Melbourne Animal Emergency Centre followed, before taking up a position at the Burwood Bird & Animal Hospital and later buying into the practice.

Phil became a member of the ACVSc (avian veterinarian) by examination in 2003, while studying to be an Avian specialist. His other veterinary interests include avian medicine, avian clinical pathology, veterinary dentistry and primate medicine. He has regularly attended Veterinary Conferences in both Australia and North America to keep up to date and writes for Talking Birds, and has conducted a basic microscope course for aviculturists.

Personal Interests

Away from work he jogs, swims and enjoys camping, sunsets and bushwalking. His favourite place in Victoria is Wilsons Prom.

Phil is a Senior Fellow of the University of Melbourne Faculty of Veterinary Science and is accredited by AQIS (Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service) to prepare animals for export.