Team members

Dr Bruce Mackay

BVSc FANZCVS

Specialist Small Animal Internal Medicine

Dr. Bruce Mackay has been a veterinarian for over thirty five years since graduating from the University of Queensland in 1979. Spending most of his time in small animal private practice and progressing into animal referral practice in 1994. In 2000, Dr. Mackay co-founded Veterinary Specialist Services with the idea of providing excellence in veterinary medicine with an incredible team of specialist veterinarians, bound by a mutual passion cats and dogs! Although very keen and talented in all aspects of internal medicine, his special interests include gastro-enterology, endocrinology, cardiology and oncology.

Having previously been on the Brisbane Veterinary Practitioners Branch, an Australian College of Veterinary Scientists committee member/examiner and a University of Queensland Veterinary Science external examiner, it is safe to say he has a wealth of experience with small animal veterinary medicine and is incredibly rich in knowledge in which he is constantly sharing throughout the hospital.

When asked how Dr. Mackay spends his spare time, he simply responded with “what spare time?!” however, he will seize any opportunity to play tennis, go camping, travel or better yet, spend time with his gorgeous new granddaughter and of course his beautiful wife, three daughters, two labradoodles, Gracie and Pippa, and Ronald, the cat!

Bruce continues to be passionate about administering the best possible care to the animals he is privileged to treat. A wagging tail and a grateful lick speak volumes to this veterinarian whom has seen so many changes throughout his time as a veterinarian.

Terry King

BVSc MANZCVS

Emergency & Critical Care Internal Medicine

Dr Terry King was born and raised in Townsville, North Queensland.

He graduated with his Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the University of Queensland in 1975.

Over his 19 years in private practice in Brisbane’s north western suburbs, Terry accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience in small animal practice.

After a year’s sojourn in the USA and Brisbane’s Animal Emergency Centre, Terry joined the University of Queensland Veterinary Teaching Hospital in late 1995 as a medical resident.

He went on to become the Director of the Clinic and Hospital in 1997 until 2002.

Terry joined the team at Veterinary Specialist Services as a Director in 2003, until 2016 where he now resides as a medical referral clinician.

Terry’s real passion arises from the emergency side of veterinary practice, particularly the intricacy of understanding and treating the critically ill.

He is highly committed to family veterinary medicine, emergency and critical treatment and prolonging the human-animal bond.

Ruth Sutcliffe

BVSc, MVSc MANZCVS

Senior Lecture Internal Medicine

Dr Sutcliffe holds a Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the University of Melbourne, and a Master of Veterinary Studies in Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery from Murdoch University.  She has Membership of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in small animal medicine.  Dr Sutcliffe is one of JCUVet’s academic clinicians who combines teaching internal medicine with clinical practice at JCUVet.  Although not a specialist dermatologist, she enjoys dermatology and is particularly interested in cases with complex combinations of medical and dermatological problems.

Jason Mouatt

BVSc FANZCVS

Specialist Small Animal Surgeon

Dr Jason Mouatt is a University of Queensland (BVSc) graduate who, upon graduation, spent 5 years in general small animal and equine practice.  In 1999, he returned to the University of Queensland to complete a residency in Small Animal Surgery.  Dr Mouatt became a Specialist Small Animal Surgeon (FANZCVS) in 2002.

Dr Mouatt went on to become the Clinical Head of Surgery at the University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital before moving to private practice in 2004.  Jason then joined the Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS) in Brisbane, became a partner/ director of VSS the following year, and spend the next 10 years working from their Carrara practice on the Gold Coast. During his tenure at VSS Carrara, the clinic became one of the busiest Specialist Veterinary Surgical Centers in the country.

Through this time, Dr Mouatt has been involved in all areas of clinical surgery.  He has a strong interests in orthopaedics, joint surgery and replacement, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery and oncological / reconstructive surgery.  He also has a love of mentoring and clinical training and enjoys teaching interns, residents, nurses and general practitioners.

Dr Mouatt regulary visits JCUVet to provide advanced surgical services and mentor Dr Gosztyla.

Brenton Gosztyla

BVSc, BBioMedSc

Small Animal Surgeon

Dr Goszytla graduated James Cook University in 2012 where he studied his Bachelor in BioMedical Science and continued on to complete his degree in Veterinary Science. Following graduation, Dr Gosztyla worked in general practice for 5 years where he developed a special interest in orthopaedic surgery. In 2017, he was appointed to a position in referral surgery under the supervision of Dr Richard Mitchel, Dr Craig Thomson and Dr Jason Mouatt.  Dr Gosztyla has continued to develop his surgical skills and is planning to undertake his Membership in the Australian & New Zealand College of Veterinary Science in Small Animal Surgery in 2021.

At home Brenton has a menagerie of animals he looks after including horses, dogs, cats, cows and goats.

Craig Thomson

BSc BVSc MANZCVSc (Surgery)

Registrar in Small Animal Surgery

Dr Thomson graduated University in 2001 and has worked as a referral surgeon at JCU, running the surgical department and educating JCU vet students for the past 8 years. He recently relocated to the Sunshine Coast to complete his Small Animal Surgery Residency under Dr Richard Mitchell. Dr Thomson has a special interest in orthopaedic and brachiocephalic airway surgery, and he regulary travels to JCUVet to provide surgical services and mentor Dr Gosztyla.

Rebecca Heads

BVetMed

General Practice Clinician

Becky graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2015 and worked as a mixed practice vet in the UK for a year before making the move to Australia and working in small animal practice in Mount Isa. Missing the coast, Becky moved to Townsville with her fiancé to join the team at JCUVet.

Becky enjoy all aspects of general practice and emergency care. In her free time Becky is a keen runner, along with her dog, Luna. Becky also enjoy riding her horse and exploring Australia.

Peita Kerkenezov

BAppSc (Vet Tech), BVSc (Hons)

General Practice Clinician

Dr Peita Kerkenezov graduated from the University of Queensland, firstly, with a Bachelor of Applied Science (veterinary technology), followed by a Bachelor of Veterinary Science in 2011.

Peita has worked as a small animal general practice clinician in Launceston, Adelaide, Noosa and Darwin, before joining the team at JCU Vets in Townsville. She has also spent time working in Fiji. She enjoys all aspects of general practice, recently developing a keen interest in dermatology.

Outside of work, you’ll find her exploring new places with her husband, 1 year old son, and Jack Russell Terrier, Huey. She also enjoys practicing yoga, Pilates and swimming.

Chakira Tosoni

BVSc

General Practice Clinician

Dr Tosoni was born and raised in FNQ and graduated from JCU in 2011 before moving to South Australia to work in rural mixed practice. She returned to the north at the end of 2015 to be closer to her family and to pursue her interest in clinical teaching. Dr Tosoni enjoys all aspects of small animal veterinary medicine, with a particular interest in preventative health and working dog health and care.

She shares her home with her trusty sidekick Luxie, a German Wirehaired Pointer.

Susan Chantelle Dunn

BVSc

General Practice Clinician

Dr Susan Chantelle Dunn completed a Zoology degree at JCU prior to doing veterinary science at JCU

She graduated in 2012 and worked at JCU Vet as a new grad, where she enjoyed working as part of the emergency  team.

Dr Dunn then took a few years off to have children, before rejoining JCUVet in 2019

She is mum to two beautiful kids and a demon cat named Pixie. Pixie is a naughty torti, that was hand raised by one of the amazing nurses she worked with, so she has a bit of an identity crisis (doesn’t know she is a cat, and tends to behave more like a moody teenager)

Outside of her work and family, she enjoys playing soccer (or as most people call it, football), crafting, reading and watching movies.

Yukari Miyaki

BSc, BVSc, MSc, ACVAA

Specialist Veterinary Anaesthetist

Dr Miyake gained her Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from the University of Sydney in the early 1990s before returning to Japan where she worked as a general practice veterinarian and researcher at the Small Animal Clinical Research Foundation in Tottori. In 1998 she returned to Australia where she was appointed Veterinary Registrar in Small Animal Anaesthesia at the Veterinary Centre at the University of Sydney.

In 2002 she relocated to the United States and undertook a combined Anaesthesia Residency/Master’s degree program, achieving a Master of Clinical Science (MSc) at Colorado State University. This was followed by a posting as emergency anaesthetist at the Colorado State University’s James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching Hospital.

In 2007, Dr Miyake returned to Australia working as an anaesthetist in Sydney, visiting, consulting and giving seminars in various private practices and specialist referral centres. In 2008, Yukari was a Senior Veterinary Registrar in University of Sydney, Camden campus and then joined The Royal Veterinary College as a Lecturer in Anaesthesia.

In 2010, Dr Miyake joined the team at JCU as the senior lecturer in veterinary anaesthesia.  She leads both the clinical practice and clinical teaching components of the anaesthesia team at JCU Vet.

Gretel Fowler

BSc,BVSc MANZCVS (Anaesthesia and Analgesia)

Anaesthesia Team Clinician

After completing a Bachelor Degree in Animal Science in 2007, Dr Fowler went on to pursue her Veterinary Science degree at James Cook University, Townsville. Dr Fowler graduated in 2012, receiving the Small Animal Medicine Award, and the Animal Behavior, Ethics and Welfare Prize.

Once in general practice, she developed a keen interest in all aspects of Anaesthesia and Analgesia, and thus when the opportunity arose, she accepted a position at JCU Vet in 2018 as the Clinical Veterinary Anaesthetist. Gretel enjoys all aspects of anaesthesia, but is particularly interested in advanced monitoring techniques, complex anaesthesia for the critically unwell patient and ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia. In 2019, Dr Fowler gained membership qualifications in Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, through the Australian and New Zealand Collage of Veterinary Scientists. Dr Fowler was recognized as the top Australian candidate in the Anaesthesia field for 2019.

Gretel shares her home with her husband and three fur children; a Devon Rex named Rudy, a Greyhound named Winifred and a Bull Terrier named Bundy. Outside of work, she enjoys outdoor adventure and travel.

Geoff Nicolson

BVSc, MVS, DECVS

Specialist Veterinary Cardiologist

Dr. Nicolson grew up in New Zealand before making the move to Queensland to complete his veterinary training. He graduated from the University of Queensland in 2011 with honours. It was during university that he developed a strong interest in cardiology. In 2012 he completed a 1 year rotating internship at the University of Queensland Veterinary Teaching Hospital. In 2013 Dr. Nicolson commenced a cardiology residency at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital, under the supervision of European-boarded specialist cardiologist Dr Niek Beijerink. In 2017 he successfully obtained specialist status in the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine – Companion Animals, in the subspecialty of Cardiology. Dr Nicolson then spent 12 months working in Melbourne as a mobile cardiologist before establishing Veterinary Cardiac Services, a mobile service focusing on the Sunshine Coast and North Brisbane. Dr Nicolson makes regular visits to JCUVet to provide specialist cardiology services to north Queensland.

While Dr. Nicolson enjoys all aspects of cardiology, he has a particular interest in congenital heart disease, canine cardiomyopathies and arrhythmia management.

John Hutt

BVSc(Hons) CertVD MANZCVS DACVD

Specialist Veterinary Dermatologist

Dr Hutt graduated from the University of Queensland in 1988. He worked in general practice in Brisbane for 18 months before travelling to the UK in 1990, where he worked in small animal practice for the next 11 years. He was a clinical assistant in dermatology at the Animal Health Trust from 1998 to 2001. In 2001 Dr Hutt set up North Kent Referrals, a multi-disciplinary referral practice in the south of England, and he owned and ran the practice until its sale in 2012.

Dr Hutt holds the RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Dermatology, is a member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists (MANZCVS) by examination in small animal medicine, and is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. He is a past President of the British Veterinary Dermatology Study Group.

Following his return to Brisbane in 2013, Dr Hutt joined the team at Dermatology for Animals.  He makes regular visits to JCUVet to provide specialist dermaology services to north Queensland.

Outside of work Dr Hutt’s major interest lies in English Literature and in 2006 he completed a Bachelor of Arts at the Open University.

Terry King

BVSc MANZCVS

Emergency & Critical Care Internal Medicine

Dr Terry King was born and raised in Townsville, North Queensland.

He graduated with his Bachelor of Veterinary Science from the University of Queensland in 1975.

Over his 19 years in private practice in Brisbane’s north western suburbs, Terry accumulated a wealth of knowledge and experience in small animal practice.

After a year’s sojourn in the USA and Brisbane’s Animal Emergency Centre, Terry joined the University of Queensland Veterinary Teaching Hospital in late 1995 as a medical resident.

He went on to become the Director of the Clinic and Hospital in 1997 until 2002.

Terry joined the team at Veterinary Specialist Services as a Director in 2003, until 2016 where he now resides as a medical referral clinician.

Terry’s real passion arises from the emergency side of veterinary practice, particularly the intricacy of understanding and treating the critically ill.

He is highly committed to family veterinary medicine, emergency and critical treatment and prolonging the human-animal bond.

Philip Judge

BVSc MVS PG Cert Vet Stud MACVSc (VECC Medicine of Dogs)

Emergency and Critical Care Clinician

Dr Judge graduated from Massey University in 1992, and spent 7 years in general practice in New Zealand before undertaking a residency in veterinary emergency and critical care at the University of Melbourne. Dr Judge has spend over 20 years in university and private veterinary emergency centres, and is former Senior Veterinarian at Melbourne’s busy Animal Emergency Centre, and former Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care at James Cook University.

Dr Judge is a published author and expert in australian snake envenomation in dogs and cats. In addition, he is co-founder and director of an online veterinary education company, Vet Education.

Dr Judge works part time and on-call at JCUVet in the veterinary emergency centre, assisting staff veterinarians in the care of emergency and critically ill patients.