Veterinary Specialist Services

01/06/2026

Recently, we had the privilege of welcoming a native quoll from Northern Rivers Wildlife Hospital to Veterinary Specialist Services in Carrara for advanced imaging and specialist treatment.

The exceptional team at provide incredible care, dedication and advocacy for Australia’s native wildlife every single day. Their commitment to giving injured wildlife every possible chance is truly inspiring, and we were proud to work alongside them in this case.

With specialist support and advanced CT imaging at VSS, the quoll underwent successful surgical repair of a right mandibular fracture using a 1.5mm plate and positional screw.

Collaboration between wildlife hospitals, carers and specialist veterinary teams is so important in achieving the best possible outcomes for these unique patients.
At VSS, we believe in eQUOLLity treatment, providing the same high level of care and compassion to every patient - whether they’re a cherished family pet or one of Australia’s precious native wildlife species.

30/05/2026

Tommy’s journey is a powerful reminder of how quickly things can change and how expert care, teamwork and a devoted team can make all the difference.

When Tommy, a 2-year-old French Bulldog, became unwell, he showed concerning signs including lethargy, vomiting blood and passing blood in his faeces. Initial blood tests revealed a critically low platelet count, and he was urgently referred to VSS Carrara for specialist care.

Tommy spent the next week being cared for in our hospital ICU, where he underwent extensive diagnostics, blood transfusions from Gold Coast Animal Blood Bank, advanced immunosuppressive therapy and continuous monitoring. Tommy was diagnosed with Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia (IMTP), a serious autoimmune disease in which the body destroys its own platelets, placing patients at risk of life-threatening bleeding.

Under the expert leadership of Dr Ben Hooper, Medicine Resident, Tommy received a highly individualised treatment plan. Dr Hooper’s expertise, dedication and meticulous attention to detail were instrumental in guiding Tommy through every stage of his recovery.

Supported by our internal medicine, critical care and nursing teams, Tommy received exceptional round-the-clock care. This collaborative effort was vital to his outcome.

After a week in ICU, Tommy’s platelet count improved significantly, his anaemia stabilised and the bleeding resolved. At his recheck, he was bright, alert and responding beautifully to treatment.

While Tommy still has a road ahead with ongoing medication and monitoring, his prognosis is encouraging. His family is incredibly grateful for the care he received, and we are honoured to have been part of his journey.

Thankfully, Tommy is now at home where he belongs, surrounded by his Frenchie and human families. He will continue to visit us for regular check-ups as part of his long-term recovery plan, and we look forward to supporting him every step of the way.

28/05/2026

Position Vacant: FullVeterinary Nurse - Jindalee

Veterinary Specialist Services is an established Small Animal referral practice in southeast Queensland. We have hospitals at Carrara, Jindalee and Underwood.

Our teams are passionate about delivering exceptional patient care and supporting one another. Our multi-disciplinary team has a very diverse skill set covering most specialities, diagnostic modalities and therapies across our practice group.

We offer residency and in-house training programs and internships (many Interns have progressed to become registered Specialists). We have wide participation in industry professional groups, universities and continuing education courses, and we run our own annual conference.

About the Role
In this role you will provide specialised nursing care for critical patients in a rotating nurse position throughout daytime emergency, dentistry, ophthalmology, surgery and internal medicine, working closely alongside a team of veterinary specialists to ensure gold-standard patient care is achieved at all times.

Why You'll Love It Here
🔬 Specialist-Level Work: Apply your nursing skills to complex, meaningful cases in a specialist environment.
🤝 Real Client Relationships: Build lasting bonds with pet owners during their most important moments.
🌱 Continuous Learning: Grow your expertise alongside leading specialists with ongoing development.
🏥 Collaborative Culture: Work across a multidisciplinary hospital with a team that genuinely supports each other.

About You
Essential:
🐾Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing or a Veterinary Technician Degree
🐾Minimum 3 years' clinical experience
🐾Commitment to high standards of patient care and clinical excellence
Desired:
🐾Positive attitude and willingness to pitch in across all areas of patient care
🐾Strong organisational and problem-solving skills with attention to detail
🐾Values team culture and looks out for the wellbeing of colleagues
🐾Loves to learn and always looking to develop and refine new skills

If you are passionate about patient care and want to work in a supportive referral hospital that values its people as much as its patients, we want to hear from you!

Apply now:

Veterinary Specialist Services is an established Small Animal referral practice in South East Queensland. We have hospitals at Carrara, Jindalee, and Underwood. We are striving to create an environment where people can do their best work. Our teams are very passionate about delivering patient care a...

28/05/2026

Orrie’s TPLO Journey
After injuring his knee during an adventurous leap over a log, Orrie was diagnosed with a partial cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) tear.

Despite strict rest and conservative management, ongoing swelling and instability within the knee meant surgery was the best next step to help get Orrie back to living his best life. He underwent TPLO surgery with our surgical team at Veterinary Specialist Services Carrara as part of our fixed-price TPLO surgery program.

TPLO (Tibial Plateau Levelling Osteotomy) is a specialised orthopaedic procedure designed to stabilise the knee after cruciate ligament injury and help dogs return to comfortable movement and activity.

A very special mention to Orrie’s caring mum, who has taken incredible care of him every step of the way throughout his recovery journey. We love receiving updates on Orrie’s adventures and recovery through his Instagram , and our whole team looks forward to visits from this gentle giant.

We’re so proud of you, Orrie and will continue cheering you on through your recovery journey!

27/05/2026

Speaking at the Surgery MasterClass in the Philippines has been an incredibly rewarding experience for Specialist Surgeons, Dr Abbie Tipler and Dr Cormac O’Brolchain. Connecting with veterinary communities who show such genuine gratitude for shared knowledge has been a powerful reminder of why education matters so deeply in our profession.

The enthusiasm and encouragement from delegates - especially the next generation of vets - reinforced the impact that continued learning and mentorship can have on patient outcomes. Moments like these highlight the true purpose behind specialist work: elevating skills, strengthening confidence and improving the standard of care for animals everywhere.

Thank you to the organisers and attendees for their warmth, kindness and generosity. Experiences like this inspire our team to keep growing, keep teaching and keep contributing to the global veterinary community.

26/05/2026

Another fantastic CPD seminar hosted by VSS Jindalee!

A huge thank you to everyone who attended our evening seminar on feline eye conditions and emergency medicine alongside the Animal Emergency Service - Jindalee team. It was wonderful to see such a great turnout from the veterinary community for an evening filled with learning, networking and plenty of free goodies!

Our Jindalee hospital, along with all VSS practices, are incredibly proud to be able to provide ongoing CPD opportunities to support and connect the broader veterinary community.

A massive shout out to our sponsors, Lyppard and - we truly couldn’t provide these events without your generous support. Thank you for helping make evenings like this possible!

We hope to see you at our next seminar on Fluid Therapy & Septic Peritonitis for Vets & Nurses.

BOOK ONLINE: https://events.humanitix.com/vet_seminar_fluid_therapy_septic_peritonitis

(Website link in bio - navigate to Industry Events page)🔗

25/05/2026

Sometimes it’s the little things our patients; families notice that make the biggest difference. Buddy presented to VSS Carrara after his very observant family realised a few socks had mysteriously gone missing. Knowing Buddy’s cheeky personality, they acted quickly and brought him straight in for assessment.

Thanks to their awareness and prompt action, our team was able to perform emesis, a procedure used to safely encourage vomiting before foreign material can move further through the gastrointestinal tract. Sure enough, the missing socks were successfully recovered, avoiding what could have become a much more serious surgical emergency.

Foreign body ingestion is incredibly common in our canine patients, and Buddy’s story is a wonderful reminder of how important it is to trust your instincts as a pet owner. Early intervention can make all the difference.

Thankfully, Buddy was feeling much brighter after his unexpected “sock return” and was able to head home with his relieved family.

23/05/2026

After the success of our VSS Underwood GP Seminar this week, our next GP Seminar is now open for booking and places are limited.

📅 Monday 15 June
🕒 6.30pm – 8.30pm
📍 Cat Specialist Services in Underwood

🎤 Speaker: Dr Nick Cleland (BVSc (Merit) FAZCVS)
Topic: The Xray Safari – Taking & Interpreting Joint Radiographs
This session will explore practical tips for taking and assessing radiographs of the shoulder, elbow, carpus, hips, stifle and tarsus, with a focus on the common studies and diseases we see in surgical advice requests at VSS.

🔗 Book now:

6:30 PM Mon 15 Jun at Cat Specialist Services, Underwood, . Dr Nicholas Cleland BVSc (Merit) FAZCVS Description: The Xray Safari; Taking & Interpreting Joint Radiographs

22/05/2026

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our recent VSS Underwood GP Seminar, held at Cat Specialist Services.

It was a fantastic evening of learning and collaboration, and we loved seeing so many of our referring vets and vet nurses come together.

A special thank you to Dr David Cook and Dr Else Jacobson for sharing their expertise and delivering such engaging sessions.

We appreciate your ongoing support and look forward to welcoming you back soon.

Stay tuned on our socials, keep an eye on the "Industry Events" page of our website and sign up for our newsletter on our website at www.vss.net.au🔗

21/05/2026

We are excited to announce that specialist dermatology services will launch at VSS Jindalee from 1 June 2026, led by two highly respected dermatologists, Dr Jeylan Aslan and Dr John Hutt.

Dr Jeylan Aslan is a registered specialist in Veterinary Dermatology, a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology () and President of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists () Dermatology Chapter. Her clinical interests include feline dermatology and dermatologic applications of CO₂ laser surgery.

Dr John Hutt is a registered specialist and diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Dermatology. He brings more than thirty years of referral dermatology experience across Australia and the UK, including senior clinical, academic and leadership roles. His interests include allergic and immune‑mediated skin disease across canine, feline and equine patients.

Consultations are available on Wednesdays and Thursdays at VSS Jindalee.

Patients require a referral from their primary care veterinarian. Referrals can be made through our website's "referral portal" at www.vss.net.au (🔗link in bio) or by contacting our Jindalee team on ☎07 3193 6500 or 📩[email protected].

Dermatology services at VSS Carrara and VSS Underwood will continue as usual through Animal Dermatology Specialists () and referrals can be made through our website or contacting your nearest VSS hospital.

Please join us in welcoming Dr Aslan and Dr Hutt in the comments below👇👇🏿