What Makes a Specialist?

Programs through the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine and the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists are the most highly regarded and rigorous veterinary training programs in the world. They all start with an accredited veterinary degree.

A year long internship or its equivalent must be completed before starting a residency training program. A residency is a highly structured 3-year training program under the direction of other specialists in the field. The candidate performs hundreds of surgical and/or medical procedures in all disciplines under the direct supervision of specialists.

Rotations in other disciplines must be also completed, also under the direct supervision of specialists in their respective fields. Rotations with human physicians are recommended.

The candidates must publish original research in accepted peer-reviewed scientific
journals before sitting the examination. The examination takes place over several days and specific questions are asked from over 2,000 journal articles as well as 9 textbooks relating to veterinary surgery, medicine or ophthamology. Surgical candidates must also take oral and practical examinations.

Typically less than 50% of the candidates pass on their first attempt.

Who will be taking care of your pet?

Surgery: Dr. Charles Kuntz
DVM, MS, MACVSc, Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, Registered Specialist of Small Animal Surgery, Fellow of Surgical Oncology.

Southpaws founder and director, Dr. Charles Kuntz, was voted the Most Supportive Vet of the Year for all of Australia by the Master Dog Breeders and Associates (MDBA).

Charles graduated from the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine in 1990. He then did an internship at the Animal Medical Center in New York City. He completed a residency and Master's degree in surgery at Virginia Tech in 1994 and achieved specialty board certification in surgery in 1996 on his first attempt.

He did a one year fellowship in cardiovascular research and surgery. He completed a fellowship in surgical oncology at Colorado State University, and is one of 20 people world wide to have received this training. He was then a professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Colorado State University before he moved to Northern Virginia where he started a surgical referral practice which was among the busiest in the Washington DC area. He was the program chair and a member of the Board of Directors of the District of Columbia Academy of Veterinary Medicine.

Charles moved to Australia 5 years ago and is the director of Southpaws Specialty Surgery for Animals in Melbourne. He is an internship director, surgical residency advisor and program director for the American College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Dr. Kuntz has published many scientific articles, summary articles, abstracts, proceedings and book chapters on topics of surgical oncology. He was the chairperson of the oncology section of the National Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. He is the editor of the oncology section of the current edition of Slatter's Textbook of Small Animal Surgery. He was the surgical expert on panel discussions of feline vaccine associated soft tissue sarcomas at recent meetings of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons and the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. He was asked to write a chapter for a human surgical oncology textbook in bone cancer because of his reputation and expertise in cancer surgery. He started and currently runs Australia's first deep radiation therapy unit for animals

He has personally performed and interpreted over 4,000 CT scans on veterinary patients. He has five United States patents for devices used in the treatment of diseases in animals. He has personally operated on over 5,000 patients with cancer with local control rates of over 95%.

Charles has been seen on "Talk to the Animals", "Animal ER", "A Current Affair", "National Nine News", "The Today Show", “The Nine AM Show” as well as numerous appearances on ABC radio, the Herald Sun, Leader Magazines, and Bark Magazine. He receives referrals from all over Australia and consultations by phone and email world-wide.

Staff Surgeon:
Dr. James Simcock BVSc (hons)

James graduated from the University of Melbourne with honors in 2005. Following
graduation he worked for 12 months in a busy small animal general practice. He has completed two, twelve month internships in both Small Animal Oncology and Small Animal Surgery along with a three year American College of Veterinary Surgeons residency program under the direction of Dr. Charles Kuntz.

James has published on gastrointestinal surgery and oncology and has presented a number of times at the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists, Science Week.

In July 2010 James achieved membership to the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists Internal Medicine Chapter. James is particularly interested in orthopaedic and neurologic surgery. James is staff surgeon and a Co-Director of Southpaws alongside Dr. Charles Kuntz..

Surgical Resident:
Dr. Cassandra Prpich BVSc

Cassie graduated from the University of Melbourne on the Deans Honour’s list in 2008. She first completed a twelve month internship in Small Animal Surgery and Oncology. Following this, she started her second internship and received additional training in both Emergency and Critical Care and Internal Medicine.

Cassie returned to Southpaws in July 2010 to commence a Small Animal Surgery Residency program with the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. She is due to complete her training in 2013. Cassie has coauthored an investigation into dental bonding for mandibular fractures. This paper was awarded the “Most Commendable Paper” Prize for 2011 by the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists.

Cassie enjoys all aspects of surgery, but has a special interest in surgical oncology, neurosurgery and cardiothoracic surgery.

Internal Medicine:
Dr. Karen BrennerBVSc (hons) DACVIM

Karen graduated from The University of Melbourne in 2003 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree with first class honours. She then spent several years working in a busy small animal general practice in the Bayside area. In 2007 Karen completed a small animal medicine and surgery internship at Kansas State University and stayed at the same institution to complete a residency program in small animal internal medicine.

Karen became board certified in Small Animal Internal Medicine in 2011. She has published scientific papers focused on pancreatic disease in Greyhounds as well as worked on projects looking at the risk factors for canine leptospirosis.

Ophthalmology:
Dr. Allyson GrothBVSc (hons) DACVOC

Allyson is the head of our newest department at Southpaws, Ophthalmology.

Allyson graduated with honors from the University of Melbourne in 2006. After a one year rotating internship in Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at Colorado State University, she completed a 3 year ophthalmology residency at the University of California, Davis.

Allyson became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists in 2011.

Her professional interests include comparative optics, particularly the effects of refractive error (near or far-sightedness) in dogs used for competition. She has also been involved in research on glaucoma and feline herpesvirus. Allyson is happy to manage all types of ophthalmological cases in both domestic and exotic pets including cataract surgery, eyelid surgery, ocular ultrasound, corneal surgery and ocular evisceration and prosthesis placement to name a few.