Meet The Team
We don’t just care for animals, we also care for the people who love them
Dr. Eugene Buffa
BVSC MMedVet (Surgery) N7231
Specialist Surgeon
Eugene is an Australian Registered Specialist Small Animal Surgeon. He recently moved from the Small Animal Specialist Hospital (SASH) in Sydney where he practiced as a Specialist Surgeon for 3 years. Prior to that he was head of Small Animal Clinical Services at the University of Sydney’s Veterinary Faculty in Camden, NSW. Eugene owned and ran a large specialist referral centre in South Africa for 15 years before immigrating to Australia in 2006.
Eugene qualified as a vet from the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 1985. He spent 5 years in general practice in England and South Africa before returning to the University of Pretoria where he completed a surgical residency and qualified as a specialist surgeon in 1995. He has published internationally and has presented at numerous congresses. He researched wound healing as part of a Masters degree and was a pioneer of canine hip replacement surgery in Africa. He is one of the original patented TPLO surgeons and was involved with VetMed, a satellite TV channel providing continuing education to vets throughout Africa. Eugene is an experienced and passionate surgeon who is committed to providing your pet with the best possible care.
Dr. Alen Lai
BVSc(hons), GradCertVetStud, FANZCVS (Surgery)
Specialist Surgeon
Alen is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists and a specialist in Small Animal Surgery. After graduating from the University of Queensland with first class honours, he completed a multi-disciplinary internship at the University of Sydney Veterinary Teaching Hospital, followed by a surgical specialty residency at North Shore Veterinary Specialist Hospital.
His clinical research has focused on fracture biomechanics, canine cruciate ligament disease and hip dysplasia.
He is active in providing continuing education for general practitioners and referral clinicians, to ensure that optimal care is always provided to our patients. In addition, Alen has served on the membership examiner panel for the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists. Alen is an excellent communicator and recognises the importance of helping pet owners understand the details of their pet’s condition while offering them the best surgical solutions and standard of care.
Vicky Tomkins
RVN , Practice Manager
Vicky is a registered veterinary nurse from Worcestershire in the United Kingdom. She has a NVQ in veterinary nursing science and has also completed her schedule 3 surgical nursing course. Vicky has worked within the veterinary field for over 14 years, starting at a general practice in the UK for the first 7 years where she gained invaluable experience and her qualifications.
She and her partner moved to Australia in 2013 where she joined a specialist practice to broaden her skills and knowledge in surgical nursing and Anaesthesia. She has worked in specialists’ practice for 8 years in these fields and enjoys teaching and sharing her knowledge with others.
In her spare time Vicky enjoys spending time with her 2-year-old son and husband. She loves travelling, snowboarding and spending time with friends and family.
Eve Wild
RVN, SURGICAL NURSE
Eve graduated as an Equine nurse in 2011 starting her veterinary career within an equine hospital. She completed her certificate in veterinary nursing in 2012 and moved on to work in a mixed practice with both small and large animals before moving to Sydney to work in a small animal practice. After many years within the industry eve found her calling when she joined the CAS team in 2016 as a surgical nurse.
The skills and knowledge she brings to our surgical team are exceptional and she always holds herself to the highest standards when it comes to patient care. Eve gained her veterinary registration in 2019.
When Eve is not woking you will find her horse riding, 4-wheel driving, camping and spending time with her family and friends and with her new addition Pippi the poodle.