Caring Veterinary Services
Healthy Pets Veterinary Clinic offers consultations, diagnostics, medications, X-rays, ultrasound scans, surgery, healthy diets, and holistic/integrative medicine for domestic pets and large animals.
As a leading Castlemaine Vet Clinic, we ensure your pets receive top-notch care.
About Us
At our Castlemaine Vet Clinic, we genuinely care about the health and well-being of your pets. Our Castlemaine Vet Clinic is committed to making every visit as stress-free and positive as possible for both you and your animals. We combine the best of modern Western medicine, advanced diagnostics, and surgery with integrative, complementary, and holistic treatments. As your trusted Castlemaine Vet Clinic, our entire team is devoted to healing your pets using the safest, most effective approaches available. When you trust your animal’s care to our Castlemaine Vet Clinic, we do everything in our power to help them live healthy, happy lives.
Our Services
Comprehensive Services at Our Castlemaine Vet Clinic
Veterinary consults
We prevent and heal illness for your pets with health checks, disease protection, old pets, behaviour problems, anxiety, and holistic/integrative medicine.
Veterinary Surgery
In our state-of-the-art surgical facility we offer your pets routine surgeries like desexing, as well as lump removals, dentals, cruciate repairs, and more advanced surgeries.
Diagnostics
We have a comprehensive, high-tech in-house lab that offers timely, accurate blood tests and titer testing. We also offer X-rays, Ultrasound scans, histopathology, and more.
Anxious Pets
Anxiety in animals is a progressive disease- the sooner you treat it, the better the outcomes. We offer an integrative, holistic approach to healing pet anxiety.
Trusted Castlemaine Vet Clinic for Compassionate, Professional Pet Care at Our Castlemaine Vet Clinic.
Kind, caring, expert team of Vets + Nurses
Our team are experienced, skilled, and care deeply for your beloved pets. We go the extra mile!
Best of western + holistic medicine for your pets
You get the best health outcomes when combining western and holistic medicine.
High-quality vet hospital, surgery, + diagnostics
Your pets will benefit from our state of the art surgical and diagnostic facilities. Our hospital is top notch!
Client Testimonials
Our clients trust us as their go-to Castlemaine Vet Clinic for all their pet care needs.
How To Get In Touch With Us
As your preferred Castlemaine Vet Clinic, we’re always here to help.
Here’s how you can get in touch with us to find a time to bring your pets in for an appointment, or for any other reason. You can call us during business hours (9 am – 5 pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday + Friday, 9 am – 7 pm Tuesday, and 10 am – 1 pm on some Saturdays on (03) 5472 5477.
We offer after-hours and emergency support on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights 5pm-9am, Tuesday nights 7pm-9am. Please call our mobile on 0407 804 579. For emergency support Friday nights and on the weekend (or in the unlikely event that you can’t contact our emergency number), please contact Bendigo Combined Clinics on week nights (03 5443 3322) or Central Vet Emergency on weekends (0413 898 331).
If you need help with your pets from our team at Healthy Pets, please fill in the form below and we will get back to you as soon as we can in business hours.
When you need a reliable Castlemaine Vet Clinic, remember we are just a call away.
Contact Us
Reach out to our dedicated Castlemaine Vet Clinic staff today.
Please fill out the form below and we will contact you as soon as possible
Our Castlemaine Vet Clinic team is eager to assist you.
Introducing our awesome team.
Meet our Castlemaine Vet Clinic professionals ready to care for your pets.
Siggy: Practice Cat, Overseer
Siggy is a rescue cat who keeps us all on our toes. You may see her abou tthe clinic, and if you are VERY lucky, she might allow you the great honour of giving her a pat!
Dr Bruce Syme BVSc(HonsI): Practice Owner + Manager
Dr Bruce started Healthy pets vet clinic back in 1998 – a small, one vet clinic, situated down a long dirt track in the back blocks of Muckleford. After 27 years of hard work and long hours, he is now immensely proud of what the clinic has become. Dr Bruce has now retired from clinical work due to significant heart failure issues (post covid vax), and is living with his new wife, Irta, on a beautiful slice of tropical rainforest on the Sunshine Coast. Bruce still actively manages the clinic from afar, and is involved in all decisions and important veterinary improvements at the clinic. He is still seeing a few patients from home, and doing some farm work, but is taking life at a much slower pace these days.
Dr Helena Thomas DVM: Veterinarian
Helena is a graduate of the University of Melbourne who has moved to the Castlemaine area in 2025. Growing up with pets, Helena has always wanted to work with animals and enjoys looking after your pets, farm animals and wildlife. In her spare time, Helena enjoys catching up with her friends (and their dogs!) and exploring the Castlemaine area.
Tamaysha Bishop: Head Nurse
Tamaysha completed her Cert IV in veterinary nursing and qualified at the end of 2022. Her vafourite part of nursing is surgery and recovery of patients. Tamaysha moved to Castlemaine at the start of 2024, and lives on acreage with her three horses, two kelpies, ten alpacas, four cows, two macaws, and a Husky (Nala). Tamaysha has a dual diploma in canine and equine myotherapy. She is passionate about assisting animals in their health & wellbeing transformations.
Ellie Poelsma: Senior Nurse
Ellie is a certified vet nurse and has been nursing since 2013. She has worked in general practice, emergency and shelter medicine and loves it all. Ellie is an animal (and plant) lover with an affinity for fickle felines and compost. She lives locally with her partner, mum and two cats, Maruman and Myrtle. If she’s not at the clinic, she’ll definitely be in the garden!
Caitlin Symes: Trainee Nurse
Caitlin has had a passion for animals from a young age and has always wanted to work in the animal care industry. In 2024 she completed a Bachelors Degree in Animal and Veterinary Biosciences and then begun studying her Certificate IV in Veterinary Nursing at Bendigo Tafe in 2025. She is currently completing her studies and working in the clinic as a trainee vet nurse. When Caitlin is not at work she enjoys spending time with her friends and family and her two dogs, Benji and Biscuit
Dr Dean Bridgefoot BVSc: Senior Veterinarian
Dr Dean graduated from the University of Melbourne in the dark ages before the internet, when mobile phones were HUGE! He has worked in Hong Kong, El Salvador, and, more recently, Thailand as a vet. Dean is the father of 3 lads, and is married to Carolyn, a wild Scots-woman. They have lived in Castlemaine since 2001.
Dr Dean loves working with cows and chooks, but definitely not in the big factory feedlots. He is an unrepentant optimist who believes that the Western Bulldogs will one day win a flag.
Dr Edward Bassingthwaighte BVSc(HonsII): Veterinary Manager
Dr Edward is a holistic veterinarian, intuitive, and healer. He is the creator of the Whole Energy Body Balance Method, a massage and energy healing modality for pets, people, and horses. Dr Edward has special interests in: helping animals with neck, back pain, and soft tissue pain with bodywork/massage and healing, and helping anxious pets and pets with chronic diseases heal naturally. Dr Ed is known as a dog and cat whisperer.
Dr Liss Jackson BVSc: Veterinarian
Dr Liss is the newest member of the Healthy Pets veterinary team. Dr Liss is genuinely excited to be joining such an innovative practice, working alongside an inspiring group of veterinarians and support staff. Dr Liss has over 18 years in practice in a career that has evolved around a deep passion for dogs, horses, and their well-being. Dr Liss’s credentials include completing Animal Acupuncture (IVAS) in 2012, a Graduate Diploma in Chinese Veterinary Herbal Medicine in 2016, Animal Biomechanical Medicine in 2017, and certification as a Canine Rehabilitation Therapist in 2019. Dr Liss is a firm advocate for whole-food nutrition and herbal support for long-term health, and approaches every patient with compassion, curiosity, and a deep commitment to enhancing quality of life. Dr Liss has a particular interest in sporting and performance dogs, helping them achieve longevity, balance, and comfort throughout their careers with sports medicine and rehab. Outside of work, Dr Liss lives in Macedon with my two sons, while my two older children study at university in Melbourne.
Linda: Admin + Business Manager
Linda has a genuine passion for animals, and brings enthusiasm and dedication to working behind the scenes in management, administration, and reception. Over the past four years in the animal care industry, Linda has found immense fulfilment in supporting both staff and clients, ensuring every visit is a positive experience for pets and their owners alike. Whether it’s’ coordinating the day to day administration, booking of appointments, or greeting families at reception, Linda is always eager to connect with clients and witness firsthand the deep bond they share with their beloved animals. The warmth and joy that animals bring to people’s lives is endlessly inspiring to Linda, and she feels privileged to play a role in their care and wellbeing.
Gem: Practice Emotional Support Dog
Gem helps everyone in the clinic smile by hopping into laps and licking faces. She is a ray of sunshine in the clinic.
Call us now to see how we can help your animals thrive!
As your friendly Castlemaine Vet Clinic, we prioritize your pets’ health. We go beyond simply putting out fires when it comes to your pets (though we are great at that when needed). We practice preventative medicine, advocate for healthy, fresh food diets, and help you give your pets what they need to be healthy and vital for a long, happy life! Please call us on (03) 5472 5477 so we can organise a consultation for your animals.