Meet Our Team

Dr. Rob L. Coke earned his DVM from Texas A&M University in 1996. He spent four years treating exotic pets in private practice before going to Kansas State University for an exotic animal, wildlife, and zoo animal medicine internship, which he followed with a zoological medicine residency at the Oklahoma City Zoo. He became a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine in 2007 and one of the first Diplomates of the Reptile and Amphibian Practice category of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in 2010. In 2002, Coke began his career at the San Antonio Zoo as a senior staff veterinarian before moving up to become the director of veterinary care and then the senior director of veterinary care. 

As the longest-tenured full-time veterinarian in the San Antonio Zoo’s 110-year history, Dr. Coke is well-known across Texas for his expertise in zoological, exotic animal, and wildlife medicine. Dr. Coke has held membership and leadership roles in several professional organizations, including the Association of Reptilian and Amphibian Veterinarians, the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, the American College of Zoological Medicine, and the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. He is also certified in veterinary acupuncture by the International Veterinary Acupuncture Society and regularly uses his alternative medicine skills to treat animals at the San Antonio Zoo. In 2022, Coke was recognized by the Texas Veterinary Medical Association as the Non-Traditional Species Practitioner of the Year. He was also a 2021 finalist in the national American Humane Hero Veterinarian of the Year awards. In 2024, he was presented the Texas A&M Alumni and Rising Star Award. 

Dr. Antinoff obtained her DVM from the University of Wisconsin in 1992 and continued to do an internship in small animal medicine and surgery, followed by a residency in avian and exotic pet medicine and surgery. Following ABVP board certification in 1997, she established the first specialty exotics practice operating as part of a referral center in the country. She has authored chapters and articles in veterinary texts and journals, and has spoken locally, nationally, and internationally to veterinarians and pet owners. She served as a consultant for online veterinary groups, providing interactive information to veterinarians nationwide, and has served on the editorial boards of several veterinary journals. She has also mentored over 25 veterinary interns in exotic pet medicine.

In her spare time, Dr. Antinoff enjoys travel, rollerblading, and bicycling, often combining all of these in a trip! She also loves spending time at home with her pets – Mojo, a terrier mix; Louie, a Miniature Dachshund, two cats Zephyr and Zuzu, and Gracie, the African grey and Big, the macaw.

Dr. Dowling graduated from The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine in 2019. As a veterinary student, she worked with the Nashville Zoo, Vancouver Aquarium, Toledo Zoo, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and the Wildlife Center of Virginia to gain more experience working with exotic species. After veterinary school, Dr. Dowling completed a Small Animal Medicine and Surgery Internship at Texas A&M University College of Veterinary Medicine, prior to starting an internship position with Texas Avian & Exotic Hospital. Dr. Dowling then went on to complete a residency at Texas Avian & Exotic Hospital. Since then, she has passed her boards and become a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.

When working with exotic species, Dr. Dowling has interests in population medicine, preventative medicine, and nutrition. In her free time, Dr. Dowling enjoys hiking, trivia night, baking, and spending time with her cat, Captain.

Dr. Hoppes is Professor Emerita of the zoological medicine service at Texas A&M University (TAMU). Dr. Hoppes earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Oklahoma State University in 1993. Prior to that, she worked as a registered nurse for 10 years caring for human patients. She completed an avian medicine and surgery residency in 1999 at North Carolina State University and became a Diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners in avian practice in 2000.

She is a past-President (2012-2013) of the Association of Avian Veterinarians and is also an active member of the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians and the Association of Reptile and Amphibian Veterinarians. Dr. Hoppes joined TAMU in 2006 and her research interests include avian analgesia, avian behavior, enrichment and Avian Bornavirus in parrots through her work at the Schubot Exotic Bird Health Center. She is a recipient of the prestigious T.J. Lafeber Award for her contributions to avian health advancements and serves on the Credentialing Committee of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners.

Dr. Welle is a board-certified avian veterinarian. He has long been captivated by the feathered dinosaurs that are birds and enjoys the unique challenges of keeping them and other unusual creatures healthy and well-adjusted. Four macaws and six chickens haunt his farm along with one dog and four goats.

After graduating from the University of Illinois with his DVM, Dr. Ken Welle was in general practice for seven years before gaining board certification in Avian Practice from the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners. For the next 15 years his private practice was limited to birds and other non-traditional pets and he worked with a local zoo. His passion for this field led him to return as faculty to the University of Illinois in 2011 so he could share his knowledge and experience with veterinary students. In addition, Dr. Welle has been very active in the Association of Avian Veterinarians serving as a board member, treasurer, and president, and has been on the residency committee of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners for over a decade. He has also lectured at local, national, and international conferences.