Dr Gavaghan graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science degree from the University of Queensland in 1985 and was accepted as Member of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (Canine Medicine) in 1991. He then went on to complete a cardiology residency program at the University of California Davis, in 1998. Dr Gavaghan returned to Australia and was accepted by examination in 2000 as a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists in Cardiology.
He is a director of Veterinary Cardiology and Imaging (VCI) and operates a cardiology referral service at Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS).His research and clinical interests include advanced echo quanitification techniques and interventional cardiology. Dr Gavaghan has presented many hours of post-graduate lectures and has been published in Australia, North America and Asia.