Internal Medicine
What Is A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?
A board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist is a licensed veterinarian who has obtained intensive, additional training in the internal body system functions and in diagnosing and treating the serious diseases that affect the health of those systems. An internal medicine specialist has advanced training in the following disciplines:
• Endocrinology
• Gastroenterology
• Hematology (study of the blood)
• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases
• Nephrology/Urology
• Respiratory Diseases and Pulmonology
Although your general practitioner veterinarian can diagnose and treat many health problems, certain diseases and conditions may benefit from the care of a doctor who has had specialized, intensive training in internal medicine to provide the very best outcome for your pet.
The Internal Medicine department at FAVS excels in diagnosing and treating the medical conditions of dogs and cats. By using state-of-the-art techniques and equipment, the cause of common problems such as fever, nasal congestion, poor appetite, weight loss, labored breathing, vomiting/diarrhea, anemia, abdominal distension or discomfort, and urinary abnormalities can be identified and managed. Commonly used diagnostic aids include:
- endoscopic procedures (specifically rhinoscopy, gastrointestinal endoscopy, cystoscopy, gastric and esophageal foreign body removal, bronchoscopy, and diagnostic laparoscopy)
- abdominal ultrasounds
- bone marrow aspirates
- endotracheal washes
- bronchoalveolar lavages
- urethral collagen injections
- ultrasound-guided biopsies and aspirates
- fluoroscopy (including splenoportograms, urethrography, evaluation of tracheal diameter, contrast esophagrams)
- CT scans
- feeding tube placement (nasogastric tube, esophagostomy tube, PEG tube)
- arthrocenteses.
These services are available 7 days a week. We constantly search for and employ the most effective and least invasive procedures to diagnose and treat our patients' diseases.
Why Does My Pet Need A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?
Just as your own primary care physician may feel the need to refer you to the care of a specialist from time to time, your general practitioner veterinarian may feel your pet needs a specialist to help diagnose or treat a particularly complicated medical problem. You can be assured that a veterinarian who knows when to refer you and your pet for more specialized diagnostic work or treatment is one that is caring and committed to ensuring that your pet receives the highest standard of medical care for his or her problem.
Although in some cases, your veterinarian may be able to simply consult with a specialist about your pet's care, in other cases it is necessary to refer you and your pet to the specialist for more advanced diagnostics and treatment. Our multi-disciplinary approach and close cooperation among our specialists allows us to offer the best care available to the patients entrusted to us. With the support of a trained and dedicated staff, the Internal Medicine department at FAVS is committed to using science, technology, and compassion to provide exceptional care for pets and their families.
Every patient admitted to the Internal Medicine Service through the emergency room is evaluated by a board-certified specialist in Internal Medicine on a daily basis. Clients are updated at least twice daily on their pet's progress, and visiting is encouraged for in-hospital patients.
What Health Problems Does A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist Treat?
Board certified internal medicine specialists are trained to treat the most serious diseases and health problems that affect pets. They are also specially prepared to care for pets that may be facing multiple health problems. Thanks to better health care, more and more pets are living longer lives. As a result, an increasing number of older pets, just like older people, are coping with multiple disease states that can be very difficult to manage. For example, a cat with diabetes may also be suffering from kidney failure, or a dog with liver disease may also be diagnosed with Lyme disease. Internal medicine specialists are uniquely prepared to oversee the care of these complicated cases.
Here are some common diseases that frequently lead general practitioner veterinarians and concerned pet owners to seek the expertise of an internal medicine specialist:
• Liver Disease
• Gastrointestinal Diseases
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Immune Related Disorders
• Kidney Dysfunction
• Respiratory Diseases
We also have a fully stocked blood bank for cats and dogs, and also routinely carry intravenous immunoglobin (IVIg), a special human transfusion product used in the treatment of autoimmune hematologic diseases in pets.
Will My Regular Veterinarian Still Be Involved?
In most cases, your regular veterinarian will still supervise your pet's veterinary care, although your pet may require periodic rechecks with an internist. The Internal Medicine service will work closely with your regular veterinarian to provide the best care for your pet. If your pet is hospitalized at FAVS, your veterinarian will be fully updated each day.
Did You Know?
There are approximately 1400 board certified veterinary internal medicine specialists in the United States, and the number is growing.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What Do I Bring to my Referral Appointment?
Be sure to bring any relevant medical records or information to your first appointment. Ask your veterinarian for copies of any relevant medical tests, imaging studies, x-rays, or laboratory panels.
Remember, you also can do your part to maximize your pet's recovery by keeping your pet's traveling medical records organized and by strictly adhering to the recommendations of your veterinary team for the scheduling of follow up appointments, etc. At every appointment, be sure to write down any important recommendations, or ask the veterinarian or a staff member to write them down for you.
Services Offered in Internal Medicine
- Diagnosis and management of inappropriate urination/defecation
- Blood chemistry analyzer
- Hematology analyzer
- Viral testing
- Otoscopy
- Diagnosis and management of ear diseases
- Abdominal ultrasonography-abdominocentesis and cystocentesis
- Pulse oximetry and end tidal capnography
- Direct blood pressure monitoring
- Abdominocentesis
- Gastroduodenoscopy
- Rhinoscopy
- Colonoscopy
- Advanced anesthetic monitoring
- Tissue biopsies
