A veterinary internal medicine specialist is a veterinarian who has completed advanced training in internal medicine following graduation from their veterinary college.

After graduation with a veterinary degree, internal medicine specialists complete a one-year small animal rotating internship, continuing to hone the clinical skills they developed in veterinary school. After successfully finishing an internship, these specialists must next complete a small animal medicine residency. This three-year program is an intensive graduate clinical training program intended to improve procedural skills, establish productive clinical research and refine their approach to diagnostic and therapeutic plans. The residency training culminates with a comprehensive examination covering all aspects of veterinary small animal internal medicine. Once these requirements have been fulfilled, the veterinarian is considered to be a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

Small Animal internal medicine includes many sub disciplines including:

• Gastroenterology (esophageal, stomach, and intestinal disease)
• Hepatology (liver and pancreatic disease)
• Endocrinology (hormonal disease)
• Infectious disease
• Urology (urinary tract disease)
• Nephrology (kidney disease)
• Respiratory disease (nose, airway, and lung)
• Hematology and Immunology (blood cell and immune-disease)
• Neurologic diseases
• Cancer diseases

• Gastroenterology (esophageal, stomach, and intestinal disease)
• Hepatology (liver and pancreatic disease)
• Endocrinology (hormonal disease)
• Infectious disease
• Urology (urinary tract disease)
• Nephrology (kidney disease)
• Respiratory disease (nose, airway, and lung)
• Hematology and Immunology (blood cell and immune-disease)
• Neurologic diseases
• Cancer diseases

Their training has prepared them for all phases of internal medicine management of our small animal patients.

• Abdominal or thoracic (chest) ultrasound
• Upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy
• Rhinoscopy or bronchoscopy (endoscopy of the nose and lungs)
• CT (or CAT) scans
• Chemotherapy
• Blood Transfusions

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.
 

• Our referral coordinator will contact you to set up an appointment with one of our board-certified internal medicine specialists.
• A questionnaire will be sent to you for completion. This is an important step to get a detailed history of your pet to the internal medicine team. Please fill this online questionnaire out prior to your appointment.
• We typically schedule evaluation appointments on weekday mornings and try to perform diagnostic tests the same day if possible.
• In most internal medicine cases, we prefer the pet to come to his or her appointment fasted. Please offer no food after midnight, water is okay in the morning before you come to your appointment.
• Once the evaluation is complete, a treatment plan will be discussed with you. If further procedures are required, please prepare to leave your pet for the afternoon.
• When your pet is discharged, you will be provided with a detailed set of discharge instructions to help you understand what diagnostic tests were performed, your pet’s diagnosis, treatment options and prognosis.
• We will follow up with your veterinarian so that everybody involved in your pet’s care has up-to-date information.