Just as your primary care physician may refer you to a specialist for a particular issue or a specialized test, your family veterinarian may consult a veterinary specialist to diagnose and treat certain conditions in your pet. Medical Internal Medicine Veterinary specialists, or internists, contribute to a deeper understanding of disorders affecting an animal’s internal systems by gathering as much information as possible through medical history, clinical symptoms, laboratory tests, and imaging studies.
What is a specialist in veterinary internal medicine?
A board-certified specialist in veterinary internal medicine is a licensed veterinarian who has received further training in understanding how your pet’s inner body systems function and identifying and treating the numerous severe disorders that can impair the health of those systems.
A specialist in internal medicine has received additional training in the following:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Nephrology/Urology
- Neurology
- Respiratory Diseases
- Oncology
- Endocrinology
- Cardiology
- Gastroenterology
- Hematology (study of the blood)
Why do I need to consult a veterinary internal medicine specialist for my pet?
Just as your primary care physician may occasionally refer you to a specialist, Your general practitioner veterinarian may decide that your pet needs a specialist in internal medicine for dogs to help diagnose or treat a complex medical issue. While your available practitioner veterinarian, like human medicine, may manage many areas of your pet’s care, there are instances when a specialist is required. You can trust a veterinarian from sites like SunnyMeadVet.com who knows when to refer you and your pet for more specialist diagnostic or treatment work, is empathetic and committed to providing your pet with the best care possible.
While your veterinarian may be able to speak with a specialist regarding your pet’s care in some instances, in others, it may be essential to refer you and your pet to a specialist for a more sophisticated diagnosis and treatment. Additionally, board-qualified veterinary internists may have access to sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic tools not available to general practitioner veterinarians.
In what situations does a veterinary internal medicine specialist intervene?
Internal medicine professionals who are board-certified are educated to diagnose and treat the most serious diseases and health problems that affect pets. Additionally, they are uniquely qualified to care for pets who may be suffering from several health issues. Improved veterinary treatment is extending the lifespan of pets. As a result, an increasing number of senior pets, like senior humans, are contending with numerous illness states that can be extremely challenging to manage. For instance, a cat diagnosed with diabetes may also have renal failure, and a dog diagnosed with heart failure may also have cancer. Looking for a pet surgeon? Visit this page.
Internal medicine doctors are specially qualified to manage these difficult conditions. In other instances, a younger animal may have an issue that was previously believed incurable but is now controllable, if not curable.
Will my regular veterinarian remain involved?
Often, your usual veterinarian will continue to monitor your pet’s veterinary treatment, especially if your pet has various disease states or illnesses. In other instances, your referral veterinarian will assume responsibility for the majority of your pet’s medical treatment. It is determined by your pet’s specific ailment and health issues.
Conclusion
The general practitioner veterinarian is also a board-certified specialist in internal medicine in many veterinary practices. On the other hand, general practice veterinarians are highly educated medical professionals who must retain their licensure through their professional careers. When the assistance of a specialist is required, he or she is merely a phone call or visit away.