Internal Medicine

VCA Regional Institute for Vet Emergencies and Referrals Internal Medicine Team

Simply said, we take care of all the inside parts of your pet! We work with the internal body systems, whether there are sudden or chronic signs, and regardless of the cause of the disease (infection, cancer, degenerative, inflammatory, immune, or trauma). Internal medicine emphasizes non-invasive techniques such as laparoscopy, endoscopy, ultrasonography, and many others.

What is a veterinary internist?

A veterinary internist is a veterinarian with advanced training in the area of veterinary internal medicine. To become a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist, you must complete an additional three to four years of training following graduation from a four-year veterinary school.

Services offered include but are not limited to:

  • Abdominal and thoracic ultrasonography
  • Fine needle aspirates of internal organs
  • Bone marrow aspirates
  • Joint fluid aspirates and analysis
  • Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) aspirates and analysis
  • Laparoscopic biopsies
  • Infectious disease testing
  • Cystoscopy
  • Rhinoscopy
  • Endoscopy of upper and lower gastrointestinal tract
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Management of diabetes, Cushing’s disease, hypothyroidism
  • Management of chronic kidney disease
  • Management of autoimmune diseases

 

The Internal Medicine department is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 am - 5:00 pm; however, if you have a pet that is hospitalized, you need not worry, as our emergency and critical care department assumes care for your pet over the night time hours. At VCA RIVER, we share a special relationship among all of our departments to makes sure your pet is receiving the best quality medicine possible.

You can rest assured that at VCA RIVER, your pet is in excellent hands with our Internal Medicine doctors and support staff. Along with our emergency and critical care specialists, we work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to keep your pet stable and to provide every opportunity for your pet to make a speedy recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

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.
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