Internal medicine is a veterinary specialty that pertains to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases and disorders in animals. The term “internal medicine” refers to ailments going on inside of your pet’s body. As opposed to a specialized medicine that deals with a specific area of the body, like dentistry, internal medicine looks at an animal’s whole body and whether various ailments in different parts of the body may or may not be related.
Internal Medicine may include:
- Diseases and disorders of the gastrointestinal tract (stomach, liver, pancreas, intestines) such as gastroenteritis, colitis, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, intestinal malabsorption, pancreatitis, hepatitis, inflammatory bowel disease
- Diseases and disorders of the cardiovascular system, such as heartworm, congenital heart disease, chronic
valvular disorder, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and hypertension
- Diseases and disorders of the respiratory tract, such as feline upper respiratory infections, asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, noisy breathing, chronic coughing or wheezing
- Diseases and disorders of the blood, lymphatic system, such as anemia and lymphoma
- Diseases of the urinary tract, such as incontinence, bladder stones, bladder infections, kidney infections, and feline lower urinary tract disease
- Diseases of the Endocrine System, such as diabetes, Cushing's Disease, hyperthyroidism (high thyroid) and hypothyroidism (low thyroid)
- Diseases of the eye, such as conjunctivitis, uveitis, glaucoma, corneal ulcers and corneal hyperpigmentation
- Infectious Diseases (bacterial, viral, fungal) such as Salmonella, Bordetella, Parvovirus, Distemper Virus, Crytococcus, and Feline Viral Rhinotracheitis (Herpes)
- Parasites such as tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms, heartworms, fleas, ear mites, ticks, and scabies
- Traumatic injuries, such as bite wounds and being hit by a car
Many times a pet may have several unrelated symptoms or conditions creating a problem elsewhere in the body. Internal medicine provides comprehensive care to evaluate and treat your pet's whole body and overall well being.
