Primary Care
Specialty Care
We are pleased to have three dedicated internal medicine specialists on staff at VCA Loomis Basin Veterinary Clinic. Veterinary internal medicine is related to the diagnosis, management, and nonsurgical treatment of diseases of the respiratory, gastrointestinal, endocrine, and reproductive organs, as well as the liver, kidneys, and immune and blood systems. Loomis Basin's internal medicine specialists are experienced with determining both the cause of your pet's illness and the correct course of medication to be used to heal it.
For example, if your pet is vomiting or having seizures, we know that these symptoms might be caused by a problem that is congenital, acquired later in life, or perhaps by an infectious agent or toxic substance in your pet's environment. Internal medicine specialists will help to diagnose the cause quickly and efficiently, leading us to the correct course of treatment.
AAHA Accreditation
In 2009, our internal medicine service was one of the first in the country to achieve referral practice accreditation from the American Animal Hospital Association. AAHA accreditation testifies that Loomis Basin meets the highest standards of the veterinary profession for patient care, client and referring veterinarian service, and medical protocols.
Referral accreditation reflects that we follow the same high principles that your regular veterinarian lives by and indicates that we know and understand how important communication is throughout the referral. Working together with your general practice veterinarian, our AAHA accreditation status helps ensure optimal care for your pet.
What health problems does an 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 especially 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 in heart failure may also be diagnosed with cancer. Internal medicine specialists are uniquely prepared to oversee the care of these complicated cases. In other situations, a younger animal may develop a problem that used to be considered untreatable but is now manageable and perhaps even curable.
Here are some common diseases that frequently lead general practitioner veterinarians and concerned pet owners to seek the expertise of a specialist:
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.
