A board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist is a veterinarian who completed an internship and residency (an additional 3-5 years of training after graduation from veterinary school) and passed a rigorous examination to achieve board certification in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). These doctors have a deeper understanding of a pet’s internal body systems, as well as greater knowledge of unusual or uncommon conditions in pets.
Often called the “puzzle solvers of veterinary medicine”, board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialists have advanced training in disorders affecting the kidneys, liver, gastrointestinal tract, lungs, blood & bone marrow, and hormone-producing organs. Common diseases that affect these organs include:
- Chronic kidney disease
- Canine hypothyroidism
- Pneumonia
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Canine chronic bronchitis
- Chronic cholangitis in cats
- Diabetes mellitus
- Cushing’s disease
- Liver shunting disorders
- Feline asthma
- Addison’s disease
- Chronic-active hepatitis
- Feline hyperthyroidism
- Infectious diseases (i.e.: tick-borne infections; fungal ailments)
- Immune-mediated diseases
Our board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialists and their team of experienced licensed veterinary technicians use state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment and employ therapeutic interventions not generally used by family veterinarians, including:
- Ultrasonography (abdominal, thoracic, and cervical)
- Fine needle aspiration
- Upper & lower gastroenteroscopy
- Laparoscopy for liver biopsies
- Cystoscopy
- Feeding tube placement
- Arthrocentesis (joint fluid sampling)
- Bone marrow sampling
- Computed tomography (CT/CAT scan)
To help ensure pets receive the best possible healthcare, our internal medicine team collaborates with family veterinarians by providing second opinions, complex diagnostic procedures, around-the-clock nursing care, and specialized therapies.