What are the Benefits of Seeing a Small Animal Internal Medicine Specialist?

What is an internal medicine specialist?

An internal medicine specialist, or internist, is a veterinarian who has completed additional years of advanced training to diagnose and treat diseases inside the body. Unlike human medicine where an internist may also be a primary care doctor, veterinary internists do not provide routine care. Your primary care veterinarian may recommend an internal medicine specialist if your pet has a complex, life-threatening, or chronic condition.

Advanced Diagnostics

Internal medicine specialists have training and specialized equipment to diagnose your pet. These may include:

• Abdominal ultrasound to obtain more information on internal organs.
• Endoscopy which allows visualization and sampling of body systems including the gastrointestinal tract, respiratory tract, and urinary tract.
• CT scan creates 3-dimensional images that show more details than an x-ray.
• Specialized tests on blood and tissue samples.
  

Treatments

Some of the conditions that internal medicine specialists treat include:

• Diabetes and other metabolic diseases
• Kidney problems
• Liver disorders
• Digestive issues
• Infectious disease
• Anemia and bleeding disorders
  

Benefits

Internists use the newest research to provide the best treatment for your pet. They are skilled in managing patients with multiple serious conditions. A veterinary internal medicine specialist will work closely with your regular veterinarian to provide the best care for