Internal Medicine

A board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist is a licensed veterinarian who has obtained intensive, additional training in understanding how your pet's internal body systems function and in diagnosing and treating the many serious diseases that can affect the health of those systems. An internal medicine specialist has advanced training in the following disciplines:

  • Endocrinology 
  • Cardiology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Hematology (study of the blood)
  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Nephrology/Urology
  • Neurology
  • Respiratory Diseases
  • Oncology

While your general practitioner veterinarian can diagnose and treat many health problems, certain diseases and conditions require the care of a doctor who has had specialized, intensive training in internal medicine in order to provide the very best outcome for your pet.

*Within the discipline of veterinary internal medicine, there are also veterinarians who specialize further in Small Animal Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, and Oncology.

  • Abdominocentesis
    Abdominocentesis is the process of inserting a small gauge needle into the abdomen to remove abdominal fluid and obtain a sample for further... More

  • Arthrocentesis
    Arthrocentesis is the sampling of joint fluid. This is typically done in dogs and cats with lameness secondary to joint disease. The most... More

  • Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
    Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is a diagnostic test that can be done during bronchoscopy to obtain a sample of the fluid and cells within the... More

  • Bronchoscopy
    Tracheoscopy is the endoscopic study of the trachea and bronchoscopy is the endoscopic evaluation of the primary airways in the lungs.... More

  • Colonoscopy
    Colonoscopy is a direct visual assessment of the lining of the colon which allows identification of problems and collection of endoscopic... More

  • Cystoscopy
    Urethroscopy is the endoscopic study of the urethra. Cystoscopy is the endoscopic study of the lining of the bladder. Usually these... More

  • Diagnosis of liver shunts
    At VCA Animal Referral and Emergency Center we use a CT scan with contrast (angiogram) for identification of liver shunts. CT scan is more... More

  • Endo or trans-tracheal washing
    Endotracheal wash or transtracheal wash is a procedure to evaluate lungs for infection (pneumonia), inflammation, or cancer. For the... More

  • Endoscopy foreign body removal (esophageal, airway, gastric)
    Endoscopy is a noninvasive alternative to surgery for foreign object removal from the esophageal, gastrointestinal tract, or airway. Your... More

  • Esophageal stricture management, including ballooning
    Esophageal strictures can be caused due to foreign bodies, cancer, ingestion of caustic substances as well as acid reflux from... More

  • Esophagoscopy
    Esophagoscopy is useful in the diagnosis of esophageal diseases, which includes esophagitis, esophageal foreign bodies, as well as in the... More

  • Gastroduodenoscopy
    Gastroduodenoscopy refers to an examination of the inner surface of the stomach and the initial portion of the small intestine (duodenum)... More

  • Radioactive iodine therapy for feline hyperthyroidism
    What is Feline Hyperthyroidism? Feline hyperthyroidism is recognized as the most common endocrine disorder in the cat. In 97% of feline... More

  • Rhinoscopy
    Rhinoscopy is the endoscopic study of the nasal passages. Rhinoscopy is performed with both flexible and rigid scopes and almost always in... More

  • Supplemental feeding tube placement & management
    Feeding tubes are utilized to administer nutrients into the anorexic patient and combat the negative side effects of malnutrition. Feeding... More

  • Thoracocentesis
    Pets are sometimes presented with fluid in the space between their lungs and the chest wall due to some underlying condition. A catheter or... More

  • Urethral stent placement
    Urethral stent placement is a technique used for obstructive urinary tract diseases. Most commonly this technique is used in cases of cancer... More

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