What can we dig up for you?
VCA Colonial Animal Hospital
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VCA Colonial Animal Hospital
607-257-3650
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:
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.
Dr. Cortright graduated from The Ohio State University. After a rotating internship at Purdue University, she completed her Small Animal Internal Medicine Residency at Cornell University Hospital for Animals.
Dr. Cortright’s professional interests include endocrinology, liver disease and renal disease. Her resident project at Cornell involved Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Scottish Terriers. Dr. Cortright is a board certified member of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Dr. Cortright lives with her husband, step-daughter Lauren and son William in Ithaca. They share their home with a Labrador named Indiana, a cat named Tom Hanks and the world’s greatest Boston Terrier, Cosmo. Her hobbies include volunteering with Cosmo, singing, swimming, and hiking.
Why Internal Medicine?
If your veterinarian has already diagnosed your pet you may be referred to an Internist to confirm their diagnosis and ensure proper a treatment protocol is established. It is also common to be referred to an Internist if your pet has been diagnosed with a condition which your veterinarian has limited or no experience in treating. If your veterinarian is having difficulty reaching a diagnosis or current treatments are not effective, then an Internist may be able to come to the correct diagnosis or adjust treatment plans to help get your pet healthy again. The following examples are some conditions and symptoms which may lead to your veterinarian referring your pet to an Internist:
What to Expect At Your Appointment
Dr. Cortright will perform a thorough physical examination of your pet and may discuss additional diagnostic testing when indicated. Additional testing may include testing of blood and tissue samples, diagnostic imaging such as ultrasound and radiography, biopsies of masses, internal organs or bone marrow, and endoscopy including; bronchoscopy (lungs), cystoscopy (bladder & urethra), colonoscopy (colon & small bowel), gastroduodenoscopy (stomach & upper intestines), rhinoscopy (nasal cavity), laparoscopy (minimally invasive surgery for biopsies of internal organs).
