Internal Medicine for Pet Owners
Thank you for choosing Crown Veterinary Specialists! We look forward to working with you and your primary veterinarian to diagnose and treat your pet’s Internal Medicine problem.
We are a referral service, which means that your primary veterinarian has confirmed or suspects that your pet has a disease of an internal organ that requires additional work up or treatment with a Board-certified Internal Medicine specialist.
For more information about the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, please see www.acvim.org/resources-for/animal-owners(2)
What does an Internal Medicine Specialist do?
Internal Medicine specialists work up and manage:
- Endocrine conditions, like diabetes and Cushing’s disease
- Kidney and bladder disease, like chronic kidney disease or problems urinating
- Gastrointestinal problems, like chronic vomit or diarrhea
- Blood disorders, like anemia
- Immune-mediated or infectious diseases, like immune-mediated hemolytic anemia
- Respiratory problems, like chronic cough or nasal discharge
Internal Medicine specialists can perform many specialized diagnostic procedures, including abdominal ultrasound; CT scan; minimally invasive scope and biopsy of the gut, nose, bladder, and windpipe; needle samples of internal organs or fluid; feeding tube placement and management; bone marrow sampling; blood sugar curves; and numerous advanced diagnostic tests of blood and urine.
When should you call your primary veterinarian versus your pet’s Internal Medicine specialist?
If you have a question about the disease that we currently treat your pet for, or a medication that was prescribed by our department, please call the Internal Medicine department. For example, if your pet has recently seen us for inflammatory bowel disease, and is still experiencing diarrhea, please call us.
If you have a question about a new problem that we do not manage your pet for, or a medication or diet that was recommended elsewhere, please start by calling your primary veterinarian. For example, if your pet has recently seen us for inflammatory bowel disease, and is experiencing coughing, please call your primary veterinarian. Once your veterinarian works your pet up for the new problem, he or she will let you know if a new referral to Internal Medicine is advised for the new problem.
If your pet is experiencing an emergency, you are welcome to call us, though we may recommend that you call or visit an Emergency Veterinarian. Or you are welcome to directly call or visit our Emergency Department.
We look forward to working with you, your pet, and your primary veterinarian to provide the best possible care for your pet!