Internal Medicine
Veterinary internal medicine is a term used to describe a variety of specializations that focus on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases in animals.
What is a veterinary internist?
A board-certified veterinary internist is a veterinarian who has completed a two to three-year residency program where they received advanced training in the specialty of veterinary internal medicine. This training is completed after a four-year veterinary doctorate program and after a one-year rotating internship. Following residency training, candidates must pass a series of examinations as well as caseload and other requirements, to become board-certified. A board-certified specialist will have the letters DACVIM after their name indicating that they are a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
Why would I see a veterinary internist for my pet?
Your primary care veterinarian is your best resource to help you make this decision. Typically, the decision to involve an internist in your pet’s care is made when initial testing and therapies are not resolving an issue and/or if your pet has multiple complicated medical conditions that require ongoing management. An internist will work with you and your primary veterinarian to design a diagnostic and treatment plan that is right for your pet. A referral from your primary care veterinarian is requested before scheduling an appointment at Clark Animal Care Center so that we can best meet expectations.
What kinds of medical problems do veterinary internists treat?
The list is long! Internal medicine encompasses many sub-specialties including:
Endocrinology
Respiratory disease
Gastroenterology
Liver and gallbladder disease
Kidney and bladder disease
Infectious disease
Hematology
Immune-mediated disease
What kinds of tests and procedures are available with Clark Animal Care Center’s Internal Medicine service?
Recommendations for diagnostic testing and therapy are based on an individual patient’s needs. Dr. Murray will spend time during your consultation reviewing recommendations as well as cost and helping to design a plan that makes sense for you and your pet. Some of the services that we offer are:
Specialized lab testing and interpretation
Radiography
Ultrasound
Ultrasound-guided tissue sampling
Bone marrow sampling
Endotracheal wash
Arthrocentesis
Cancer diagnosis and treatment
Virtual consultations (available upon request)
Clark Animal Care Center is your medical partner for Internal Medicine. We’re committed to ensuring all referring partners receive all patient medical records and recommendations in a timely fashion. We’re here to provide the Rochester community with access to personalized, high-level care locally.
