What Makes an Internal Medicine Specialist - or Board-Certified Internist - Different?

Your primary care veterinarian is your first resource in any medical condition. All veterinarians are trained to diagnose and treat common conditions your pet may experience. A board-certified internal medicine specialist is a veterinarian certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine. These veterinarians have expertise and specialized training in the diagnosis and treatment of animals with disorders such as diabetes, gastrointestinal disease, organ failure, hormonal imbalances, immunological disorders, and unusual infectious diseases.

Our veterinary internists spend every day diagnosing and treating animals with your pet’s specific problems. Complex medical disorders, often involving multiple body systems or organs, is an Internist's area of expertise.  VMC's Internists see on a regular basis what your veterinarian may see only once or twice in his or her career.

What Our Internists Do

Our veterinary internists spend every day diagnosing and treating animals with your pet’s specific problems. Complex medical disorders, often involving multiple body systems or organs, are an Internist's area of expertise. VMC's Internists see on a regular basis what your veterinarian may see only once or twice in his or her career.

  • There are literally hundreds of internal medical disorders in animals. Many diseases cause very similar symptoms and appearances. Recognizing the subtle differences requires specialized training and tools.

  • Our veterinary internists are equipped with specialized equipment and products, allowing them to make more accurate diagnoses and perform more advanced treatments right here at VMC.

  • The Internal Medicine service works as a team with our other specialists, meeting regularly to review each case and share pertinent information. Our patients benefit from 24-hour post-procedural monitoring with our Emergency and Critical Care services, advanced in-house diagnostic capabilities from our Imaging services, as well as timely surgical intervention from the Surgery service.

Is There Another Veterinary Internist Available in the Syracuse Area?

No. Our internists are the only board-certified veterinary internists practicing in the greater Syracuse area.

Specialized services available from our Internal Medicine service include:

  • Advanced diagnostic and treatment options for difficult and complex cases
  • Assessment and management of multiple concurrent organ system disorders
  • Experience in the management of geriatric patients and their special needs
  • Endoscopic foreign body removal
  • Cytology and microbiology examinations
  • Endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract, urinary tract, and respiratory systems
  • Blood gas analysis and oximetry
  • Selection and placement of feeding tubes for nutritional therapies
  • Parenteral nutrition techniques
  • Central venous pressure monitoring and Doppler blood pressure
  • Laparoscopic biopsy collection
Dog In Blue Cone

Conditions Commonly Treated by Veterinary Internists

Our veterinary internists can treat wide range of conditions in pets, including:

  • Addison's disease
  • Chronic bronchitis
  • Cushing's syndrome
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Feline asthma
  • Gastrointestinal food allergies
  • Hepatic lipidosis in cats
  • Hyperthyroidism in cats
  • Hypothyroidism in dogs
  • Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia & immune-mediated thrombocytopenia
  • Liver Failure & hepatic encephalopathy management
  • Non-neoplastic infiltrative bowel diseases
  • Renal (kidney) failure in dogs and cats