Internal Medicine

What is a Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?

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To become a board-certified veterinary internal medicine specialist, in addition to obtaining a traditional veterinary degree and license, an internist must complete a 1-year internship followed by a rigorous 3-year residency training program. In addition to the years of professional training, Internists must publish peer-reviewed research in an accredited Veterinary Journal and pass multiple board examinations before they can become a board-certified Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (DACVIM).

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Internists often see patients that have complicated disease, multiple concurrent diseases, or require advanced diagnostics and procedures. To provide care to their patients, Internists have a deep understanding of numerous body systems including the immune system, liver, lungs, kidneys, endocrine glands, pancreas, gastrointestinal tract, blood, and bone marrow. Internists work closely with your family veterinarian as part of your pet’s health care team by providing second opinions, advanced therapies, and complex/specialized diagnostics and procedures.

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What diseases do we treat?

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Below is just an example of the many diseases we treat and diagnose at Bend Animal Emergency and Specialty Center. Please contact us if you do not see your pet’s condition listed below to learn if an appointment with an Internist is appropriate.

• Diabetes
• Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism
• Hypoadrenocortisicm (Addison’s disease) and Hyperadrenocortism (Cushing’s disease)
• Pituitary disorders
• Unexplained weight loss
• Chronic vomiting and diarrhea
• Acute and chronic pancreatitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Chronic hepatitis
• Hematologic diseases
• Autoimmune diseases
• Pneumonia
• Asthma
• Bronchitis
• Acute and chronic renal failure
• Urolithiasis
• Chronic, recurrent, or resistant urinary tract infections
• Incontinence
• Infectious disease including tick-borne, fungal, bacterial, and viral infections.
• Polyarthritis

What procedures do we perform?

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• Diagnostic ultrasound (Abdominal, Cervical, and Thoracic)
• Fine-needle Aspirates
• Joint Taps (Arthrocentesis)
• Bone marrow aspirates and biopsies
• Gastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy
• Rhinoscopy and nasal CT scans
• Bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
• Cystoscopy (Male and Female)
• Foreign body retrieval
• Feeding tube placement (esophageal and gastric)
• Laparoscopic liver biopsies
• Management of subcutaneous ureteral bypass (SUB) devices
• Radioactive Iodine therapy Coming soon!
• Balloon dilation of nasal and esophageal strictures Coming soon!
• Stent placement (Tracheal and Urethral) Coming soon!