Your family doctor may recommend you to a specialist, like a dermatologist or cardiologist, if you have a concern about your health. A specialist in pet medicine can assist if your pet's problem is beyond the scope of the family veterinarian.
To be board certified, vets must go through rigorous training, conduct research and publish papers in their field of expertise, and pass a series of exams.
Veterinary Medicine
When many people think of vets their first frame of reference is the vet who treats their pet. The field of veterinary medical is a lot more varied. Veterinarians don't just diagnose and treat pets suffering from illness as well as stop the spread of animal diseases to humans and preserve wildlife. They assist in ensuring a safe food supply by ensuring the health of agricultural animals and by inspecting food processing plants. They also research the effects of industrial pollutants, pesticides, and other pollutants on humans and animals.
In the clinic, the majority of veterinarians practice general veterinary medicine treating all kinds of domestic pets and farm animals. Smaller numbers specialize in small animals, such as birds and rodents, large domestic animals such as cattle and horses, or exotic species such iguanas.
After graduating from the veterinary school, some vets opt to undergo additional training in one of 22 AVMA-recognized specialty areas in veterinary medicine. This further training enables them to be board certified in a particular area of veterinary medicine.
Veterinary radiologists, for example utilize imaging techniques like computed tomography and x-rays for diagnosing and monitoring the health of animals. Veterinarians can specialize in small or big animals and perform a wide range of surgeries, such as spays and neo-natal procedures and dental procedures.
Other veterinary specialists are those who manage animal reproduction such as theriogenologists, and those who study poisons to safeguard humans from exposures. Nutritionists from veterinary medicine work with healthy animals to design nutritional plans and assist veterinarians in diagnosing diseases in animals, whereas veterinary opthmologists study and treat eye conditions that aren't within the scope of normal practice of veterinary medicine.
Surgery
There is an inextricable link between the physical and behavioral aspects of a pet. Veterinarians often resort to surgery to help bridge this gap and relieve discomfort, ease stress for pets, address problematic behaviors that could cause harm or affect the quality of life of a new pet and much more.
When a young Golden Retriever called Penny went to her vet for an annual exam the vet detected a murmur. He suggested she be referred to a vet cardiologist, or veterinary surgeon who is specialized in the heart. The doctor examined Penny and performed an echocardiogram to discover her heart problem which was a birth defect that needed corrective surgery.
He was able perform the surgery Penny required and she was able to recover with minimal complications. Surgical procedures can be extremely complicated and require a lot of training, equipment and facilities to successfully carry out. This is why primary care veterinarians or Special Pets emergency room vets frequently recommend their patients to a specialist veterinarian.
Only those who have earned the Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons are able to provide their patients the highest standard of treatment. They have undergone rigorous postgraduate training, including an internship, a 3 year residency and a demanding certification exam. This means they have a thorough understanding of specialized areas of medicine and surgery, and can provide the highest standard of care for their patients.
The veterinarians at home pet care Upstate Veterinary Specialties are on the forefront of spinal surgery and brain surgery for cats, dogs and small animals. They also collaborate closely with specialists in Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Oncology, Neurology, Diagnostic Imaging and Critical Care to deliver the most effective outcome for your responsible pet care. Remember that any surgery can be risky and require the assistance of your veterinarian.
Internal Medicine
Veterinarians who specialize in internal medicine are specialists in diagnosing and treating illnesses that affect the internal organ systems of your pet. This includes the gastrointestinal tract as well as kidneys, liver and the lungs. They are also trained on how these systems work and how to treat the underlying cause of disease. Internists are skilled in the analysis and interpretation of laboratory tests, blood work and imaging techniques.
When a health issue arises in the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys or central nervous system or if a baseline diagnostic test doesn't provide the answers your primary care physician may recommend you to a specialist. These specialists are also called on when chronic diseases such as Cushing's disease, diabetes, Addison or thyroid issues become more complex. These diseases require constant monitoring, regular evaluation and advanced technology such as cardiac ultrasonography to manage.
The doctors will prescribe most recent treatments to treat your pet's illness and improve its quality of life. They will also work with other specialists to manage your pet's long-term health and wellbeing.
Radiology
Radiation therapy can be used by itself or in combination with chemotherapy surgery to treat various cancers. The aim is to shrink tumors and kill cancerous cells. Pets generally tolerate radiation well. The kind of tumor and its location may cause temporary side effects.
If your pet is diagnosed with cancer, he or she will be referred to a specialist, known as a veterinary Oncologist. Oncologists are trained to the highest level in the use of different diagnostic techniques and procedures that allow us to view inside an animal's body, including x-ray, ultrasound and Special Pets computed tomography (CT) as well as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and many more.
A veterinary oncologist specializes in the use of chemotherapy, radiation and other systemsic treatments to treat cancer and eliminate tumors. This includes a range of drugs used to kill cancerous cells, inhibit their growth and aid the body in its natural process to eliminate the cancerous cells. A vet oncologist could also suggest using a responsible pet care's immune system to fight cancer by vaccinations.
Veterinary oncology specialists work closely with the radiation oncologists in the development of treatment plans for patients with various types of pets of cancers. Their expertise and specialized equipment enable them to provide the best treatment for the animals in their care.
Radiation Oncologists specialize in the use of machines to deliver high-energy radiation (usually x-rays but also electrons or other forms) directly to a pet's tumor site. They are experts in developing strategies to maximize the benefits of radiation without harming normal tissue. They are also highly trained in the set up and delivery of radiation treatment sessions, including stereotactic radiosurgery/stereotactic radiation therapy (SRS/SRT). In these methods, a computerized linear accelerator delivers doses of radiation to precisely placed points on your pet's body, over a period of weeks.
Emergency Critical Care
This area of veterinary care is focused on pets suffering from life-threatening or severe illnesses. Patients with severe injuries or accidents usually require constant monitoring and care.
Most of the time, these pets are admitted in a special part of the animal hospital similar to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and may be monitored 24/7 by nurses, doctors and other specialists. They could be recovering from an injury or surgery, or they could be suffering from respiratory problems, gastrointestinal issues and heart problems that are severe or even cancer.
These cases are very complex and require a special pets (Read Far more) training. They possess a high degree of broad-based interdisciplinary expertise that allows them to partner with specialists from other fields to manage patients with multiple co-morbidities across different organ systems. They also have extensive experience in trauma, cardiac management and collapse of the cardiovascular system, mechanical ventilatory support as well as gastrointestinal and kidney support and shock management, as well as custom pain control planning.
Veterinarians who are board certified in critical and emergency care have completed a rigorous special training that includes working at large referral hospitals and teaching institutions. They are also able to provide emergency and intensive treatment within their own practice. They also participate in research and clinical studies in their fields of expertise.
If you're looking to become a pet specialist, it's important to ensure you are passionate about animals and appreciate the fast-paced nature of this field. Try volunteering at a vet clinic or shadowing vets to gain a better understanding of the different specialties. That way you'll be able to decide if this is the best option for you. You can also gain the knowledge base you require by taking a course in biology, zoology, or another subject.
