Primary Care
Specialty Care
Welcome to VCA Aurora's Internal Medicine Service
Internal medicine specialists are often considered the puzzle solvers of veterinary medicine. Internal medicine specialists have obtained intensive, additional training in understanding how your pet's internal body systems function and in diagnosing and treating the many serious diseases that can affect those systems' health.
An internal medicine specialist has advanced training in the following disciplines:
Here are some common diseases that frequently lead primary care veterinarians and concerned pet owners to seek the expertise of a specialist:
While your primary care veterinarian can diagnose and treat many health problems, certain diseases and conditions require the care of a doctor who has had specialized, intensive training in internal medicine in order to provide the very best outcome for your pet.
*Within veterinary internal medicine, there are also veterinarians who specialize further in Small Animal Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, and Oncology.
Why Does My Pet Need a Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?
While your primary care veterinarian can handle many aspects of your pet's care, just as in human medicine, there is sometimes a need for the attention of a specialist. You can be assured that a veterinarian who knows when to refer you and your pet for more specialized diagnostic work or treatment is one that is caring and committed to ensuring that your pet receives the highest standard of medical care for his or her problem.
While in some cases, your veterinarian may be able to simply consult with a specialist about your pet's care, in other cases it is necessary to actually refer you and your pet to the specialist for more advanced diagnostics and treatment. Board-certified veterinary internists may also have access to specialized diagnostic or treatment tools that a general practitioner veterinarian may not have.
What Do I Bring To My Appointment:
Please complete our intake form prior to your appointment with Internal Medicine, and bring it with you to your appointment. Be sure to bring any medications that your pet is currently receiving.
No need to bring your pets medical records. We will contact your primary care veterinarian to obtain all medical records and any medical tests, imaging studies, x-rays, or laboratory tests.
How Long Is My First Initial Consultation:
Initial consults are 45-60 minutes in length. If additional diagnostic or therapeutic treatment is required, your pet may require hospitalization or additional appointments.
Your Pet's First Internal Medicine Consultation:
All new patients are expected to arrive 10-15 minutes prior to their appointment start time to allow sufficient time to complete the check-in process.
After completing the check-in paperwork, a specialized trained internal medicine technician will meet with you and your pet in an examination room. During this time, the internal medicine technician will perform a full physical examination and ask questions about your pet's current symptoms, health, and medications.
Shortly after discussing your pet's health with an internal medicine technician, you will meet with your pet's Internist, Dr. Curran, Dr. Medinger, or Dr. Middleton. While discussing your pet's symptoms, the Internist will perform a full physical examination. It may seem like you are answering several questions, but this information helps the Internist develop a unique treatment plan for your pet.
Your Internist will discuss the treatment recommendations and answer any of your questions. If your Internist recommends diagnostic testing, an internal medicine technician will go over a detailed treatment plan and let you know if the tests could be done that same day.
At the visit's conclusion, an internal medicine technician will discuss discharge instructions and walk you upfront to the checkout desk. The Internal Medicine department does recommend scheduling your follow-up appointment at this time. If you have any questions regarding your pet's recovery, never hesitate to call and ask to speak to the Internal Medicine service.
Be sure to bring any relevant medical records or information to your first appointment. Ask your veterinarian for copies of any relevant medical tests, imaging studies, x-rays, or laboratory panels.
Remember, you also can do your part to maximize your pet's recovery by keeping your pet's traveling medical records organized and by strictly adhering to the recommendations of your veterinary team for the scheduling of follow up appointments, etc. At every appointment, be sure to write down any important recommendations, or ask the veterinarian or a staff member to write them down for you.
