The CARES Internal Medicine Service is run by Dr. Jennifer Adler and Dr. Samantha Murray. Both are internal medicine specialists certified by the American College of Internal Medicine (ACVIM). Drs. Adler and Murray provide the highest quality of care, treatment and support for patients with a variety of chronic and complicated illnesses.
The Medicine Service is available to see patients 5 days per week, with evening appointments available on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
What is a Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?
A veterinary internist is a licensed veterinarian who has completed four years of undergraduate training and four years of veterinary medical school. After Veterinary School, internists attend a one-year hands on internship, and then an additional 2 to 3 of specialized residency, which includes intensive training in the understanding of and approach to unusual, complicated and serious illnesses of your pet’s internal body systems. This additional training is completed through an accredited residency programs at either a university or specialty hospital. The internist must then meet the rigorous requirements of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, including examinations and the publishing of original research, in order to achieve board certification as a Diplomate of the college, with a focus on Small Animal Internal Medicine. There are approximately fourteen hundred Board Certified Diplomates of the American College of Internal Medicine (subspecialty Small Animal Internal Medicine) in the United States at this time.
Why see a Veterinary Internist?
Your primary veterinarian may recommend a consultation with an internist if your pet has a serious or complicated medical condition, or if the diagnosis of the problem is proving difficult. An internist has been trained to manage multiple medical problems in one pet, and is familiar with many unusual and rare diseases of dogs and cats. Veterinary internists are also able to perform many advanced testing and treatment options that may not be available through your primary veterinarian, so as to provide the best possible outcome for your pet. Internists also work closely with your primary veterinarian for ongoing care and management of the condition.
What Problems do Internal Medicine Specialists Diagnose and Treat?
- Gastrointestinal, pancreatic and liver disease
- Endocrine Disease
- Kidney and Bladder Disease
- Respiratory Disease
- Infectious Disease
- Hematologic and Autoimmune Disease
What Procedures and Testing May be Recommended?
The internist will review prior records and test results, as well as thoroughly examine your pet. They may also recommend additional testing or therapies, many of which are often not available through your primary care veterinarian. These may include advanced laboratory testing, gastrointestinal endoscopy and colonoscopy, tracheobronchoscopy, urethroscopy and cystoscopy, rhinoscopy, bone marrow aspiration and biopsy, feeding tube placement, biopsies, and supervision of imaging procedures such as radiographs, ultrasound, CT and MRI.
What Do I Bring to My Referral Appointment?
It is important to provide any relevant medical history or test results for your first appointment so that your doctor can perform a thorough review of your pet’s record. Ask your primary veterinarian to provide copies or forward any test results, imaging studies such as x-rays or ultrasound reports, or laboratory results. Once an appointment is made with one of our internists, our reception staff will help with this process. It is also helpful to have the primary caretaker of the pet present at the consultation, as they can best provide an accurate account of how the pet is doing at home, as well as present and prior problems, medications and medication dosages.
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