What is a Veterinary Specialist?
A Veterinary Specialist is similar to a human medicine specialist in that they have completed extensive training in a specialized field. In addition to the traditional undergraduate and four years of veterinary school completed by a regular veterinarian, a Veterinary Specialist must also complete at least 1 year of an internship and 2 to 4 (and sometimes more) years of residency training. A set of qualifying and certifying examinations must then be passed in order to become a board-certified Veterinary Specialist. Veterinary Specialists tend to have a greater knowledge of the unusual, uncommon, or rare diseases in small animals and often a deeper understanding of common medical conditions. In addition, a Veterinary Specialist typically has diagnostic equipment not generally used by your regular veterinarian.
Regular veterinarians are highly skilled at providing excellent basic healthcare for pets and through regular screening they often diagnose pets with chronic or serious medical issues. It is not feasible for regular veterinarians to have the expertise necessary to manage every sick patient and, similar to human medicine, it is at this point when they should rely on specialists to provide an additional level of expert advice or care.
You should request a referral for your pet to a Board-Certified Veterinary Specialist when:
- Your pet's disease is chronic, uncommon, complicated or undiagnosed after standard testing by your regular veterinarian
- You would like an informed, neutral second opinion of your pet's condition
- The outcomes of the current treatments are not going well or as expected
- Your pet requires a sophisticated procedure that is not offered by your veterinarian
- Your pet can benefit from 24-hour monitoring provided at many specialty hospitals
If you believe your pet would benefit from a visit to a Board-Certified Veterinary Specialist, ask your regular veterinarian for a referral. They are often familiar with the local specialists and can help coordinate your appointment. If you do not have Veterinary Specialists locally, schedule a consultation with Dr. Donna. It is important that your veterinarian is involved in the referral so they can help you and your pet with follow-up care.
You can also search the Small Animal Veterinary Specialist website databases for specialists in your area.
Schedule a Medical Consultation with Dr. Donna