Services
Medical Care
Surgical Care
Emergency Care
Advanced Imaging
Frequently Asked Questions
- FAQ 1: What is a Board Certified veterinary specialist?
- FAQ 2: When should I request a referral to a Board Certified veterinary oncologist?
- FAQ 3: What should I expect from my visit with the Board Certified veterinary oncologist?
- FAQ 4: Why does my pet need to see a Board Certified animal internist?
- FAQ 5: When does my pet need a Board Certified surgeon?
- FAQ 6: What kind of surgeries do you perform?
- FAQ 7: Will my pet be left alone?
- FAQ 8: Is a specialist more expensive?
- FAQ 9: How can I pay for this?
- FAQ 10: What should I expect during a visit with a Board Certified animal internist?
- FAQ 11: What should I expect during a visit to one of the VSC Emergency Clinics?
- FAQ 12: How will Veterinary Specialty Care work with my local veterinarian to best care for my pet?
- FAQ 13: How should I prepare my pet before it has surgery?
- FAQ 14: Why is a blood test necessary before my pet's surgery?
- FAQ 15: After surgery, will my pet receive pain medicine?
- FAQ 16: Can I come and visit my pet after they are hospitalized and is it good for them?
FAQ 1: What is a Board Certified veterinary specialist? How is a specialist different from my family veterinarian?
In addition to completing undergraduate training and four years of veterinary school, Board Certified veterinary specialists are similar to their human medical counterparts in that they have completed an internship and residency in their specialized field, which involves an additional three to five years of training. In addition to this advanced training, a Board Certified veterinary specialist must pass two rigorous examinations to achieve Board certification from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS), or the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). Specialists offer a greater knowledge in the area of Surgery, Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, or Oncology, and possess an understanding of the unusual, the uncommon, or rare medical conditions in animals. Additionally, a specialist may have diagnostic equipment not generally implemented by your family veterinarian.
FAQ 2: When should I request a referral to a Board Certified veterinary specialist?
- Your animal’s disease is uncommon, complicated, or undiagnosed after standard testing.
- The outcomes of the current treatments are not going as expected.
- Your animal requires a sophisticated procedure that is offered by a specialty hospital.
- Your animal can benefit from 24-hour monitoring provided by a referral clinic.
FAQ 3: What should I expect from my visit with the Board Certified veterinary oncologist?
The oncologist will perform a complete and thorough physical examination on your animal, and based on these initial findings, additional tests and treatment options will be discussed. Depending on your animal’s condition, diagnostic testing or management might include one or more of the following:
- Advanced laboratory testing of various blood or tissue samples
- Biopsies and tissue analysis
- Chemotherapy
- Diagnostic Imaging – ultrasound, radiography (x-rays), CT scans, MRIs
- Immunotherapy
- Radiation therapy
- Surgery
- Cyrotherapy
FAQ 4: Why does my animal need to see a Board Certified animal internist?
Commonly called internists, these specialists focus on diagnosing and treating diseases of the internal systems. Where the diagnosis is known, an internist may confirm the diagnosis and treatment, providing peace of mind for you. If a diagnosis proves elusive or therapy is not proving effective, the internist might be better able to find the diagnosis or adjust the treatment plan to get your pet back to health. Examples of conditions for which your family veterinarian might refer your animal to an internist include the following:
- Anemia or other bleeding disorders
- Chronic vomiting or diarrhea
- Complicated pancreatic disease
- Coughing & other breathing problems
- Endocrine disease (adrenal tumors, complicated diabetes, thyroid disorders)
- Infectious disease
- Kidney or bladder disease
- Liver inflammation
- Unexplained weight loss
FAQ 5: When does my pet need a Board Certified surgeon?
The Board Certified surgeon in private practice has experience and advanced training in the surgical treatment of a range of conditions that affect pets. These conditions may be SIMPLE or COMPLEX. When your veterinarian or you feel that your pets condition requires a surgeons skill and advanced surgical and anesthetic equipment and monitoring we are here. We also offer 24 hour Care so there is a doctor in the hospital with your pet before and after surgery AT ALL TIMES. The choice is yours.
FAQ 6: What kinds of surgeries do you do?
- NEUROSURGERY such as spinal tumors or ruptured "slipped" discs
- Orthopedic conditions: These include conditions such as cruciate ligament ("Knee") injuries, hip dysplasia, fractures, developmental "growth" defects, and many others are treated surgically.
- Cancer surgery: Yes the best weapon against many cancers in humans and animals is still surgery.
- Gastrointestinal problems: Blockages from eating what they shouldn’t, bloated and twisted stomachs in large breeds can be treated and even prevented with surgery. Many other conditions require surgical intervention.
- Cardiothoracic surgery: Many heart, esophageal, lung and lymphatic diseases, among others can be successfully treated surgically.
- Head and neck surgery: severe ear disease, oral tumors, defects, and fractures, nasal and sinus disease, even many dental problems, are among the Head and Neck issues we treat regularly and successfully.
- Soft tissue surgery: This includes skin tumors, defects due to trauma or burns, breast cancers, anal gland issues, and many others.
- Urogenital surgery: Kidney, ureter, bladder, or urethral stones, tumors, or infections. Prostate and penile problems are seen and treated by our skilled surgeons regularly.
FAQ 7: Will my pet be left alone?
NO. We are staffed with Veterinarians and Technicians 24 hours a day. Your pet will be watched and cared for continuously.
FAQ 8: Is a specialist more expensive?
The initial costs of a surgeon or an internist may be higher. This is how we pay for skilled doctors and technicians and advanced equipment to provide the best care possible. You are paying to accurately diagnose and effectively treat your beloved pet. Getting things right, as soon as possible, may in the long run save money and, sometimes, lives!
FAQ 9: How can I pay for this?
Our policy in general is that payment is completed at the time of discharge. Payment methods include all major credit cards, cash or checks. Credit can also be arranged through Care Credit (www.CareCredit.com). Also, depending on the particular situation, special arrangements can be made with each individual practice.
FAQ 10: What should I expect during a visit with a Board Certified animal internist?
First, an extensive history will be obtained focusing on past problems, along with a review of testing that your family veterinarian has performed and a response to the therapies tried so far. The internist will perform a complete and thorough physical examination of your animal, and based on these initial findings, additional tests will be discussed. Depending on your animal’s condition, diagnostic testing or treatments may include advanced laboratory testing of various tissue and/or blood samples, imaging (ultrasounds, x-rays, CT scans, MRIs), biopsies of masses, internal organs, or bone marrow, electrocardiography (ECG–an electrical reading of the heart’s rhythm), endoscopy, feeding tube placement, and nutrition consultations.
FAQ 11: What should I expect during a visit to the Emergency Veterinary Clinics?
Because of the urgent nature of emergency care, the Veterinary Specialty Care Emergency Clinics, of course, welcome walk-ins. Our group of experienced emergency veterinarians and technicians provide your pet with the very highest quality emergency medical care, and our primary goal is to assure that all pets receive emergency care that involves expertise and compassion, whenever the need arises. To begin the treatment of your pet, we will take a brief history and the patient's vital signs prior to the emergency doctor examining the patient. As we determine the nature of care that will be required for your pet, we communicate with you every step of the way. Some pets might require hospitalization. If this is the case, every effort will be made to make your pet comfortable during its stay at VSC.
As with human emergency rooms, VSC Emergency Clinics triage the most acute, life-threatening conditions first, so patients with less urgent needs might have to wait for a brief time while veterinarians treat the most critical cases.
FAQ 12: How will Veterinary Specialty Care work with my local veterinarian to best care for my pet?
VSC provides advanced testing, specialized treatments, and 24-hour care and monitoring that most family veterinarians cannot provide. As in human medicine, some veterinary doctors choose to specialize in one particular species, type of medicine (i.e., oncology) or surgery. Our doctors possess such advanced training. Through this training in veterinary medicine we provide veterinary care expertise, and our offices offer a range of surgical procedures, state-of-the-art testing equipment, and advanced diagnostic capabilities for a more specialized, thorough treatment of your pet. Our state-of-the-art, highly specialized equipment includes endoscopy, CT scan imaging, and radiology. Once we provide referral or emergency services for your pet, we work together with you and your veterinarian to determine the optimal health care plan for the future of your pet.
FAQ 13: How should I prepare my pet before it has surgery or a medical procedure?
It is important that your pet's surgery or procedure is performed on an empty stomach, in order to reduce the risk of vomiting during and after anesthesia. You will need to withhold food for at least 8 to 10 hours, or instruction otherwise before surgery or a medical procedure. If you are unsure, please ask our technical staff.
FAQ 14: Why is a blood test necessary before my pet's surgery?
Pre-anesthetic blood testing is important for every surgery or medical procedure, because it helps detect abnormalities that may increase the risk of anesthesia. If the blood work is abnormal, it may change how the patient tolerates the anesthesia and may infer with their recovery. Every pet, even healthy ones, need blood testing before undergoing anesthesia to ensure that there are not any underlying problems that may increase the risks of anesthesia.
FAQ 15: After surgery, will my pet need pain medicine?
Pain medication prescriptions depend on the surgery performed. However, anything that causes pain in people can be expected to cause pain in animals. Our assumption is that there will be pain even if the patient doesn’t show it. Often, pets do not show the same symptoms of pain as people; that is, they usually do not whine or cry, even when they feel it. Most surgeries involve the possibility that a pet will be in pain thereafter, and the type of surgery performed dictates how much pain medication a patient will need. Major procedures require more pain relief than things like minor lacerations. Our veterinarians use the newest medications, which are less likely to cause an upset stomach and can be given as soon as the morning of surgery.
FAQ 16: Can I come and visit my pet after they are hospitalized and is it good for them?
Yes! You are always welcome to come and visit your pet while they are hospitalized. Before coming to visit your pet, at either practice, please give us a call. There are many hospitalized patients in the hospital and it is easier for everyone if we can schedule a time for you to come by and visit. Most pets do enjoy visits from their family, but sometimes there are patients that the separation is too much. You know your pet best and if you are at all concerned, do not hesitate to ask the nurses how your pet does after you leave.