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Internal Medicine
CARE Hospital’s Internal Medicine Department
Andrea Wells, DVM, DACVIM
Read more about Dr. Wells Shannon Carley, DVM
What Is A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?
CARE Hospital’s Internal Medicine Department has advanced training in the following disciplines:
While your general practitioner 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 the discipline of veterinary internal medicine, there are also veterinarians who specialize further in Small Animal Medicine, Cardiology, Neurology, and Oncology.
Veterinarians who want to become board certified in small animal internal medicine must seek additional, intensive training to become a specialist and earn this prestigious credentialing. Specialty status is granted by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM). A veterinarian who has received this specialty status will list the initials, “DACVIM,” after his or her DVM degree. Or, the veterinarian may indicate that he or she is a “Diplomate” of the ACVIM. The word “Diplomate” typically means the specialist has achieved the following:
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Consultation on patients with multiple and complex medical disorders
The California Animal Referral & Emergency (C.A.R.E.) Hospital is proud to have a very talented and experienced Internal Medicine Department. The department is made up of two veterinarians and a team of veterinary technicians. Complementing Dr. Wells and Dr. Carley is the 24-hour Emergency Medicine and Critical Care department that is directed by a board certified emergency and critical care specialist. The medicine department also works closely with our boarded oncologist, Dr. Sue Downing. Finally, the medicine department has a residency trained small animal surgeon available for consultation and referral at CARE Hospital. All pets have a doctor and nursing staff with them 24 hours a day. Our team of over 50 employees will work diligently to serve the needs of your companion, your family and your primary care veterinarian.
Dr. Andrea Wells is C.A.R.E. Hospitals Chief of Internal Medicine and is Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo’s only board certified internal medicine specialist. A Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal medicine, Dr. Wells has worked in a variety of specialty care settings in San Diego, CA prior to joining CARE Veterinary Hospital. She has extensive experience with abdominal and cardiac ultrasound, percutaneous biopsies and endoscopy. She has a special interest in endocrinology and gastroenterology. Dr. Wells feels that a multi-specialty practice provides the most comprehensive approach to patient care and welcomes the opportunity to work closely with referring veterinarians and other specialists to provide pets with the most thorough and advanced medical care.
Dr. Shannon Carley joined CARE’s Internal Medicine Department in September 2007. Having successfully completed her internal medicine residency and the qualifying portion of the ACVIM board certification process, Dr. Carley will sit for her Small Animal Internal Medicine Board Exam in June, 2008. Her primary research is in canine pancreatitis but she also has a wide variety of interests in the field of internal medicine including renal, immune-mediated, hematologic and gastrointestinal diseases to name a few, as well as preservation of the human-animal bond. We are privileged to have Dr. Carley joining our team.
What Additional Training Does A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist Have? Carrie Reynolds, RVT |
After completing and passing all of these rigorous requirements, the veterinarian is then recognized by his or her peers as a board certified specialist in veterinary internal medicine, with any areas of special emphasis noted. When your pet needs the care of a veterinary internal medicine specialist, years of intensive training and additional education will be focused on helping him or her to recover from or enjoy the highest quality of life possible.
Why Does My Pet Need A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist?
Just as your own primary care physician may feel the need to refer you to the care of a specialist from time to time, your general practitioner veterinarian may feel your pet needs a specialist to help diagnose or treat a particularly complicated medical problem. While your general practitioner 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 Health Problems Does A Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist Treat?
Board certified internal medicine specialists are trained to treat the most serious diseases and health problems that affect pets. They are also especially prepared to care for pets that may be facing multiple health problems. Thanks to better health care, more and more pets are living longer lives. As a result, an increasing number of older pets, just like older people, are coping with multiple disease states that can be very difficult to manage. For example, a cat with diabetes may also be suffering from kidney failure, or a dog in heart failure may also be diagnosed with cancer. Internal medicine specialists are uniquely prepared to oversee the care of these complicated cases. In other situations, a younger animal may develop a problem that used to be considered untreatable but is now manageable and perhaps even curable.
Here are some common diseases that frequently lead general practitioner veterinarians and concerned pet owners to seek the expertise of a specialist:
- Cancer
- Heart Disease
- Gastrointestinal Diseases
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Immune Related Disorders
- Kidney Dysfunction
Why Can’t I See an Internal Medicine Specialist All the Time?
In some cases you may do so after consulting with your primary care veterinarian and only for the treatment for which you were referred. All other aspects of your pets’ treatment will remain with your primary care veterinarian. Primary care veterinarians are also highly educated medical professionals who must meet ongoing continuing education requirements throughout their professional careers in order to maintain their licensure. When a specialist is needed, your primary care veterinarian will consult with the specialist – just as your primary care doctor may consult with a human specialist (e.g., cardiologist, dermatologist).
Will My Regular Veterinarian Still Be Involved?
Yes, your regular veterinarian will still supervise your pet’s overall veterinary care. In some cases, your referral doctor will follow your pet for the illness that your pet was referred for (e.g., diabetes). It depends on your pet’s particular disease, consultation between you and your primary care doctor, your referral doctor’s recommendations and your pets’ health problem.
What Do I Bring to my Referral Appointment?
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. Additionally, (if known) please bring a detailed list of current and past medications, including name, dose, and frequency to your appointment.
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.
Did You Know?
There are approximately 1400 board certified veterinary internal medicine specialists in the United States, and the number is growing.
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