Internal Medicine

Tabitha Hutton, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)  

An internist specializes in:

• Gastrointestinal disease, including chronic vomiting, diarrhea, liver and pancreatic diseases
• Endocrine disease (Cushing’s, diabetes mellitus, Addison’s, thyroid disease)
• Respiratory illness, including: upper airway, lung and nasal disease, hematologic abnormalities such as anemia
• Immune-mediated problems and autoimmune disease, infectious disease
• Urinary tract problems, including kidney and bladder disease
• Foreign body removal from esophagus or stomach via endoscopy
• Endoscopic biopsies

In addition to advanced knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of a wide array of medical disorders including those that are unusual, a veterinary internist also has advanced training in diagnostic skills including but not limited to gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, rhinoscopy, bronchoscopy, bone marrow aspiration, feeding tube placement and joint aspirations.

A veterinary internist has advanced veterinary training in the area of internal medicine. After attending four years of undergraduate school and an additional four years of veterinary school, an internist performs additional training during their internship and residency programs to become skilled at diagnosing and treating a wide variety of complicated medical problems. An internist must complete a thorough examination to become licensed to practice as a board certified specialist in the area of internal medicine.