FAQ
Frequently
Asked Questions
What is a veterinary internist and how do they differ from your primary care veterinarian?
- Most primary care veterinarians complete undergraduate training and then four years of veterinary school. Board-certified internists do the same, but also go on to complete an internship, three-year internal medicine residency, and then pass rigorous board examinations in their specialized field.
- When your pet health issues are proving difficult to concretely diagnose or resistant to conventional treatments, a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist has the expertise, training, and resources to help provide high quality care to your companion.
- Please keep in mind that Dr. Stevens is not a primary care veterinarian and therefore does not perform wellness examinations, administer vaccinations, or prescribe flea/tick/heartworm preventatives.
What do veterinary internists do?
- Internists are highly trained to understand the complex interactions of all of your pet’s organs and bodily systems and how to treat the underlying causes of disease. They specialize in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of cats’ and dogs’ internal systems, such as such as liver, kidney, gastrointestinal tract, and lung/airway.
- To obtain an accurate diagnosis, specialized diagnostic testing is often required. Fortunately, we can perform most of these tests in-house leading to rapid answers. Ultrasound, blood chemistries, biopsies, endoscopy, and so on, using the latest equipment, will give the clearest picture of what is happening in your pet, so that the best course of treatment can be developed.
- Dr. Stevens is skilled at treating a wide range of diseases and conditions Common conditions that result in a referral to a board-certified internist from a pet’s primary care veterinarian include diabetes, blood disorders, infections, cancer, digestive tract issues, hormone/endocrine or immune disorders, diseases of the kidney, liver, gallbladder, lungs, and urinary or reproductive tracts.
What can I expect from my first visit?
We understand that seeing a veterinary specialist means your pet is sick. We do our very best to ensure that this is as stress free for both you and your pet as possible.
Upon arrival, one of our veterinary nurses will take a thorough history and obtain vital signs. Dr. Stevens will have reviewed your pet’s medical records and will perform a thorough physical examination. We will then discuss the best plan moving forward. This may include further blood or urine testing, abdominal ultrasound, radiographs, or other diagnostics. We will determine the best plan for you and your pet together.
When should my pet be referred elsewhere?
· Any patient that requires hospitalization· Any patient that needs blood products· Emergent or unstable cases· Neurologic cases or neurologic emergencies· Unstable cardiology cases or congenital cardiac disease– should be referred to a veterinary cardiologist· Dermatology cases, chronic non-healing wounds, or ear problems· Ophthalmology cases· Any patient that requires a CT scan
What are outpatient ultrasounds and how do these appointments differ from consultations?
- Outpatient ultrasounds are designed for stable canine and feline patients only.
- Pets requiring sedation, tissue sampling, or immediate medical attention should be referred for a consultation with Dr. Stevens.
- Your pet must be amenable to examination and handling to qualify for an outpatient ultrasound. If you are unsure if your pet will allow the necessary handling, please contact us to discuss further.
- Because this appointment does not establish a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship, we cannot legally prescribe sedation during this appointment.
- In all cases, your pet’s abdominal fur must be shaved prior to ultrasound. It is imperative that the hand-held probe makes complete contact with your pet’s skin for accurate results.
- Your pet will be placed in dorsal recumbency (on their back) within a padded V-trough and gently restrained by assistant(s) holding their forelimbs and hindlimbs.
- Do not feed your pet past midnight the night before the appointment. Fasting is crucial as a full stomach can impede visualization of certain abdominal organs.
- If your pet has any medical conditions that prevent fasting, such as diabetes, please contact us.
- Administer all regularly scheduled medications as prescribed.
- Allow your pet access to water.
- Please arrive approximately 10 minutes before your appointment time.
- Unfortunately, you are not able to accompany your pet for their ultrasound.
- The ultrasound scan typically takes around 30 minutes. The procedure involves shaving your pet’s abdominal fur and gently restraining them on their back in a padded V-trough (as mentioned above).
- Once the procedure is complete, your pet will be returned to you. Please proceed to the front desk for check-out.
- Dr. Stevens will send a report of findings to your primary care veterinarian within 24 hours. If you have questions or concerns before or after the exam, please speak with your referring veterinarian. Your referring veterinarian will be responsible for interpreting results, relaying results, and managing the case independently.
What diseases do veterinary internists treat?
· Gastrointestinal diseases· Liver diseases· Kidney and urinary tract diseases· Immune-mediated diseases· Endocrine diseases· Respiratory diseases· Infectious diseases (fungal, tick-borne, viral, bacterial)· Blood disorders· Fever of unknown origin
What is your cancellation policy?
Due to the high number of pets seeking care with Dr. Stevens, we require at least 24-hour notice for appointment cancellations/reschedules.
What happens if I cancel late?
We do our best to keep our appointments running on time and efficiently to best respect the time of our clients and provide the best care for our patients. We therefore ask that pet parents give as much notice as possible for cancellations/rescheduling and arrive on time for appointments to best reach these goals.
What if I arrive late?
Late arrivals take away our ability to help pets who need care and put us behind schedule for clients who arrived on time. To better respect the time of our team, our clients and our pet patients; clients arriving more than 15 minutes past their appointment times may be subject to wait times or may need to reschedule for another day.
