Saturday, May 11, 2013

Local Vets Consult With San Francisco Veterinary Specialists

By Kellen Broderick


Our pets sometimes need specialty care, just like we do. San Francisco veterinary specialists are there to help. Pets need a specialist when their condition requires care the general vet can't provide. A pet with a heart murmur might be referred to a cardiologist. A pet with an elevated white blood count might be referred to an oncologist. A pet with glaucoma might be referred to an ophthalmologist. Twenty-one veterinary specialty organizations are recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association, each responsible for education and licensing requirements for several sub-specialties.

In a large cities, hospitals with many specialists on staff, offer full service care. A variety a specialists work together for the health and welfare of your pet. This eliminates stressful trips around town. Often these are associated with 24/7 urgent care and emergency hospitals. Emergency and Critical care is also a certified specialty. These doctors must be trained in the physiology, psychology, and treatment of a wide variety of species.

A licensed vet is your pets family doctor and usually your first resource for medical care for your pet. Your family vet administers vaccines, performs general physicals, cleans teeth, treats minor skin problems like flea bites and hot spots, diagnoses illness, and treats injuries. When expertise or advanced medical testing is needed, you'll be referred to a specialist.

Specialties may be based on physiology. A few of the recognized specialties are: ophthalmology, dermatology, neurology, oncology, internal medicine, cardiology, surgery, and anesthesiology. Other specialties are based on species care. These are licensed by the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). Some examples are avian practice, exotic companion mammal practice, feline, canine, reptile and amphibian, and equine practice.

Veterinarians are not just pet doctors. Some work in universities, research hospitals and labs. Vets work in wildlife care and conservation. Some work with zoo animals, marine life, race horses, or farm and food animals. There are even specialists in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Training in a specialty is a rigorous process. Students complete 4 years of undergraduate study, then 4 years of Veterinary College. After passing board exams they're certified as a licensed vet. Aspiring specialists then study in their area of interest for another 1 to 2 years, followed by a 1 to 2 year internship, working under the tutelage of an experienced specialist. Finally the aspiring veterinary specialist must pass exams proving their knowledge and competence in their chosen specialty.

Family vets and the specialists work together to devise the best course of treatment for your pet. While some treatments are similar for people and pets, some are quite different. Dogs and cats metabolize medicine differently than people, and dogs and cats metabolize medicine differently from each other. What works for 1 species can be toxic or ineffective for another.

With 70 million dogs and 74 million cats, there's a growing need for specialists in the US. With more pets than children in this city, San Francisco veterinary specialists are kept very busy. Veterinary clinics and hospitals provide medical care for animals that is as modern and advanced as medical care for people. Some specialists accept calls from pet owners. Some, like surgeons and oncologists, require a referral from the family veterinarian.




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