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While your primary care veterinarian is trained to diagnose and treat many health related issues, certain cases require additional specialized diagnostic testing, treatment, or hospitalization at a specialty veterinary hospital. Just as your family physician may refer you to a specialist for extenuating circumstances, you and your veterinarian may feel that your pet could benefit from the expertise of a board-certified veterinary specialist at a specialty pet hospital. Thanks to work being done at academic centers, such as Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, great advances have been made in veterinary medicine over the past few decades. Pet owners now have the opportunity to benefit from the specialized training and cutting-edge knowledge of a board-certified specialist in cases of serious illness or injury.

In selecting a veterinary specialist to treat canine or feline companions, pet owners should consider the following questions:

1. Is the specialist “board-certified”? In order to become specialists, veterinarians undergo extensive post-doctorate training. This includes a one-year internship, three years of intensive residency training in their chosen field, demonstration of meaningful contributions to veterinary science, publication of research findings in journal articles, credential review, and completion of a rigorous, multi-day specialty board exam. These specialists are then referred to as “diplomates” of their specialty college. Owners should look for “board certified”, and the initials of the specialty college after the specialist’s name (example – DACVS – “Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgery”).

To complicate things further, some veterinarians refer to themselves as “board-qualified” or “practice limited to”. This indicates that they have completed a residency in their field, but have yet to pass the board examination that certifies them as a diplomate of their specialty college. In addition, some general practitioners indicate that they have a “special interest” in a given specialty, such as surgery. This is merely a designation of interest, and does not necessarily indicate any special training in the field.

2. How long has the specialist been board certified? In some specialty fields, clinical experience is of utmost importance. There can be a significant difference in expertise between a newly-minted specialist fresh out of residency and one who has been practicing for over a decade.

3. How is the specialist’s “bedside manner”? Expertise is important, but it isn’t everything. When a beloved companion is suffering from a serious illness or injury, pet owners are best served by a specialist who is compassionate and communicative. The specialist should take the time to explain their findings clearly and to answer your questions to your satisfaction. They should work in partnership with you and your primary care veterinarian to help you make the best decisions regarding your pet’s care. Your primary care veterinarian and other pet owners in the area can help give you a sense of a specialist’s personality and approach.

4. Is the specialist part of a comprehensive specialty emergency animal hospital with 24-hour care? The specialist’s facility and medical team can make a world of difference. For example, a specialty hospital with around-the-clock care can provide surgical patients the benefit of an onsite emergency/critical care team should complications arise during anesthesia or recovery. Specialists at comprehensive multispecialty facilities are also able to manage cases in collaboration with their colleagues from other disciplines. For example, a patient coming in through Emergency/Critical Care may be transferred to Internal Medicine for a consultation, sent to Surgery for removal of a tumor, and then receive follow-up chemotherapy treatment through Oncology.

5. Is the specialist highly regarded in their field? Where did the specialist complete their residency training program? Has the specialist published textbooks or articles in major journals? Are they sought after as a presenter for national or international conferences? Have they taught or trained residents?

For additional information, or to locate a directory of board-certified Connecticut vet specialists, pet owners should consult the resources available through the websites of the various specialty colleges:
www.acvim.org – Includes Internal Medicine, Cardiology, and Oncology
www.acvs.org – Surgery
www.acvecc.org – Emergency and Critical Care
www.acvr.org – Radiology and Radiation Oncology
www.acvo.org – Ophthalmology
www.acvd.org – Dermatology

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