Veterinary Internal Medicine
At Mount Laurel Animal Hospital in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, our Internal Medicine service provides advanced diagnosis, treatment and long-term management for dogs and cats with complex, chronic or difficult-to-diagnose medical conditions. Internal medicine focuses on diseases affecting the internal systems of the body, including the gastrointestinal tract, liver, kidneys, pancreas, endocrine (hormonal) system, respiratory system, and other organs.
Pets are often referred to Internal Medicine when symptoms persist despite treatment, diagnostic results are abnormal or inconclusive, multiple organ systems are involved, or when a condition requires specialized testing and ongoing medical management.
Our board-certified veterinary internists have advanced training in diagnosing and treating complicated medical conditions. Each patient receives an individualized approach based on their medical history, symptoms, previous diagnostic testing, and overall health.
Because Mount Laurel Animal Hospital offers Emergency, Critical Care, and multiple specialty services under one roof, our Internal Medicine team can also collaborate directly with other departments when a patient's condition requires a multidisciplinary approach. Patients who are seriously ill or require additional monitoring may be hospitalized within our hospital for continued care.
Why Internal Medicine Is Important
Many internal diseases cause symptoms that overlap with other medical conditions. Vomiting, weight loss, changes in appetite, increased thirst/urination, lethargy, and/or abnormal bloodwork can have many possible causes.
Veterinary internists specialize in investigating these complex cases and determining which diagnostic tests can provide the most useful information. Rather than treating symptoms alone, the goal is to identify the underlying disease whenever possible and develop an appropriate treatment and management plan.
- Chronic or recurrent vomiting
- Chronic or recurrent diarrhea
- Unexplained weight loss
- Changes in appetite
- Increased thirst or urination
- Regurgitation or difficulty swallowing
- Persistent gastrointestinal problems
- Unexplained fever
- Chronic coughing or respiratory concerns
- Abnormal liver values
- Abnormal kidney values
- Anemia or other blood abnormalities
- Endocrine or hormonal disorders
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Pancreatic disease
- Unexplained weakness or lethargy
- Abdominal abnormalities
- Complex conditions involving multiple organ systems
- Medical conditions that have not responded to treatment as expected
Some pets are referred after weeks or months of unexplained symptoms, while others may need an internist after an abnormal laboratory result or sudden change in health.
Internal Medicine Services
Internal Medicine Consultation
An Internal Medicine consultation begins with a comprehensive review of your pet's medical history, previous diagnostic testing, medications, and current symptoms.
Our Internal Medicine team evaluates this information along with a physical examination to determine what additional diagnostics may be appropriate. For patients referred by a primary care veterinarian, previous laboratory results, imaging, and medical records can provide valuable information and help our internists develop the next steps in the diagnostic process.
Following the evaluation, our team will discuss findings, recommended testing, potential diagnoses, and treatment options with you.
Metabolic and Endocrine Disorders
Metabolic and endocrine diseases affect the body's hormones, glands, and normal metabolic processes. Because hormones influence many different organs, endocrine disorders can sometimes produce symptoms that appear unrelated.
Our Internal Medicine team evaluates and manages a variety of metabolic and endocrine conditions affecting dogs and cats, including diseases involving the adrenal glands, thyroid, pancreas, and other systems responsible for regulating normal body functions.
Diagnosis may require specialized blood testing, urine testing, imaging, or additional endocrine testing. Treatment and monitoring plans are developed based on the individual disease and needs of each patient.
Gastrointestinal Disorders
Chronic vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and appetite changes are among the most common reasons pets are referred to Internal Medicine.
Gastrointestinal symptoms can originate from the stomach or intestines but may also be associated with diseases affecting the liver, pancreas, endocrine system, or other organs. Determining the cause may require a combination of laboratory testing, abdominal imaging, specialized gastrointestinal testing, and endoscopy.
Our internists evaluate dogs and cats with acute, chronic, and recurrent gastrointestinal disease and develop diagnostic and treatment plans based on each patient's symptoms and medical history.
Abdominal Ultrasound
Abdominal ultrasound is a noninvasive diagnostic imaging tool that provides detailed images of organs and structures within the abdomen.
- Liver
- Gallbladder
- Kidneys
- Adrenal glands
- Spleen
- Pancreas
- Stomach
- Intestinal tract
- Urinary bladder
- Other abdominal organs and structures
An abdominal ultrasound may be recommended for pets experiencing chronic gastrointestinal symptoms, unexplained weight loss, abdominal discomfort, abnormal laboratory results, or other signs of internal disease.
When appropriate, ultrasound may also help guide the collection of samples for additional diagnostic testing.
Advanced Diagnostic Workups
Complex medical conditions often require multiple diagnostic tools to determine what is happening inside the body. Our Internal Medicine team develops individualized diagnostic plans based on each patient's symptoms, medical history, and previous testing.
- Comprehensive bloodwork
- Urinalysis
- Specialized laboratory testing
- Endocrine testing
- Gastrointestinal testing
- Infectious disease testing
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Advanced diagnostic imaging
- Cytology
- Tissue sampling
- Additional testing based on the patient's condition
Our internists evaluate these results together rather than looking at individual tests in isolation, helping create a more complete picture of the patient's health.
Veterinary Endoscopy
Endoscopy allows our Internal Medicine team to directly examine portions of the gastrointestinal tract using a flexible scope equipped with a small camera.
This minimally invasive diagnostic procedure may be recommended for pets experiencing chronic vomiting, diarrhea, regurgitation, difficulty swallowing, weight loss, or other persistent gastrointestinal symptoms.
During endoscopy, our veterinary internists can visualize portions of the gastrointestinal tract and, when indicated, collect small tissue biopsies for further evaluation. These samples can provide important diagnostic information when investigating chronic gastrointestinal disease without requiring traditional exploratory abdominal surgery in appropriate cases.
Managing Chronic and Complex Medical Conditions
Not every condition can be resolved with a single appointment or treatment. Many diseases require ongoing medical management, medication adjustments, repeat diagnostic testing, and regular monitoring.
Our Internal Medicine team works with pet owners and referring veterinarians to manage chronic conditions over time. Treatment recommendations can be adjusted based on laboratory results, symptoms, disease progression, response to medications, and overall quality of life.
For patients with multiple medical conditions, having access to numerous veterinary specialties within the same hospital can be especially valuable.
Collaboration With Hospital Specialists
Complex medical conditions do not always fit neatly within a single veterinary specialty. One of the advantages of receiving specialty veterinary care at Mount Laurel Animal Hospital is the ability for departments to communicate and collaborate when a patient's condition requires expertise from multiple areas.
- Emergency & Critical Care
- Surgery
- Oncology
- Neurology
- Cardiology
- Radiology and Advanced Imaging
- Anesthesiology
- Clinical Pathology
- Rehabilitation
For example, a patient undergoing an Internal Medicine diagnostic workup may require advanced imaging, specialized laboratory interpretation, anesthesia for a diagnostic procedure, or consultation with another specialty based on the findings.
Mount Laurel Animal Hospital's specialty and emergency teams work within the same hospital, helping provide coordinated care for patients with complicated medical needs.
Hospitalization and Continued Care
Some Internal Medicine patients are stable enough to return home following their appointment or diagnostic testing. Others may be seriously ill and require hospitalization, supportive treatment, or continued monitoring.
With Emergency and Critical Care available within Mount Laurel Animal Hospital, patients requiring a higher level of monitoring can receive continued medical support while their diagnostic or treatment plan progresses.
Our Internal Medicine team also works with referring veterinarians to help maintain continuity of care and communicate medical information and follow-up recommendations.
Internal Medicine in South Jersey
Mount Laurel Animal Hospital provides advanced Internal Medicine services for dogs and cats in Mount Laurel and throughout South Jersey and the surrounding region.
Pet owners and referring veterinarians from Mount Laurel, Cherry Hill, Moorestown, Marlton, Voorhees, Medford, Burlington County, Camden County and communities throughout South Jersey have access to advanced veterinary diagnostics and specialty care within one hospital.
Whether your pet is experiencing unexplained symptoms, abnormal laboratory results, chronic gastrointestinal disease, an endocrine disorder, or another complicated medical condition, our Internal Medicine team is here to help determine the cause and develop an individualized plan for treatment and ongoing care.
With board-certified veterinary internists, advanced diagnostics, and access to multiple specialty services under one roof, Mount Laurel Animal Hospital provides comprehensive Internal Medicine care for pets throughout South Jersey and the surrounding region.
