Internal Medicine

Why does my animal need to see a Board-Certified Small Animal Internist?

Commonly called Internists, these Specialists focus on diagnosing and treating diseases of the internal systems. Where the diagnosis is known, an Internist may confirm the
diagnosis and treatment, providing piece of mind. If a diagnosis is proving elusive or therapy is not proving effective, the Internist may be better able to find the diagnosis or adjust treatment plans to get your animal back to health.

Examples of conditions for which your family veterinarian might refer your animal to an Internist are:

• Anemia or other bleeding disorders
• Chronic vomiting or diarrhea
• Complicated pancreatic disease
• Coughing & other breathing problems
• Endocrine disease (adrenal tumors, complicated diabetes, thyroid disorders)
• Infectious disease
• Kidney or bladder disease
• Liver inflammation
• Unexplained weight loss

An internist provides the following procedures:

Neurology
Neurologic examination, spinal tap with fluid analysis, CT, MRI

Cardiology evaluation
EKG, echocardiography, blood pressure, pericardiocentesis

Respiratory
Rhinoscopy, tracheobronchoscopy, tracheal wash, bronchoalveolar lavage, thoracocentesis, radiography, nasal lavage

Alimentary
Endoscopy of upper and lower intestinal tract for visualization and biopsy, foreign body retrieval, and feeding tube placement; ultrasound, ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration or needle biopsy; barium enhanced radiography

Urinary tract
Cystoscopy, vaginoscopy, ultrasound, urohydropulsion, contrast radiographic procedures, ultrasound guided aspirate or biopsy of kidney, prostate, bladder and prostate wash for cytological evaluation of disease.

Oncology
Cytologic evaluation, biopsy, chemotherapy

Advanced endocrinologic evaluation and treatment Radioiodine for feline hyperthyroidism

 

Dr. Michael Wasmer, DVM, DACVIM

Dr. Wasmer is board certified by the American College of
Veterinary Internal Medicine in small animal internal medicine. Dr. Wasmer earned his DVM degree from The Ohio State University in 1990, completed an internship at Oradell Animal Hospital (Oradell, New Jersey) in 1991 and completed a 3-year residency in small animal internal medicine at Texas A&M University in 1994.

Originally from Baltimore, Dr. Wasmer has been practicing at Mission MedVet since 1994. While he enjoys all areas of internal medicine, Dr. Wasmer has a special interest in endocrinology, gastroenterology and clinical cytology. Dr. Wasmer is an active advocate in the autism community and is an appointed member of the Kansas Autism Task Force, the Kansas Governor’s Commission on Autism and founder of the Kansas Coalition for Autism Legislation.