There are many types of veterinary specialists available to provide optimum, cutting-edge care for your dog. Areas of specialization include:

A veterinary behaviorist is a veterinarian with special knowledge, training and accreditation to treat behavioral problems such as fearfulness, anxiety or aggression. To become a veterinary behaviorist, after graduating veterinary school, a veterinarian will have to complete a one-year internship followed by a 2 to 3 year behavioral residency training program and pass a certification exam. A veterinary behaviorist will have the initials Dipl. AVCB (Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Behaviorists) after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field.

Your dog’s primary vet may suggest you take your dog for a consultation with a veterinary behaviorist if your dog is having problems that the primary veterinarian suspects may have a behavioral component. A veterinary behaviorist will generally also be quite familiar with medications such as anti-depressants and sedatives that are often used to treat behavioral issues.

A veterinary cardiologist is a veterinarian with special knowledge, training and accreditation to diagnose and treat heart and blood vessel disorders. To become a veterinary cardiologist, after graduating veterinary school, a veterinarian will have to complete a 1 year internship followed by a residency program and certification exams. A veterinary cardiologist will have the initials and words Dipl. ACVIM (Cardiology) (Diplomate of American College of Veterinary Behaviorists) after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field. There are currently 129 Board-certified veterinary cardiologists in the country, and the field is growing.

Your dog’s primary veterinarian might refer your dog to a veterinary cardiologist if your primary veterinarian suspects your dog has a heart condition. Many general veterinary facilities are not equipped with the right equipment or staff to properly treat certain cardiac conditions, especially if the cardiac condition requires an advanced surgical technique that a general veterinarian will not be able to perform.

A veterinary dermatologist is a veterinarian with the special knowledge, training and accreditation to diagnose and treat disorders of the hair, skin, nails, ears and mouth. To become a veterinary dermatologist, after graduating veterinary school, a veterinarian will have to complete a 1 year internship program, a three-year residency program and a certification examination. A veterinary dermatologist will have the initials Dipl. ACVD (American College of Veterinary Dermatology) after his or her name to indicate that her or she has been conferred specialist status in the field.

Your dog’s primary veterinarian might refer your dog to a veterinary for a whole host of conditions impacting your dog’s hair, skin, nails, ears or mouth. Most frequently, dogs are referred to veterinary dermatologists for diagnosis and treatment of complicated allergic conditions.

A veterinary emergency and critical care specialist is a veterinarian with the special knowledge, training and accreditation to diagnose and treat sudden life-threatening medical problems and provide follow-up care during the recovery period. To become a veterinary emergency and critical care specialist, after graduating veterinary school, the veterinarian will undergo a residency program lasting at least three years and pass a certification examination. A veterinary emergency and critical care specialist will have the initials Dipl. ACVECC (American College of Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care) after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field.

Most animal emergency hospitals will have a veterinary emergency and critical care specialist on staff. These veterinary specialists are well versed in the latest emergency protocols, and their expertise is often called upon in a variety of medical crises.

A veterinary neurologist is a licensed veterinarian with the special knowledge, training and accreditation to qualify as a specialist in the branch of medicine concerned with diseases of the nervous system. The nervous system encompass the brain, spinal cord, nerves and muscles. To become a veterinary neurologist, after graduating veterinary school, a veterinarian must complete a 2 to 3 year residency program and pass certification exams. A veterinary neurologist will have the initials and words Dipl. ACVIM (American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine) (Neurology) after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field.

Your primary veterinarian may refer your dog to a neurologist for help with a variety of suspected neurological problems such. Some veterinary neurologists are also trained in neurosurgery (surgery involving parts of the nervous system).

A veterinary oncologist is a licensed veterinarian with the special knowledge, training and accreditation in the branch of medicine concerned with diagnosing and treating cancer. To become a veterinary oncologist, after graduating veterinary school, the vet must complete a 1 year internship program, a 2 to 3 year residency program and pass certification exams. A veterinary oncologist will have the initials and words Dipl. ACVIM (American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine) (Oncologist) after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field.

Your dog’s primary veterinarian may refer your dog to a veterinary oncologist to better provide your dog with the latest and most thorough cancer treatment options.

A veterinary ophthalmologist is a licensed veterinarian with the special knowledge, training and accreditation to qualify as a specialist in branch of medicine concerned with eye disorders. To become a veterinary ophthalmologist, after graduating veterinary school, the veterinarian must complete an internship program and residency before being allowed to take a certification exam. A veterinary ophthalmologist will have the initials Dipl. ACVO (American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists) after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field.

Your primary veterinarian may refer your dog to a veterinary ophthalmologist to better provide your dog with the latest and most thorough eye care.

A veterinary radiologist is a licensed veterinarian with the special knowledge, training and accreditation to qualify as a specialist in reading and interpreting medical images such x-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs. To become a veterinary radiologist, after graduating veterinary school, a veterinarian must complete a 1 year internship program followed by a 3 to 4 year residency program before taking the certification exams. A veterinary radiologist will have the initials Dipl. ACVR after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field. Your dog’s primary veterinarian may recommend using a veterinary radiologist to help explain medical image findings.

A veterinary radiologist may also be a board certified radiation oncologist. A radiation oncologist specializes in the treatment of cancer patients. A radiation oncologist uses radiation as the main form of treatment as opposed to a medical oncologist who uses chemotherapy as the preferred form of treatment.

A veterinary surgeon is a licensed veterinarian with the special knowledge, training and accreditation in the area of surgery. To become a veterinary surgeon, after graduating veterinary school, a veterinarian must complete a 1 year internship program followed by a 3 year residency program before taking the certification exam. A veterinary surgeon will have the initials Dipl. ACVS (American College of Veterinary Surgeons) after his or her name to indicate that he or she has been conferred specialist status in the field.

It is not uncommon for your dog’s primary vet to call upon the services of a veterinary surgeon for more complicated cases that need higher technical expertise and equipment that cannot be found in a general veterinary practice.