Veterinary Internal Medicine
At Gloucester Veterinary Hospital, we diagnose and treat a range of internal medical conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, immune system issues and urinary tract disorders.
Diagnosing & Treating Internal Conditions
Veterinary internal medicine diagnoses and treats conditions that negatively impact the health of your pet's internal systems.
Internal medical conditions can be very painful, or even life-threatening. Our veterinarians in Orléans help manage these circumstances on a regular basis and know how to make your furry friend as comfortable as possible.
At Gloucester Veterinary Hospital, we believe that each and every patient deserves the highest level of care possible. We work with cats and dogs facing multiple diseases or disorders and provide treatment alternatives for patients who do not react well to standard procedures.
Addressing Internal Conditions
Common areas of internal veterinary medicine include:
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Oncology (tumours and cancer)
Veterinary oncology is the branch of veterinary medicine that diagnoses and treats cancer. The objective is to enhance the quality of life of dogs and cats with cancer.
The veterinary methods used to treat cancer in pets have many similarities to those used by doctors treating cancer in people. These include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, and more.
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Cardiology (heart-related disorders)
Veterinary cardiology involves the diagnosis and treatment of heart and lung diseases.
Just like people, dogs and cats can suffer from a range of heart diseases and disorders like congestive heart failure (CHF), congenital heart defects, cardiac arrhythmias, tumours and more. Even if your dog or cat is free of disease, they can still suffer from age-related changes to the valves of the heart.
With the technology in our in-house veterinary lab, our veterinarians can assess your pet for signs of heart disease and then provide you with a diagnosis, along with treatment options.
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Reproduction
This is an area of veterinary medicine that plays a significant role in protecting reproductive health, preventing and controlling reproductive diseases, and promoting animal husbandry.
At Gloucester Veterinary Hospital, we understand the financial investment and personal commitment required to breed animals. If your animal is experiencing reproductive difficulties, our veterinarians will use the diagnostic tools at our hospital to determine the issue. Once we've established what is happening with your pet's reproductive system, we can put together a treatment plan to help deal with the problem.
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Immunology (immune-mediated disorders)
Immunology is the branch of veterinary science that studies cells, tissues and organs responsible for detecting foreign agents (antigens) and triggering the immune system's defensive action.
Sometimes the immune system doesn't function properly, resulting in immune-mediated disorders. Some examples of immune-mediated disorders in dogs and cats are anemia, arthritis, irritable bowel syndrome, allergies and skin diseases.
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Pulmonary Disorders (diseases of the lungs)
Pulmonary disorders affect the respiratory system, which is responsible for delivering oxygen to the body and eliminating waste gases such as carbon dioxide. Since dogs and cats are unable to sweat the way people do, your pet's respiratory system is also used to regulate their body temperature. When issues arise with this integral system, your dog or cat is at risk of developing numerous disorders.
Common pulmonary disorders in dogs include chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), canine distemper virus, pneumonia, and lung tumours.
In cats, asthma, bronchitis, parasitic worms, bacterial infections, and viruses are some of the most common pulmonary issues our veterinary team observes.
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Gastroenterology (digestive organs)
Gastroenterology is concerned with disorders affecting your pet’s stomach and intestines, known as gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. These can restrict your dog or cat's ability to digest food properly and absorb nutrients.
Cats and dogs experiencing GI problems often display symptoms such as blood in the stool, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, gas, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
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Urology (urinary tract disorders)
Urology consists of the diagnosis and treatment of disorders that affect the urinary tract. The urinary tract is comprised of the kidneys, tubes that carry urine to the bladder, and the urethra, which removes urine from the body.
Urologic issues like urinary tract infections (UTIs) in dogs and feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD) in cats are disorders that our Orléans veterinarians diagnose and treat on a regular basis.
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Endocrinology (glands and their functions)
Endocrinology is the study of the glands and hormones of the body and the disorders that can result from these not working properly.
When a dog or cat's endocrine system has a problem, symptoms such as skin problems, hypothyroidism, and poor coat condition can become apparent.
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Neurology (brain and nervous system disorders)
Veterinary neurology is a subset of internal medicine that covers abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord as well as neuromuscular dysfunction.
Common neurological disorders that dogs and cats experience include seizures, intervertebral disc disease (IVDD), and tumours.
Cancer Diagnosis & Care
Unfortunately, cancer is one of the most common internal medicine condition occurring in pets. If detected early, many cancers in dogs and cats can be treated using a mix of surgeries and therapies that extend your pet's quality of life.
Once your pet's cancer has been diagnosed, we will make time to explain your pet's condition in detail, discuss whether additional diagnostic testing is appropriate, and share treatment options and prognosis.
At Gloucester Veterinary Hospital, our veterinarians are dedicated to providing pets with the cancer care they need and supporting the families that love them in every way we can.
In-House Lab & Diagnostics
Personalized testing, imaging and other diagnostic procedures play a major role in providing pet owners with an accurate diagnosis of their dog or cat's internal condition.
Our in-house veterinary lab is equipped with a range of diagnostic imaging technologies and equipment that allows our team of veterinary professionals to understand your pet's condition quickly, allowing treatment to begin as soon as possible.