Internal Medicine
Veterinary Internal Medicine Toronto
Internal Medicine
Shannon Westgarth BScH, DVM, DACVIM, DVSc, Doctor of veterinary medicine from the Ontario Veterinary College, Doctor of Veterinary Science degree from the Ontario Veterinary College, Board-certified from the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (internal medicine).
Internal Medicine Services
- Specialty consultations regarding medical conditions including gastrointestinal, renal, immune-mediated, urinary, infectious, hepatic, and respiratory conditions
- Abdominal ultrasound examinations
- Thoracic ultrasound examinations
- Endoscopic examinations including rhinoscopy, tracheoscopy, bronchoscopy, upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, colonoscopy, and cystoscopy to obtain diagnostic samples
- Endoscopic retrieval of nasal, gastric and esophageal foreign bodies
- Advanced imaging of the head, thorax, and abdomen with 32-slice CT scan
- Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirates of the thorax and internal organs
Common reasons for consultation
- Chronic vomiting or diarrhea
- Abnormalities on biochemical profile (elevated hepatic enzyme activity, azotemia, abnormal pancreatic values, elevated bile acids, electrolyte abnormalities, etc.)
- Abnormalities on complete blood count (anemia, thrombocytopenia, neutropenia, polycythemia)
- Ongoing weight loss
- Decreased appetite
- Urinary incontinence
- Sneezing and nasal discharge
- Respiratory distress or chronic coughing
Strengths of Services
- A collaborative approach to patient care with other specialty services including critical care, cardiology, oncology, neurology, and surgery
- Working with clients and patients to find the best diagnostic and treatment options for both
- Using a patient-centered approach to life long control of chronic medical conditions while maintaining a good quality of life
- The utilization of state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment such as ultrasound, CT scan, and endoscopic equipment
