The Vehicle for High-Quality Diagnostic Imaging
Who and What Needs to be Behind The Wheel
In 2021, there were around 30,000 vet clinics in the United States.[1] Seeing this number highlights an important point: as a pet owner, you have dozens of vet clinics in your area to choose from.
Yes, there are different types of veterinary care providers. With a quick Google search, you will come across:
general practices
specialty hospitals
outpatient clinics
mobile services
Sage Veterinary Imaging provides outpatient diagnostic imaging services for your pets in Texas and Utah. At Sage Veterinary Imaging, we use advanced technology to see what’s happening inside your pet.
In fact, many people are surprised to learn that we offer imaging services to their pets at a level that meets or even exceeds what is available to them from their own human healthcare providers. We use powerful equipment and get the same high-quality results as a human hospital.
Our Philips 3T MRI and 128-slice CT scanners produce research-grade images of your pet’s body. This allows us to see anatomy and diseases that aren’t visible on lower-quality equipment that is common in other vet clinics.
This exceptional imaging technology means you can be confident that we will get the answers you need to plan an effective treatment for your pet’s condition.
But the equipment doesn’t matter if the right people aren’t on our team. A short analogy illustrates this sentiment:
In the right hands, an Indy 500 car wins the race, but the driver needs the experience and skill to operate the car, or the results will be disappointing, to say the least. The most qualified and expert driver must be at the wheel to win the race.
And it’s really no different when it comes to Ultrasound, CT, or MRI for your pet. The right team makes all the difference! You want the right drivers (board-certified radiologists) and the right car (equipment) for a victorious race and successful treatment plan.
What Makes a Good Vet
Your local vet clinic, like your doctor’s office, is made up of many people working together. In most vet clinics, you will see or interact with a lot of staff members, some of which are:
Veterinarians
Technicians
Practice managers
Office managers
Administrative staff
Providers use different titles and roles. But whatever the titles, there is a small (or sometimes large) team of people working behind the scenes, taking care of your pet the best way possible.
There are certain things you want in a vet team, especially when it affects the future and health of your best friend. Common qualities wanted in a veterinary team are:
Empathy and compassion
Patient
Communicative
Problem-solving
Comforting
These characteristics create a loving, kind environment and build confidence in treating your pet. All these qualities combined make your experience more enjoyable and less stressful.
While these are all good things to have in a vet team, there is one other very important factor that you want in a veterinary specialist: board certification.
What is a board-certified veterinarian?
In human medicine, a doctor (MD) specializes in a certain area, like cardiology or podiatry. A Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) also completes additional training in a specific field of animal medicine. A board-certified specialty DVM finishes additional study in their chosen specialization and passes an exam to become certified.
A veterinary degree alone can take six to eight years. Board certification then requires an internship, a residency, and real-world clinical experience before taking a final exam. This means another three to five years of education! And some ambitious doctors specialize in more than one field.
It’s no small feat to become a board-certified veterinary specialist. And while being board certified is not a requirement to practice veterinary medicine, it is a good indicator of the level of experience and education your DVM possesses.
What are the different types of veterinary specialists?
According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), there are 22 veterinary specialties and 41 areas within these specialties where DVMs focus their additional education. A few examples are:
Radiology
Emergency care
Internal medicine
Dentistry
Surgery
Oncology
With a few dozen more specialties, you get a feel for how specialized the world of veterinary medicine is. Each specialty requires rigorous study and experience. Your primary vet can refer you to any type of specialist, depending on the nature of your pet’s needs.
What is the difference between a general practice vet and a board-certified vet?
General practitioners of veterinary medicine treat and see a wide array of animals and conditions. A general practice veterinarian can do a lot, and their services and experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
Anything from a common cold to more chronic diseases, like obesity or skin infections, are treatable by a general practice vet. Their expertise includes daily care, like feeding, cleaning, and exercising your pet. They prescribe medication and administer vaccines, shots, and diagnostic lab tests. They are also able to perform many routine surgeries.
But sometimes, your general practice clinic refers you to a board-certified veterinarian when complex surgery, additional tests, or special care is needed.
Board-certified veterinarians, with their extensive education, have the ability to look deeper into the inner workings of your beloved pet. Some clinics work only with horses or reptiles, while others stick with small animals. Most specialize in surgeries, and there are still others that work only in dermatology, behavior, or nutrition. Remember, there are 41 areas of specialization!
These two types of veterinarians often work together, collaborating and combining insights on your pet. New input from a specialized vet plus your history with your existing vet equals a more complete health profile for your furry friend.
Ultimately, this communication benefits you, the pet owner. The synergy between doctors makes it easier for you to get the right answers.
Why You Want a Vet Specialist or Board-Certified Veterinarian
‘Specialist’ and ‘board-certified’ mean the same thing and are often interchangeable. But the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) likes to limit the use of the term ‘specialist’. Only DVMs who are board-certified by Veterinary Specialty Organizations are recognized by the AVMA as specialists. [2]
Because our team at Sage Veterinary Imaging is highly specialized in radiology, neurology, and neurosurgery, we can create and read imaging reports with a deep understanding of the many types of diseases that appear in images. And we know what to do next to help your pet heal.
At Sage Veterinary Imaging, we use 3T MRI, 128-slice CT, and the latest diagnostic imaging technology to find answers to your pet’s pain. These modalities are generally beyond the scope of a general practice vet and require board-certified radiologists to obtain images of sufficiently high diagnostic quality.
Is a board-certified vet really necessary?
A veterinary with board certification has additional medical knowledge, experience, and expertise. Their knowledge will support the best recommendations for your pet’s treatment plan. You receive the highest level of care and service because that’s what board-certified veterinarians are trained to do.
There are absolutely cases where only a board-certified veterinarian can help. Especially in cases that require surgery, specialized care is needed when the procedure requires:
More advanced knowledge and skill to perform the surgery
Comprehensive surgical technologies and instruments
Intensive monitoring during surgery and 24-hour postoperative care
Higher-risk patient care
A broader range of understanding of treatment protocols and alternative modalities [3]
While board certification isn’t necessary for general care, you want someone with extra education in a certain area of medicine if your pet’s case requires that. You and your vet will consider the options and make the best decision based on the specific needs of your pet’s condition.
Sage Veterinary Imaging - Leaders in MRI, CT, and Finding Answers For Your Pet
Sage Veterinary Imaging has been operating in Round Rock, Texas for 8 years. With a new location in Sandy, Utah, and more on the way, we are here to help get answers for your pet.
When your pet is acting differently and showing signs of distress, it may need a CT or MRI scan. The radiologists, surgeons, and veterinarians on our team can see more of your pet’s complete health profile - with twice the resolution and in half the time.
Ultimately, we aim to make the most informed decisions to help your pet. And we know you only want the best for your pet. For more information on where to find an MRI or CT scan for dogs in Texas or Utah, go to our Contact Us page to learn more.
Resources:
https://www.columbusceo.com/story/business/briefs/2021/02/02/vet-practice-fever-burns-as-clinics-change-hands/43370487/
https://www.avma.org/sites/default/files/resources/ABVS%20FAQs.pdf
https://www.ovrs.com/blog/board-certified-veterinary-surgeon/
