Animal Owners Gain Powerful New Search Tool With VetSpecialists.com, Strengthening The Triad Of Veterinary Care

LAKEWOOD, Colo. and GERMANTOWN, Md., Oct. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) have together launched VetSpecialists.com as an education and awareness resource for animal owners. The new website is one of the most comprehensive searchable databases of board-certified veterinary specialists worldwide, enabling animal owners to find local specialists for potential consultations, and to bolster the triad of veterinary care to best care for their animals.

The "triad of veterinary care" is the relationship that exists between the animal owner, the primary care veterinarian and the board-certified veterinary specialist, who as a group can best contribute to the health and well being of the animal. This relationship is based upon shared trust, owner education and steady communication for the animal's best health outcome.

Zachary M. Wright, DVM, DACVIM (Oncology) of Animal Diagnostic Clinic in Dallas, TX, explains, "We are all familiar with the human healthcare best practice of combining the expertise of general medical practitioners with board-certified medical specialists, whether in surgery, cardiology, oncology, neurology or internal medicine. Consumers know where to look online to find their own medical care options. Our goal with VetSpecialists.com is to create that same familiarity so that animal owners know when to talk about an animal's symptoms and conditions with their primary care veterinarians, and review options for specialty care."

"Every day, across the country, primary care veterinarians work closely with board-certified veterinary specialists to care for large and small animals," adds William D. Tyrrell, Jr., DVM, DACVIM (Cardiology) of CVCA: Cardiac Care for Pets in Leesburg, Virginia. "VetSpecialists.com connects the lines from the animal owner to the primary care veterinarian to the board-certified veterinary specialist, which we refer to as the triad of veterinary care, so that animal owners can give their animals the best opportunity for healthy lives."

VetSpecialists.com features useful tools for large and small animal owners, such as:

• Comprehensive directory of board-certified veterinary specialists
• Education about the triad of veterinary care and the collaboration that occurs between primary care veterinarians and board-certified veterinary specialists
• A video describing the benefits of the triad of veterinary care
• An article library of small and large animal diseases, conditions, treatments and procedures, authored by board-certified veterinary specialists
• Information about the training and credentials of board-certified veterinary specialists
• Access to the directory via a fully mobile-friendly advanced search application
• Questions an animal owner can consider for discussions with their primary care veterinarian about an animal's symptoms

"Animals obviously cannot verbalize a summary of their medical problems to their veterinarians; animal owners must do that," notes William D. Liska, DVM, DACVS, of Global Veterinary Specialists in Dallas and San Antonio, TX. "In order to communicate these medical problems, animal owners need access to information and education. VetSpecialists.com provides the tools to help animal owners understand health issues if they arise, and communicate them to their primary care veterinarians, who together can consider whether a specialist should be consulted."

The network of board-certified veterinary specialists available on VetSpecialists.com shows the high level of training and expertise available to support the animal's needs, along with information about the board-certified veterinary specialists' unique equipment, facilities and staff who are available to manage complex animal health care.

Andrea Putt, DVM and Owner of Commerce Village Veterinary Hospital in Commerce Township, MI, recognizes the benefits the triad of veterinary care adds to her practice.  "As a general practitioner," Putt describes, "I value and appreciate having veterinary care specialists in the community that I can consult with and refer patients. Sometimes our patients need specialist care for further diagnostics and treatment options that we simply cannot offer in a general practice. Working together as a team between the general veterinary practitioners, board-certified veterinary specialists and pet owners will ensure that pets are getting the highest quality of veterinary care for the highest quality of life."

Several board-certified veterinary specialists around the country, with varying specialties, are available to discuss the features of VetSpecialists.com along with case studies that exemplify the success of the triad of veterinary care.

Spokespeople include:

About VetSpecialists.com
VetSpecialists.com was developed in 2015 as a partnership between the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) and the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) to provide education about diseases and conditions affecting animals and to increase awareness of veterinary specialty medicine to the animal owning community. To find a veterinary specialist, please use the Search for a Veterinary Specialist Tool powered by VetSpecialists.com.

About the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM)
The American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of animals and people through education, training and certification of specialists in veterinary internal medicine, discovery and dissemination of new medical knowledge, and increasing public awareness of advances in veterinary medical care. The ACVIM is the certifying organization for veterinary specialists in cardiology, large animal internal medicine, neurology, oncology and small animal internal medicine. For more information, visit http://ACVIM.org.

About the American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS)
The American College of Veterinary Surgeons is the specialty board that sets the standards for advanced professionalism in veterinary surgery.  ACVS defines the standards of surgical excellence for the profession, promotes advancements in veterinary surgery, and provides the latest in surgical educational programs.  By fostering these standards, ACVS is helping the veterinary profession achieve its goals of providing outstanding service to the public and care to animals.  The ACVS established a certifying process to qualify veterinarians as specialists in large animal surgery and small animal surgery.  For more information, visit http://ACVS.org.

Recognized Veterinary Specialties
The ACVIM and ACVS are recognized veterinary specialty organizations by the American Veterinary Medical Association's American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS).  ABVS recognizes more than 20 different veterinary specialty colleges.

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SOURCE VetSpecialists.com

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http://www.VetSpecialists.com