At Veterinary Specialist Partners (VSP), our Internal Medicine Service is led by two experienced specialists, Dr. Grace Clark and Dr. Scott Rizzo. Both doctors are involved in every aspect of your pet's work-up and treatment.  This collaborative approach elevates the medicine and communication for every patient's case and ensures the best possible care for each patient. 

We proudly offer our internal medicine services at both our Louisville and Evansville locations. However, advanced diagnostic and treatment options such as CT scans, endoscopy, and surgery, as well as Urgent Care services, are available exclusively at our Louisville hospital.  Initial evaluations can be performed at either location and specific advanced procedures will be scheduled to follow that initial appointment. 

Our internal medicine team is highly skilled in diagnosing and managing a wide range of complex conditions, ensuring that your pet receives the most comprehensive and compassionate care possible.

​What is Internal Medicine?

Internal medicine is a veterinary specialty focused on diagnosing and treating complex medical conditions that affect multiple organ systems in pets. Internal medicine specialists, also known as internists, use advanced diagnostics and treatments to manage diseases that may be challenging to diagnose or require long-term care.


At VSP, our internal medicine team is expertly trained to handle a wide range of health issues, including:

    •    Autoimmune Diseases: Conditions like immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), immune-mediated thrombocytopenia, immune-mediated polyarthritis, and immune-mediated neutropenia, as well as immune-related conditions affecting the liver and bladder (hepatitis, cystitis).

    •    Cardiac (Heart) Conditions: Issues such as heart murmurs, hypertension (high blood pressure), an enlarged heart, and anesthetic evaluations for pets with heart disease.

    •    Gallbladder Disease: Including infections, inflammation, and stones.

    •    Hematopoietic Disorders: Diseases of the blood and bone marrow.

    •    Kidney Disease: Such as renal failure, kidney stones, infections, and tumors.

    •    Neurological Disorders: Non-surgical neurological problems, such as meningitis (both infectious and sterile) and seizure management.

    •    Cancer: Our internists manage all types of cancer, including tumors, leukemia, and lymphoma, and provide comprehensive chemotherapy treatment.

    •    Endocrine Disorders: Hormone-related conditions like Cushing’s disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and disorders of the parathyroid glands (hypoparathyroidism and hyperparathyroidism).

    •    Gastrointestinal Diseases: Conditions affecting the stomach, intestines, colon, and pancreas, such as pancreatitis.

    •    Infectious Diseases: Including viral, bacterial, and fungal infections.

    •    Liver Disease: High liver enzyme levels, liver failure, and liver tumors.

   •    Nasal Disease: Conditions leading to nasal tumors, bleeding, and discharge.

    •    Respiratory Disease: Including lung infections, inflammation, and tracheal collapse.

VSP Internists are expertly trained to diagnose and treat these and many other problems your pet may be experiencing:

• Arrhythmias
• Cough, increased respiratory rate and effort
• Diarrhea
• Fever of unknown origin
• Fluid in chest or abdomen
• Heart murmur
• Increased or decreased appetite
• Increased drinking/urination
• Lethargy
• Lumps, bumps and masses
• Muscle loss
• Nasal discharge
• Neurologic dysfunction
• Obesity
• Painful abdomen, swollen abdomen
• Painful joints (some forms of lameness)
• Panting
• Respiratory distress
• Seizures
• Syncope, collapse
• Unexplained bleeding
• Urinary issues, accidents, leakage (incontinence), infection, blood
• Vomiting
• Weakness, ataxia
• Weakness, tremors
• Weight gain

VSP contracts with a mobile, boarded-certified veterinary surgeon to provide the following outpatient surgeries if needed:

• Abdominal exploration to obtain biopsies of the GI tract or remove simple masses
• Cystotomy
• Episioplasty
• Foreign body surgery (non-complicated)
• Liver biopsy
• Rectal and perianal mass removal
• Simple skin mass removal
• Splenectomy
  
• Amputation
  
• TPLOs
• ​Medial Patella Luxation 
  

VSP internists offer the following procedures:

• Abdominocentesis (removal of fluid from the abdomen)
• Abdominal ultrasound 
• BE tube placement
• Blood & plasma transfusions
• Blood pressure
• Bronchoscopy (scope of the trachea and lungs)
• CAT scan of the head and chest
• Cervical ultrasound
• Chemotherapy (comprehensive injectable and oral chemotherapy treatment options, melanoma vaccine and advanced biologic therapies)
• Comprehensive cancer work-ups
• Collagen injections for urinary incontinence
• CSF taps (to obtain spinal fluid for testing)
• Cystoscopy (scope of the bladder)
• Diagnostic ECG
• Echocardiograms (ultrasound of the heart)
• Ectopic ureter laser ablation
• Endoscopy of the upper and lower GI 
• Esophageal ballooning for strictures
• Feeding tube placement (esophageal or gastric)
• Fecal transplantation
• Fine needle aspirate and cytology of external masses
• Fluoroscopy for interventional medicine and esophageal motility studies 
• Gastric and esophageal foreign body removal via endoscopy
• Holter monitors
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (coming soon)
• I-131 Radioactive iodine for hyperthyroid cats (coming soon)
• Joint taps
• Laser lithotripsy 
• Nasopharyngeal stenting
• Percutaneous cystolithotomy (PCCL) - removal of bladder stones through a minimally invasive approach
• Pericardiocentesis (removal of fluid from around the heart)
• Renal Scleraltherapy for renal essential hematuria
• Rhinoscopy (scope of the nose)
• Subureteral bypass (SUB) placement
• Thoracocentesis (removal of fluid from the chest)
• Ultrasound-guided aspirates of masses within the chest and abdomen
• Ultrasound-guided ethanol ablation of the parathyroid glands
• Urohydropropulsion
• Ureteral stenting
• Urethral stenting

At VSP, our internal medicine specialists work tirelessly to provide comprehensive, cutting-edge care for pets with complex medical needs.