Black and White:  The Role of the Veterinary Radiologist

Any Veterinarian in general veterinary medicine has to try to be a pediatrician, a surgeon, an internist, a dermatologist, and ophthalmologist, a dentist, a nutritionist, an oncologist, an anesthesiologist, and more on a daily basis, and often for multiple species. The old saying “jack of all trades, master of none” is becoming more and more applicable in general practice, with general veterinarians knowing about a lot of things, but unable to specialize  in any of these areas. Sometimes, though, more in depth knowledge is necessary.

Oakland Veterinary Referral Services staffs a myriad of veterinary specialists in various fields to bring a level of expertise and concentration to your pet’s health. That is why we are adding Dr. Rachel Policelli-Smith, our first veterinary radiologist, to our staff. It’s our goal to bring the best in veterinary medicine to you as our client, and this is just one more way we are working to achieve that goal.

The Veterinary Radiologist

So what exactly is a veterinary radiologist? Radiologists specialize in the field of diagnostic imaging including radiography (X-rays), ultrasound, CT scans, and MR Imaging. They are also equipped to perform nuclear medicine (such as radioactive iodine treatment for hyperthyroidism in cats) and radiation therapy for cancer treatment.

A veterinary radiologist has undergone extensive training in their area of expertise, similar to their human counterparts. Besides an undergraduate degree and a four year degree in veterinary medicine, radiologists also complete a one to two year internship. They then must be accepted to and complete a three year residency program with an emphasis on radiology. After the completion of their residency, the veterinarian is then eligible to take a difficult board examination. Passing this examination earns them board certification in the American College of Veterinary Radiology. No small feat!

Making Us Better

Having a veterinary radiologist on staff at OVRS is certainly a neat thing to boast, but why do we need one?

Adding a veterinary radiologist to our staff of experts is a huge advantage for us. This addition allows us to:

• Expand our imaging options
• Have assistance in imaging interpretation for any case in the hospital
• Include nuclear medicine and radiation therapy in our arsenal of treatment options
• Provide the best in imaging possible in veterinary medicine today

A veterinary radiologist brings to OVRS the training, extensive experience, and most current knowledge in radiation medicine, especially for treatment of cancer. This allows us to perform state of the art procedures and obtain a whole new level of care for diagnostics and procedures already being performed.

We are proud to provide such high quality care to our patients and hope that you will come see for yourself the good work that we are doing. When you need an expert, Oakland Veterinary Referral Services is here for you and your pets.