INTERNAL MEDICINE

Veterinary Internal Medicine in Brisbane & Gold Coast

At Veterinary Specialist Services (VSS), our internal medicine team provides expert diagnosis and treatment for complex medical conditions in dogs and cats. Our team prides itself on having specialised knowledge, advanced diagnostics and high levels of experience in complex medical cases. Your primary care veterinarian may refer your pet to us for a specialist opinion and/or diagnostic tests to determine the cause of illness. We may also see your pet for treatment of complicated medical conditions that would benefit from specialist or multi-disciplinary management. Our focus is to help owners make the best possible decisions for their pets' individual circumstances.

With hospitals located in Underwood, Carrara, and Jindalee, we serve pet owners and referring veterinarians across Brisbane, the Gold Coast, and surrounding regions. Whether your pet is experiencing unexplained symptoms or requires advanced diagnostics, our board-certified internal medicine specialists are here to help.

What is Veterinary Internal Medicine?

Veterinary internal medicine focuses on diagnosing and managing diseases affecting internal organs and systems. Our specialists have advanced training in:

Endocrinology (e.g. diabetes, thyroid disease, Cushing’s disease)
Gastroenterology (ve.g. omiting, diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease)
Respiratory disease (ne.g. asal conditions, lung disorders)
Neurology (e.g. seizures, meningitis, weakness)
Haematology (e.g. anaemia)
Infectious and immune-mediated diseases
Kidney and urinary tract disorders
Liver disease
Unexplained fever, lethargy or weight loss
Cancer (in collaboration with our Oncology team).

We also manage pets with multiple or chronic conditions, offering tailored treatment plans and compassionate care.

How Our Team Can Help

Our team have advanced knowledge of small animal endocrinology, gastroenterology, respiratory disease, neurology, oncology, infectious and immune-mediated disease, as well as diseases of the kidneys and lower urinary tract.

They work alongside our other specialist teams (including surgery, cardiology, emergency & critical care, oncology, dermatology, ophthalmology and physiotherapy) to ensure all aspects of your pet's care are addressed and they receive comprehensive, coordinated care.

We’re committed to helping pet owners make informed decisions and supporting referring veterinarians with expert insights and timely communication.

Common Conditions We Diagnose & Treat

Some common problems our internal medicine veterinarians diagnose and manage include:

Breathing problems (including lung disease and nasal disease)
Brain and other neurological problems (including seizures, meningitis and weakness)
Blood disorders (including anaemia, immune mediated disease and bleeding problems)
Vomiting and diarrhoea
Endocrine disease (such as Diabetes, Thyroid Disease and Cushing's disease)
Kidney and bladder problems (including urinary tract stones and chronic kidney disease)
Infectious diseases
Cancer (read more about our Oncology services)
Liver diseases
Unexplained fever, lethargy and weight loss
Managing multiple or complex medical conditions.

Advanced Diagnostics

Our internal medicine team uses cutting-edge diagnostic tools and procedures to uncover the root cause of illness including:

Ultrasonography
Ultrasound/CT-guided biopsies
Rhinoscopy
Bronchoscopy
Gastroduodenoscopy
Colonoscopy
Cystoscopy
Fluoroscopy
CT
MRI
Chemotherapy and advanced therapeutic protocols
Transfusion medicine
Feeding tube placement
Joint taps
CSF taps
Bone marrow biopsy.

We are proud to offer specialised imaging technology such as digital radiography, fluoroscopy, ultrasound and CT at each of our locations in Brisbane (Underwood and Jindalee) and the Gold Coast (Carrara). MRI is also available at our Underwood hospital.

Minimally Invasive Procedures (Endoscopy)

Minimally invasive procedures allow us to diagnose and treat conditions with less discomfort and faster recovery for your pet. We have over 25 years’ experience in minimally invasive procedures (such as endoscopy).

Endoscopy is a procedure that can be used to visualise the internal surfaces of many organs. We can also use endoscopes to take samples of the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract (to aid in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disease), the major airways (for lower respiratory tract diseases), tissues within the nasal passages or sinuses (in upper respiratory tract diseases), the urethra and the bladder (in urinary tract disease). The use of a minimally invasive procedure typically means that your pet can avoid open surgery, resulting in a faster and less painful recovery.

As a referral practice, we work in conjunction with your family vet to provide the best possible care for your pet, from the initial diagnosis through to long-term treatment (as required).