A board-certified veterinary specialist is a veterinarian who has completed additional training in a specific area of veterinary medicine and has passed an examination that evaluates their knowledge and skills in that specialty area. Currently, there are 22 veterinary specialty organizations recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Veterinarians can be specialists in many areas, including cardiology, ophthalmology, internal medicine, surgery, dentistry, and more.

A board-certified veterinary specialist’s expertise complements that of your animal’s primary care veterinarian. You may be referred to a board-certified veterinary specialist if diagnosing or treating your pet’s health problem requires specialized equipment and/or expertise that your animal’s primary care veterinarian does not have.

It’s critical you, your veterinarian, and board-certified veterinary specialist communicate and work together to provide the best care for your pet.