Veterinary Internal Medicine

“A pet’s love heals.”

Internal Medicine & Oncology Team Members

Veterinarians
Sean M. Hillock, DVM, DACVIM
Samantha Barth, DVM (Practice Limited to Internal Medicine)                                                                                                                Laura Harjes, DVM, DACVIM

Veterinary Technicians
Ryan Gray, LVT & Department LVT Lead; Henry Monterroso, LVT

Veterinary Assistants
Diana Dominguez, Taylor Hammel, Christina Fichera

Services

We are a full service internal medicine and oncology team, with the training and expertise to deliver these services effectively. Our doctors are experienced board certified specialists and our nurses and assistants are very highly skilled and formally trained professionals.

The department of Internal Medicine is staffed with experienced board certified specialists along with our highly skilled and formally trained licensed veterinary technicians.

Our emphasis is on efficient and accurate diagnosis gained by the use of the least invasive approach whenever permissible, and the compassionate administration of first- rate patient care. This requires the expertise of our specialty staff and the advanced diagnostic equipment and procedures available at The Veterinary Medical Center of Long Island.

We routinely diagnose and manage medical conditions in dogs and cats, with extensive expertise in, but are not limited to:

  • Cardiology/Pulmonology
  • Endocrinology
  • Gastroenterology/Hepatology
  • Immunology
  • Infectious disease
  • Nephrology/Urology
  • Oncology/Hematology

Services Include:

DIAGNOSTICS

  • Ultrasonography /CT- thorax, abdomen, small parts- thyroid/parathyroid
  • Minimally invasive biopsy including ultrasound guided biopsy
  • Echocardiography with color flow Doppler
  • Endoscopy- nasal, respiratory, upper & lower GI, urinary
  • Tracheal wash/bronchoaveolar lavage
  • Contrast radiography- IVP, cystourethrography, GI studies
  • Laparoscopy and laparoscopic biopsy
  • Bone marrow aspiration/biopsy

CARE

  • Transfusion medicine- blood & plasma for ITP, AIHA, albumin for PLE
  • Cardiopulomonary support- blood pressure management, EKG, O2 therapy
  • Treatment of oliguric or anuric renal failure
  • Liver failure, diabetic ketoacidosis and pancreatitis management
  • Nutritional therapy- total or partial parenteral nutrition
  • Feeding tube placement- PEG tube, jejunal tube, J thru G tube
  • Balloon dilation of strictures
  • Tracheal Stenting

If you would like your client’s pet to be evaluated by a member of our Internal Medicine team, please contact reception to make an appointment with Dr Fondacaro or Dr. Hillock. The Internal Medicine team frequently accommodates emergency referrals during office hours. Alternatively, your client’s pet can be admitted through the emergency service, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for stabilization and transfer to our Internal Medicine team.

Veterinary Internal Medicine Services Goals
Our emphasis is on efficient and accurate diagnosis gained by the use of the least invasive approach whenever permissible. This often requires the expertise of our specialist staff and the advanced diagnostic equipment and procedures available at our medical center. Clear and effective communication is of paramount importance to the professional and personal relationships formed among our staff, our patients, their families and referring veterinarians. Our medical therapies and care are of the highest caliber and our care- givers are devoted to healing with compassion. We are committed to staying on the cutting edge of veterinary medicine and offering that knowledge to our community. The mutual trust and respect that we have earned with area pet owners and veterinarians has resulted in ours being the finest veterinary medical center in the area. This will continue to be the case for years to come.

Referral Policy & Hours of Operation
The internal medicine/oncology department offers 24-hour intensive medical care, 365 days a year. Consultations are via referral from veterinarians throughout Long Island, New York City and the tri-state area. Scheduled appointments are available Monday through Saturday and are obtained by calling our reception staff at 631-587-0800. We also accommodate emergency referrals for critical patients as a common course of action due to the often severe and acute nature of our patient’s illnesses. Additionally, we work in concert with the emergency doctors and staff who are on duty within the hospital 24-hours daily. The internal medicine/oncology department also works as a team with the other veterinary specialists within the hospital to deliver comprehensive services such as surgery, ophthalmology and dentistry.

Oncology Service/Cancer Treatment Center
Cancer in animals is becoming increasingly prevalent, particularly due to the greater life expectancy (and the resultant increase in geriatric individuals) enjoyed by companion animals in the United States of America today. Breed-associated cancers are also undeniably problematic. Advanced diagnostics and specialized knowledge have allowed for the accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of the various forms of cancers that pets are afflicted with daily. Due to interactions with our mentors at the world renowned Cancer Centers at Colorado State University, Cornell University and Florida State University, and through the experiences of our own well respected Cancer Treatment Center, the staff of the VMC is able to offer the latest in veterinary cancer therapeutics. In addition, pet owners are treated with great sensitivity due to the incredibly emotional experiences that are often associated with having loved ones with cancer. Our team is devoted to treating the entire family as a whole with skill and compassion, this approach is why we are the finest veterinary cancer treatment center in the area.

Visitation Policy
Visitation: We encourage visitation of pets that are hospitalized in our care. We feel that visitation assists in the healing process. Some pets, on the other hand, become agitated or excited and visitation may be discouraged in these individual circumstances. There are no set visitation hours due to the 24-hour nature of our hospital, but we request that visits be arranged between the hours of 10 AM and 10PM unless special arrangements have been made with the staff. We generally encourage calling prior to arrival for visitation for your convenience. Please understand that we operate on a triage basis and visitation will be delayed if significant emergencies develop that require the full attention of our staff. We offer this same courtesy for your critically ill pet in their time of need. We appreciate your understanding and patience.

Communication
The doctors of the internal medicine/oncology department call the families of all hospitalized patients on a daily basis, typically in the morning hours. Additional updates are given as needed. Owners are welcome to call for a nursing update in the evening hours. We request that you limit this to a single call per household due to the necessary allocation of resources to patient care. A typed report is faxed and your veterinarian is called and consulted with for all new referrals and visits requiring hospitalization. We see it as an essential part of patient management to keep your family veterinarian “in the loop” and part of our team.