{"id":2388,"date":"2023-03-02T17:44:47","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T21:44:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/?p=2388"},"modified":"2023-03-02T17:44:49","modified_gmt":"2023-03-02T21:44:49","slug":"10-reasons-to-see-a-surgeon-specialist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drphilzeltzman.com\/blog\/10-reasons-to-see-a-surgeon-specialist\/","title":{"rendered":"10 reasons to see a surgeon specialist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Before we start, I would like to point out a few important thoughts:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. A specialist is not a competitor of your family vet. Rather, the specialist should be considered as an extension of your primary care veterinarian, similarly to what happens in human medicine.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. The ideal situation is that your family vet and the specialist have a prior relationship. They may not have dinner once a week or be BFFs, but they should work well as a team and communicate well \u2013 for your benefit and your pet\u2019s.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. It is important to remember that there are many family vets with considerable expertise in various areas despite not being \u201cspecialists.\u201d Yet it is not possible that any one vet can be an expert in all areas.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. The only vets who can call themselves specialists, or \u201cboard-certified,\u201d or \u201cboarded\u201d in short, are those who have gone through additional training beyond vet school (8 years): an internship (usually 1 year) and a residency (typically 3 years). Then, they must pass a very difficult exam. The only proof of all of that is extra letters after their name. For a surgeon, you should see DACVS or Dip. ACVS or Diplomate ACVS after their name.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    That said, let\u2019s go over my top 10 reasons to see a board-certified surgeon:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. A surgeon has extensive training. You tend to do well what you do often.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. A surgeon may have treated several patients like your pet. Surgeons naturally see more challenging cases because so many family vets refer to them.\n