PESC – La Mesa Specialty Care

Internal Medicine is a specialty branch of veterinary medicine involving the treatment and management of more complex conditions affecting pets’ internal organs that often coincide with chronic illnesses. Conditions that cannot be effectively managed by your family veterinarian alone will often receive a consult or be referred to an internal medicine specialist to receive a second opinion or to pursue more advanced care options.

While some surgeries are available through your primary care clinic, some advanced or complex procedures require skills, expertise, and specialized equipment unavailable at your local vet. Our surgical teams work closely with referring primary, specialty, and emergency care veterinarians to ensure their clients can access advanced surgical care for their pets.

Our community’s outstanding orthopedic veterinarians and surgeons use breakthrough research within the field to implement advanced therapies, such as CrCL surgeries like TPLO surgery, fracture repair, and innovative devices. These are all designed to help improve or conserve your pet’s mobility following traumatic accident, illness, or age-related condition.  

Pet owners commonly refer to CrCL surgery as an ACL surgery, however CrCL surgery is the medically accurate term. ACL surgery is the human equivalent treatment.

Ultrasound is one of the most common diagnostic imaging procedures used to detect and monitor disease in pets. Ultrasound uses sound waves at different frequencies to produce detailed images of the heart and other internal organs.

This non-invasive diagnostic method does not utilize radiation and in many cases does not require sedation, limiting adverse effects on the patient and allowing us to conduct scans on an outpatient-basis.

Computed Tomography (CT) scans use many X-rays at different angles to create 3D cross-sectional images of the body in very high resolution. This advanced radiographic equipment is an excellent diagnostic tool, allowing both soft tissues and bones to be evaluated in just one image.

CT scans are very effective in detecting tumors and identifying diseases in a pet’s thorax, nasal cavity, and abdomen. Since the pet must be completely still throughout the scan, anesthesia is typically required.

A common form of cruciate or knee surgery is TPLO surgery. Your pet’s orthopedic veterinarian will be able to help decide which type of CrCL surgery is ideal for your pet. It's important to note that these surgeries are commonly referred to by pet owners as ACL surgery, however CrCL surgery is the medically accurate term. ACL surgery is the human equivalent treatment.

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TPLO surgery changes the angle between the thigh bone and the shin bone. The goal is to lessen how much the tibia shifts forward during a stride and it is achieved through an incision, rotation of the tibia, and then insertion of a bone plate. TPLO surgery helps create a stifle (knee) that is stable without the torn cruciate ligament. The medial meniscus is also evaluated at the time of surgery and if torn removed. At times, a releasing incision of the meniscus is done to help prevent a future tear.

We proudly offer a wide range of services provided by our highly trained and certified Avian & Exotics team. Compassionate medical and surgical care is available for all avian and exotic species 6 days a week. Services provided for these special pets include:

Unless highly experienced in the care of aquatic animals, it can often be difficult to measure and maintain optimal health and wellbeing of water-dwelling pets. Our knowledgeable vets have the skills and expertise required to provide routine preventative care, complex diagnostics, and advanced medical treatment for aquatic animals including everything from a pet beta fish to a fishery of eels.