FAQ
What is a Board Certified Veterinary Surgeon?
The following answer is from the American College of Veterinary Surgeons’ website:
Veterinarians may specialize in various disciplines including surgery…
The American College of Veterinary Surgeons (ACVS) is the AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty organization™ for certification of veterinarians in large animal surgery and small animal surgery.
If your [pet] develops a problem or injury requiring advanced care and procedures, your primary care veterinarian or emergency room veterinarian may refer you to a veterinary surgeon.
Advanced Training
A veterinary surgeon has undergone additional training after veterinary school. This training consists of a minimum of a one-year internship followed by a three-year residency program that meets guidelines established by the ACVS.
Specialists are called a “Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgeons” or a “board-certified surgeon” [ after : 1) Publishing satisfactory surgery-related research, 2) Having credentials accepted for completion of a residency program that meets guidelines established by ACVS, then 3) Passing a comprehensive series of rigorous examinations assessing the candidate’s surgical competency].
All veterinarians may perform surgery as part of their veterinary practice. Difficult cases, however, may be best managed by a board-certified veterinary surgeon, an ACVS Diplomate, working closely with the [pet’s] owner and the primary veterinarian before and after surgery.
Most ACVS Diplomates … , in addition to having advanced surgical training,… have access to … equipment and support staff that may not be available to your primary veterinarian.
Why Seek a Veterinary Surgeon?
[Your pet] deserves the very best care possible. Just as humans are treated by specialists for a variety of medical reasons, [your pet] should be treated by veterinary specialists when advanced care is warranted. Surgery often warrants that care. ACVS Board-Certified Veterinary Surgeons can provide that care.
There are a variety of reasons to seek a veterinary surgeon:
Expertise and specialized training:
- Specialists are more likely to see complicated cases.
- Specialists can provide you with state-of-the-art options and help you determine the best treatment for your [pet].
Enhanced care. Surgeons are more likely to have access to:
- Primary veterinarians focus on the day-to-day needs of your [pet]. Veterinary surgeons spend years training specifically in surgical procedures. Specialty equipment
- Other veterinary specialists (your surgical team may include board-certified radiologists, anesthesiologists, and internal medicine specialists)
- Technicians who understand the needs of animals undergoing surgery
- Postoperative monitoring of your pet
What is a Board Certified Veterinary Specialist?
The following answer is from the American Veterinary Medical Association’s website:
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.
A board-certified veterinary specialist's expertise compliments that of an animal's primary care veterinarian. An animal owner may be referred to a board-certified veterinary specialist if diagnosing or treating an animal's health problem requires specialized equipment and/or expertise that the primary care veterinarian does not have.
As of June 2024, there are ONLY three Board Certified veterinary specialists practicing in the El Paso / southern New Mexico / western Texas region who are recognized by the American Veterinary Medical Association and the Texas State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners as veterinary specialists. They are:
Carla Hibbs, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Ophthalmology (Veterinary Ophthalmology)
Paul Jensen, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgery (Large Animal and Equine Surgery)
Edward Silverman, DVM
Diplomate, American College of Veterinary Surgery (Small Animal Surgery)