Small Animal Internal Medicine
Cases We Specialize In
Internal Medicine specializes in the evaluation and management of various conditions,
including but not limited to
- Gastrointestinal Disorders: inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and other causes of protein-losing enteropathies (PLE), pancreatitis, chronic hepatitis, vascular liver abnormalities and hepatic lipidosis.
- Endocrinopathies: diabetes mellitus, hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease), hyperparathyroidism and hyperthyroidism.
- Respiratory Pathologies: feline asthma, pneumonia, sinonasal aspergillosis, eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy (EBP), pulmonary masses, pulmonary hypertension and bronchitis.
- Renal Pathophysiology: urolithiasis, chronic kidney disease (CKD), protein-losing nephropathies (PLN) as well as other urological disorders.
- Hematological and Infectious Diseases: immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA), immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (ITP), immune-mediated polyarthritis (IMPA) and various blood-borne infections
- Oncology (*): Several types of lymphoma, multiple myeloma, transitional cell carcinomas and some more.
- Cardiac or Neurologic Diseases (**)
Meet The Team
Ana Costa, DVM, PhD, DACVIM (SAIM)
Dr. Costa, a board-certified internist since 2014, has worked as a clinical instructor
at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and in large referral centers in Kansas and
New York since 2019. She graduated from Escola Universitaria Vasco da Gama in Portugal
and completed a small animal internal medicine residency and Master's at Washington
State University (WSU), where she also earned a Ph.D. in veterinary pharmacogenomics.
Her clinical focus includes diagnosing complex conditions, managing comorbidities,
and specializing in personalized and geriatric medicine.
Referral Process
To refer a case to our Internal Medicine Service, please adhere to the following protocol
- Direct Communication: Contact our service by emailing us at vet-saim@okstate.edu or calling the hospital at 405-744-7000 to discuss the case and confirm appropriateness for referral. Please include detailed information regarding the presenting complaints, medical history, and any prior diagnostics conducted.
- Submit Medical Records: Ensure that all pertinent medical records are forwarded to our email (vet-saim@okstate.edu). This usually include diagnostic imaging reports, laboratory findings, and medical notes for at least the past 6 months (or longer, as needed).
- Client Consultation: Inform the pet owner about the referral process and provide them with our contact details. We encourage collaboration and communication to ensure a seamless transition of care.