Todd Tams, DVM

VCA Chief Medical Officer

VCA Quality Care Programs

Shared Expertise

Internship Programs

Client Education

VCA Medical Advisory Board

VCA Chief Medical Officer

In his capacity as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tams has the responsibility of maintaining the highest standards of quality medical care at our hospitals and in our educational programs. He also heads up our Medical Advisory Board while helping to chair VCA's Regional Medical Directors. One of Dr. Tams' most important missions here at VCA Animal Hospitals is to serve as an ambassador to veterinary colleges across the country. In fact, Dr. Tams spends considerable time traveling around the world educating veterinarians about internal medicine. We have been very fortunate to have Dr. Tams on our team since our founding in 1986. Not only is he a published author and a renowned educational speaker, but he is an experienced veterinarian and a board-certified specialist in internal medicine. He received his doctorate in veterinary medicine from Ohio State University.

VCA Quality Care Programs

This is a body of materials created by specialists and our Medical Advisory Board under the direction of Dr. Todd Tams. Materials from the VCA Quality Care Program are educational tools that keep everyone - hospital staff and clients alike - informed about the very latest in veterinary medicine.

VCA Quality Care Programs now available include:

• Fecal examination and testing for internal parasites
• Urinalysis
• Pre-anesthetic lab testing
• Pain management
• Feline heartworm disease
• Canine heartworm disease
• Dental health
• Senior wellness 

Shared Expertise

We have found that the more we share knowledge and expertise, the better we can care for the pets our clients love. That's why, in 2000, we connected all our animal hospitals with a centralized information system. It is a system that lets us manage the entire network of animal hospitals much more effectively while we facilitate the implementation of new and proven ways to treat our clients' pets. In fact, thanks to our new system, we're able to bring these new techniques and procedures to our practices, deliver higher quality medicine and continue to be a leader in the veterinary industry.

Internship Programs

We are truly grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the training of tomorrow's leaders in veterinary medicine. And - we're proud to say - we're the largest provider of private practice post-graduate veterinary training in the country.

Ten of our hospitals host internship programs nationwide:  

• VCA Aurora/Berwyn Animal Hospital (Chicago, IL) 

• VCA Emergency Animal Hospital and Referral Center (San Diego, CA) 

• Manhattan Veterinary Group (New York, NY)

• VCA Asher Animal Hospital (Redding, CA)

• VCA Newark Animal Hospital (Newark, DE)

• VCA Sacramento Animal Medical Group (Sacramento, CA) 

• VCA South Shore-Weymouth Animal Hospital (Boston, MA)

• VCA Veterinary Care Animal Hospital (Albuquerque, NM) 

• VCA Veterinary Referral Associates (Gaithersburg, MD) 

• VCA Veterinary Specialists of Northern Colorado 

• VCA West Los Angeles Animal Hospital (Los Angeles, CA)

Each one of these teaching hospitals gives outstanding training to new veterinarians or established veterinarians who wish to specialize in fields such as surgery or dermatology. Not only do they give these professionals an excellent background for private practice or residency programs, but they help create a pool of talent that is sure to enhance the quality of pet health care in the years to come.   

For more information about our Internship Programs click here.

Client Education

Most pets are just as loved as any other member of the family. So many clients see a visit to their veterinarian the same way they see a trip to their pediatrician. That's why so many of our clients are concerned with pet wellness - including preventive care and diagnostics and specialized veterinary care. The pet industry has benefited from the amazing advances in human health care over the past few years.  Those advances are migrating into the field of veterinary medicine. Increasingly sophisticated procedures, diagnostic tests and medications are being accepted more and more by pet owners to extend the life of their pets.

We take every opportunity to keep our clients up-to-date on the ever-increasing effectiveness of veterinary medicine and educate them about the importance of preventive health care. VCA Quality Care Program materials and the Healthy Pet Magazine, along with specifically designed support materials, are some of the ways we keep our clients updated on the latest in veterinary medicine. We feel that the more our clients know about the health of their pet, the better they can be about keeping their pets healthy. 

VCA Medical Advisory Board

This is a governing body comprised of highly respected veterinarians - many of whom are university clinicians, board certified in various disciplines. The purpose of the VCA Medical Advisory Board is to review the latest techniques and important issues in veterinary medicine. Their efforts shape our company's recommendations for excellent pet health care.

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