The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) has revealed a number of interesting trends in veterinary medicine and animal care, sourced from its most recent membership data.

For example, new AVMA data shows that veterinarians are increasingly seeking board certification as specialists, a trend that is in direct response to a demand for a higher level of care by animal owners. Statistics from specialty colleges show that there were 9,826 active board-certified diplomates in 2009, a 15.46% increase in veterinary specialists from 2006. Even more striking, the number of specialists in the internal medicine specialty went up by more than 11% in just one year, from 2008 to 2009.

"The increasing demand for veterinary specialists is something that we’ve known was happening for some time, but this data helps us understand and track this trend," explained Larry R. Corry, DVM, president of the AVMA. "As the human-animal bond continues to grow, veterinarians are being asked by pet owners to provide increasingly advanced treatments, and this is driving them into specialties like internal medicine, neurology, and oncology.

"The AVMA is constantly conducting research and compiling data about our profession and our members as a means of giving us a better understanding of how we can serve their needs," Corry continued