Internal Medicine

Put simply, veterinary internal medicine is about taking care of the inside of your pet.

Led by our internal medicine specialist Andrea Holmes, and supported by a highly experienced team of Specialists and Advanced Practitioners our team is on hand to investigate, treat and prevent disease using both medical and surgical treatments.

Our purpose-built facility boasts the latest technology and equipment to provide the highest level of care for our patients, whether we are treating ongoing or short-term ailments.

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Medicine

Common conditions referred to our internal medicine department include:

  • Diabetic patients
  • Nasal conditions and breathing problems
  • Chronic or acute diarrhoea
  • Weight loss or gain
  • Blood problems
  • Anaemia
  • Hormonal problems
  • General malaise
  • Fever
  • Infectious diseases

Teamwork to support your pet

With all internal medicine pet referrals, our team works closely with our soft tissue surgeons to provide a holistic service for your pet.

Pets will have a 20 to 60-minute consultation with our veterinary internal medicine practitioners where we will take a thorough history and examine your pet carefully. We will always discuss potential costs, outcomes and risks, including complications.

We aim to send most internal medicine cases home on the same day but if this is not appropriate, we have extensive hospitalisation facilities, including an ICU which is supported by a Specialist in Emergency and Critical Care to care for your pet during their stay.

Internal Medicine Team

Andrea Holmes

BSc BVSc(Hons) DipECVIM-CA MRCVS
Head of Internal Medicine
Diplomate of the European College of Internal Medicine (Companion Animals)
RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine (Internal Medicine)

Andrea is a European Specialist in Internal Medicine and has experience of working within clinics both in the UK and Australia. Andrea graduated from the University of Bristol in 2011 and worked in small animal practice prior to completing an internship at Davies Veterinary Specialists in Hertfordshire. She then completed a residency in Internal Medicine at Bristol in 2017 and went on to achieve her diploma in Small Animal Internal Medicine. Since then, Andrea has worked at The Animal Health Trust in Suffolk and at the internationally renowned SASH (Small Animal Specialist Hospital) in Sydney. Andrea returned to her home county of Yorkshire in 2019 and has been working at Paragon even since.

Andrea has a keen interest in infectious disease and post graduate teaching for nurses and vets. She has developed an internal medicine residency program at Paragon and is passionate about antimicrobial stewardship. Outside of work Andrea has entered the fascinating world of open water swimming. She is hoping to get some of her colleagues to come along and dip their toes in!

Andrea FINAL headshot

Adam Bell

BSc BVSc CertVC CertSAM MRCVS
Internal Medic and Cardiologist

Adam graduated from Bristol University in 1992 and spent 2 years in mixed practice before returning to Bristol to start a PhD. Within a few months he realised he missed the clinical work too much and returned to mixed practice, develping an interest in cardiology. He moved to a small animal practice in Bristol in 1998.

After 4 months travelling the world at the end of 2001 Adam moved to West Yorkshire to join Calder vets in 2002. He received his RCVS Certificate in Veterinary Cardiology in 2002 and started seeing referral cases in the developing referral service at Calder, becoming a partner and then Director of Calder Vets Ltd. He received the RCVS Certficate in Internal Medicine in 2006 and has particular interests in ultrasonography, ultrasound guided biopsy techniques and endoscopy.

Having acted as interim Clinical Director when the referral team at Calder transitioned to Paragon in 2018, Adam then concentrated on helping develop the Internal Medicine referral services, and in 2022 took on a dual role, continuing to see medicine referrals while also providing ultrasound and CT examinations and interpretation to the growing medicine team.

After 6 months running the Oncology service, Adam took on a full-time imaging role from January 2024 and continues as part of the medicine and oncology teams when needed.

Adam enjoys practical teaching and with the Business Relationship Manager has started to provide ‘Lunch and Learn’ sessions to help referring practices improve their confidence in using their ultrasound equipment.

Outside of work he enjoys walking, running, cycling, live music, cooking and red wine, in any order.

Adam Bell 4 headshot for web final

Jane Scott

BVSc CertSAM MRCVS
RCVS Advanced Practitioner in Internal Medicine

Jane graduated from the University of Bristol in 2005 with distinction. Following a two year period in a small animal practice in West Yorkshire Jane completed a 12 month rotating internship at the University of Liverpool, where she developed her interest in internal medicine. In 2009 Jane returned to West Yorkshire and joined the team at Calder Vets, completing her Certificate in Small Animal Medicine the following year. Jane has been seeing referral cases since then and is interested in all aspects of internal medicine.

Outside of work Jane enjoys walking, climbing and travelling. She is also a keen baker much to the delight of the rest of the team!

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Lizzy Conway

MA VetMB MVM DipECVIM-CA MRCVS
Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Companion Animals)
RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine (Internal Medicine)

Lizzy qualified from the University of Cambridge in 2012 and spent 18 months in general practice in Norfolk, before completing a rotating internship at fellow Linnaeus practice Dick White Referrals.

She returned to work as an internal medic at a primary care practice in Gloucestershire, before starting her residency in internal medicine at the University of Glasgow in 2016. She was awarded her European diploma in small animal internal medicine in 2021.

Lizzy also completed a masters in veterinary medicine while at Glasgow, which looked at biomarkers in dogs with conditions predisposing to thrombosis.

Lizzy said: “I am delighted to be joining Paragon and I am looking forward to working as part of a multidisciplinary team to provide the best possible care to my patients.

“I have a particular clinical interest in immune medicated conditions and in haemostatic and thrombotic disorders.

“Outside of work, I enjoy hill walking and, having just moved down here from Scotland, I am looking forward to exploring the Yorkshire countryside.”

Lizzy-for-website-square

Ben Safrany

BVetMed PgC(SAM) DipECVIM-CA MRCVS
Diplomate of the European College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Companion Animals)
RCVS Specialist in Small Animal Medicine (Internal Medicine)

Ben graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in 2010. After spending two years in mixed practice, he moved to a busy small animal hospital in Nottinghamshire where he gained a certificate in small animal medicine. He joined Paragon in 2018 and completed a 3-year ECVIM residency in 2023.

He is particularly interested in endocrinology.

Outside of work Ben enjoys climbing, running and dog walks.

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Sophie Aspinall

MA VetMB MRCVS
ECVIM Resident in Internal Medicine
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