Since 2000, Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital has been the home of Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine/Oncology Practice. We treat and care for pets as if they were family because we know they are a special part of yours! Our goal to make your pet’s visit with us as easy on them and you.

Appointment Instructions

Click here to download appointment instructions during the COVID-19 “Stay at Home” Order.

Check In Form

Click here to download the editable check in form for the Internal Medicine & Oncology department and email to avimpreception@metropolitanvet.com

Getting Treatment

To make an appointment or receive treatment from our board-certified specialists, you’ll need a referral from your veterinarian.

Click here to download our Referral Form

Click here to download our Boarding Form

Click here to download our Drop-Off Form

Our Services

We provide the latest diagnostic and treatment regimens, including:

Endoscopy
Cystoscopy
Rhinoscopy
Retroflex nasopharyngoscopy
Laryngoscopy
Bronchoscopy
Gastroscopy
Colonoscopy
Proctoscopy
Endoscopic biopsy
Foreign body retrieval
Oxygen therapy
Blood-gas analysis
Continuous thoracic suction
Whole blood and plasma transfusion therapy
Bone marrow aspiration
Nutrition therapy
Esophagostamy/PEG tubes
Ultrasound
Chemotherapy

Appointments

For your first visit, allow yourself at least an hour for the consultation. Please arrive a few minutes before your appointment to allow time to complete some paperwork. A technician will guide you to an exam room. A specialist will complete a thorough exam on your pet, review records from your referring veterinarian and discuss treatment options with you. If we can begin diagnostic testing that day, you may need to leave your pet with us for the afternoon. During the consultation, the doctor will be able to provide you with an estimate for any additional testing or treatment.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
In anticipation of the possibility of diagnostic testing, please withhold food 12 hours prior to your appointment. If your pet is diabetic, please check with our receptionist for specific instructions with feeding and medications.

Recheck Appointments

When calling to make a recheck appointment with one of our doctors, it is very important to schedule your appointment about two weeks in advance. This allows us to accommodate your schedule as best as possible. Also, please request to schedule your recheck appointment with the doctor that originally treated your pet.

Practice Hours

Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine and Oncology Practice is open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. On weekends, the on-call doctor monitors in-hospital patients.

Visitation

Visiting hours are 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. for approximately 30 minutes, once a day. If you wish to talk with a doctor during visitation, please schedule it with the technician in charge of your pet’s care. If you have any concerns while visiting, please inform the technical staff and they will address it with the attending doctor.

Prescription Refills

We are happy to refill your pet’s prescriptions during office hours. We request a 48 hour notice on all refills. If you run out of your medication, we cannot guarantee that they will be filled before your next dose is due.

Medical Boarding

We understand that, due to some of our patients’ medical conditions, it may be best to board them at the hospital. Once we receive permission from your pet’s attending veterinarian, you will need to fill out the forms above and return them to us prior to arrival. Receipt of those forms will allow us to give you an accurate estimate and have everything ready when you arrive.

Drop-Offs

If your pet is already a patient and you have arranged to drop him/her off in the morning for a procedure, you will need to print and fill out the Drop-Off Form prior to arrival.

Meet Our Doctors

Dr. Rance M. Gamblin

Diplomate: ACVIM (Oncology), 1997
Residency: The Ohio State University, 1997 (Oncology/Hematology)
Internship: Colorado State University, 1993
DVM: Mississippi State University, 1992
BS in Biology: Mississippi State University, 1988
Areas of Special Interest: Lymphoma, Mast Cell Tumors, Hemangiosarcoma, and Osteosarcoma

Originally from Jackson, Mississippi, Dr. Gamblin has been an oncologist with the Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine/Oncology Practice since 1997. He enjoys the multi-modality cancer treatment approach of surgery, medical and radiation oncology. In his time away from the hospital, Dr. Gamblin spends time with his family and furry friends, Pepper (domestic short hair) Roux and Caje, (both chocolate Labradors). He is also an avid outdoorsman and volunteers for several wildlife conservation groups, such as Ducks Unlimited and Delta Waterfowl.

Dr. Greg Chambers

Diplomate: ACVIM (Board Certified I.M. Specialist), 2012
Residency: California Animal Hospital, 2008
Internship: Oklahoma State University, 2005
DVM: Texas A & M University, 2004
BS in Biomedical Science: Texas A & M University, 1999
Areas of Special Interest: Gastrointestinal (including liver and pancreas), Endocrine, Pulmonary, Renal and Immune Mediated Diseases

Dr. Chambers grew up in Oklahoma and Texas. He chose internal medicine for both the challenge of diagnosing and treating complicated diseases and to help preserve the special relationship between patients and their families. Dr. Chambers spends time with his family and pets Emma (Labrador), Josie (Pitbull mix), and Cora (Domestic Short Hair). Dr. Chambers also enjoys hiking, walking, reading, watching movies, and playing board games.

Dr. Amanda Elpiner

Diplomate: ACVIM (Oncology), 2011
Residency: Veterinary Cancer Center (Oncology), 2010
Internship: Red Bank Veterinary Hospital, 2006
DVM: The Ohio State University, 2005
BS in Molecular Genetics: The Ohio State University, 2001
Areas of Special Interest: Lymphoma, Mast Cell Tumors, Hemangiosarcoma, and Osteosarcoma

Dr. Elpiner grew up in Northeast Ohio. She has been practicing veterinary oncology in the area since 2010, joining Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine and Oncology Practice in 2021. Dr. Elpiner’s area of interest and undergraduate degree was in Molecular Genetics. She has always been fascinated by how the body works on a cellular level and intended to go into research. During school, she worked in several laboratories and missed the client/patient interaction. Oncology was the perfect fit to marry both her passion for research, while still developing relationships with families and their pets. Oncology is constantly changing as new drugs and new pathways emerge. Dr. Elpiner loves staying current with research and seeing the benefits of that research truly come to life in her patients. In her free time, Dr. Elpiner enjoys spending time with her family, her dogs Leo (Rhodesian Ridgeback), Della (mixed breed), Lucy (lab mix), and cats Chester and Jack (both domestic short hair). She also enjoys time outdoors running, hiking and biking.

Dr. Julie A. Stanton

Diplomate: ACVIM (Board Certified I.M. Specialist), 2018
Residency: Cornell University, 2017
Internship: University of Georgia, 2014
DVM: Kansas State University, 2013
BS: Tulane University, 2008
Areas of interest: Endocrinology, renal disease, immune mediated disease

Dr. Stanton grew up in Bainbridge, OH and joined the Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine Practice in August of 2017. She chose internal medicine to focus on helping animals affected by the most difficult diseases achieve the best quality of life possible. In her spare time, Dr. Stanton enjoys hiking and spending time with her family, her cat Taggart, and her pitbull mixes Rosie and Bella.

Dr. Vanessa H. Dollo

Diplomate: ACVIM (Board Certified I.M. Specialist), 2019
Residency: Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, 2017
Internship: Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, 2014
DVM: The Ohio State University, 2013
BS: Miami University, 2009
Areas of Special Interest: Endocrine Disease, Immune Mediated Disease and Renal Disease

Born in Toronto, Ontario, Dr. Dollo came to Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in 2013 to complete a one-year rotating small animal internship. She then completed an internal medicine residency with the Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine Practice (AVIMP). Dr. Dollo is dedicated to giving her patients the best possible quality of life and loves the challenges internal medicine provides. In her spare time, she enjoys scrap booking, traveling, and spending time with her family and two dogs, Jack (Husky) and Petey (Labrador).

Dr. Sarah A. Perdion

Board Eligible: ACVIM-SAIM
Residency: MedVet Associates, 2006
Internship: MedVet Associates, 2003
DVM: The Ohio State University, 2002
BS in Horticulture: The Ohio State University, 1998
Areas of Special Interest: GI Disease, Liver Disease, Renal Disease, and Hematology

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Dr. Perdion came to Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital and joined the Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine Practice in July of 2006. Dr. Perdion enjoys that internal medicine is never boring, and no two days are alike. She likes being a part of her patient’s medical team and helping them get back to the life they deserve. In her spare time, Dr. Perdion spends time with her family and Pete (Terrier mix). She also enjoys reading and scrapbooking.

Dr. Patricia L. Thalhofer

Board Eligible: ACVIM-SAIM
Residency: Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, 2009
Internship: Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, 2006
DVM: The Ohio State University, 2005
BS in Biology: Westminster College, 2001
Areas of interest: Oncology, Hematology, and Cytology

Originally from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Thalhofer joined Akron Veterinary Internal Medicine/Oncology Practice as an associate veterinarian in 2009 after completion of her internal medicine residency. A strong interest in cancer medicine lead to her current position in chemotherapy administration service. Dr. Thalhofer’s compassion for animals shows greatly through her work and dedication to her patients and their owners. In her spare time she enjoys golfing, having dinner with friends, and spending time with her dog, Leon.

Dr. Stephen Dilday

Internal Medicine Resident
Internship: Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital, 2020
DVM: Oklahoma State University, 2019
Registered Veterinary Technician, 2008
Areas of Special Interest: Infectious Disease and Endocrinology

Dr. Dilday is originally from Baden-Wurttenburg Germany, and grew up in both Oklahoma and Germany. He enjoys the challenges often associated with the diagnosis of internal medicine cases, and is passionate about the work we do to improve the quality of life for our patients.

Dr. Dilday has two cats, Eric and Lafayette, and a corn snake named Elphaba. He enjoys gardening, tending to plants, hiking, and exploring nature. Dr. Dilday is excited to explore the nature parks and hiking trails of Northeast Ohio.