The complexity and sophistication of modern veterinary medicine has led to an increasing trend toward specialization in the profession. Veterinary specialty certification is both species-specific and area-specific.

Species-specific certification is administered and overseen by The American Board of Veterinary Practitioners (ABVP). The ABVP is accredited by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties (ABVS), the umbrella organization for veterinary specialties within the United States. The ABVP provides specialty certification to veterinarians in the following practice categories:

• Avian Practice
• Equine Practice
• Beef Cattle Practice
• Feline Practice
• Canine/Feline Practice
• Exotic Companion Mammal Practice
• Food Animal Practice
• Dairy Practice
• Swine Health Management

In addition to species-specific specialty certification, veterinarians can choose to obtain specialty certification in various clinical specialties. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), of which the ABVS is a part, recognizes 20 veterinary specialty organizations comprising 39 distinct specialties, including dermatology, internal medicine, nutrition, ophthalmology, surgery, dentistry, and pharmacology.

According to the AVMA, there were 8,885 active board-certified "diplomates'' (as certified specialists are called) as of December 2007.

The AVMA Web site maintains a list of recognized veterinary specialty organizations, which can be accessed by the public. The Web sites of most of these organizations provide a search function to enable pet owners to locate specialists in their state. Naturally, some specialties are more common than others and the more populous a state or city, the easier it will be to locate a specialist.