If you believe your pet is having a neurological issue, please go straight to an emergency room. Time is of the essence with many neurological conditions, particularly anything involving partial or complete paralysis.

Dogs and cats can experience many of the same brain, spinal cord, and neuromuscular problems as humans. These types of disorders fall within the the specialty of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery, and include epilepsy, ruptured vertebral discs, spinal cord injuries, head trauma, brain tumors, and more. Although neurological disorders may cause great distress for pets and owners, many problems can be treated very successfully.

Diagnosis and treatment of a neurological disorder can be complex and challenging. Primary care veterinarians often work with our board certified veterinary specialists in managing disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and neuromuscular systems.

Our neurologist will work with your family veterinarian to provide the care your pet needs. They are experts in managing disorders of the brain, spinal cord, and neuromuscular system. Our team has a wide array of advanced diagnostic modalities at their disposal to assist in the accurate diagnosis of your pet’s neurologic symptoms, including an MRI scan, CT scan, spinal fluid analysis, and muscle and nerve biopsies.

The neurosurgeon at VERC has extensive training in all types of neurosurgery, including laminectomy, ventral slot decompression, cauda equina surgery and craniotomy.

Neurology Services

• Comprehensive Neurological Examination

• Cerebralspinal Fluid Collection: Commonly called a “spinal tap,” this is a procedure which is performed under general anesthesia in animals. A needle is introduced into the spinal fluid space using sterile technique to obtain a fluid sample. Analysis of the spinal fluid is then performed as part of an evaluation of the central nervous system for signs of disease.

• Brain Surgery

  • Craniotomy: This is a surgical procedure where a portion of the skull is removed to allow access to the brain. Common indications include head trauma and tumors of the brain.

  • Foramen Magnum Decompression: This is a surgical procedure where the foramen magnum of the skull is enlarged to alleviate compression of the cerebellum and brainstem caused by Caudal Occipital Malformation Syndrome.

• Spinal Surgery

  • Hemilaminectomy: This is a surgical procedure where a portion of the vertebral canal is removed, often to allow access to the central nervous system or intervertebral discs.

  • Ventral Slot Decompression: This is a surgical procedure that is performed to remove herniated intervertebral disc material from the cervical region of the vertebral column.

  • Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt Placement: This is a surgical procedure where excessive fluid pressure within the central nervous system is relieved by placing a sterile stent to drain the fluid into the abdominal cavity. This is most commonly performed to treat hydrocephalus.

• At-home Custom Physical Rehabilitation

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Some commonly diagnosed neurological disorders include:

• Seizures

• Vestibular Disease

• Encephalitis

• Strokes

• Brain Tumors

• Head Trauma

• Congenital Anomalies

• Paralysis

• Neuromuscular Disorders (Myasthenia Gravis, Neuropathy)

• Atlantoaxial Instability

• Intervertebral Disk Disease (IVDD)

• Diskospondylitis

• Syringohydromyelia

• Degenerative Myelopathy

• Spinal Tumors

• Spinal Fractures

Diagnostics

• Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis (Spinal Tap)

• Computed Tomography (CT Scan)

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

• Muscle & Nerve Biopsy

• Nerve Conduction Velocity (NCV)