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<\/p>\nThere are many reasons why your pet may need to see a veterinary neurologist. The top four reasons our Neurology Service sees pets are for seizures, pain, difficulty walking, and vestibular disease. There are many causes for the four presenting signs; therefore, many patients will be managed and treated differently \u2013 depending on the underlying cause.<\/p>\n
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Some causes to the big four listed above include:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n For our board-certified veterinary neurologists to discover the underlying cause to your pet\u2019s problem, first, they perform a thorough neurologic evaluation. Then, the team will consider various diagnostic testing based upon the <\/span>history that you provide<\/span> and the results of the examination. Most often, this will include an MRI of the nervous system area identified as the problem (for example, the brain, neck or lower spine).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Since our patients do not lie perfectly still for the MRI, general anesthesia is utilized. Prior to anesthesia, blood work and radiographs may be recommended based on your pet\u2019s history and overall health. The MRI allows us to see any structural cause for the problem your pet is experiencing. A spinal tap to evaluate spinal fluid may also be recommended; however, a spinal tap is only performed if safe and necessary based on the MRI.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Depending on the results of the above listed tests, further testing may be necessary (such as <\/span>muscle or nerve biopsies or<\/span> evaluating for infectious diseases). Most commonly, a treatment plan can be created from the information obtained via MRI and\/or spinal fluid analysis to get your pet on the road to recovery. In some cases, for example – when a herniated or slipped disk is present and causing significant compression on the spinal cord – <\/span>surgical intervention is necessary and<\/span> will be discussed.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Although many pets\u2019 neurologic signs can be severe, it does not mean that there aren\u2019t treatment options to get them back to living a great life! If you have any questions or concerns about your pet\u2019s symptoms, talk to your family veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary neurologist.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Continued Reading:\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n1. Seizures<\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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2. Pain<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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<\/p>\n3. Difficulty Walking<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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4. Vestibular Disease<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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<\/h4>\nHow Does A Neurologist Diagnose My Pet?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n
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