Southeast Veterinary Neurology

Whether we’re talking about livestock, working animals, or beloved pets, animals matter to people. Since our earliest recorded history, we have been providing our animal partners with some sort of medical care, and over time, veterinary medicine has made important contributions to both animal and human health.

Today, veterinarians work in private and corporate clinical practice, education, private industry, public health, and government and military services. They ensure our food supply is safe, control the spread of diseases, and pursue research that benefits both animals and humans. Veterinarians play a vital role in protecting the public’s health and general welfare.

In recent decades, veterinary medicine has markedly advanced, leading to a growing number of veterinary specialties that mirror human medicine. Veterinary treatment options now include specialized care for anything from dermatological and ophthalmological conditions to oncological and neurological diseases.

Neurological diseases are disorders of the nervous system. Just like people, animals have a nervous system consisting of a brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles. The nervous system helps the body interact with its surroundings through vision, touch, smell, hearing, and balance. It also tells the rest of the body what to do by initiating and controlling movements. When the nervous system is unhealthy, the symptoms can be dramatic. But even conditions that look dramatic can improve with proper treatment.

Still, neurological cases can be complex, confusing, and intimidating, especially when the patient is a pet that cannot offer any verbal insight. Not that long ago, euthanasia might have been the most accessible solution to pet parents. But the past few years have seen a cultural shift in how people view and care for animals. Smaller creatures have moved into our homes, and are largely considered part of our families now. The demand for quality care has led to the  emergence of board-certified veterinary specialists in just about every area of medicine available to humans.

And that’s where we come in. A leader in veterinary neurology, neurosurgery, and advanced imaging, Southeast Veterinary Neurology (SEVN) exclusively treats diseases of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles in dogs and cats. Our neurologists are board certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, which ensures the highest level of training, experience, and expertise in neurology and neurosurgery.

Most neurological conditions in pets are urgent. With fewer than 300 board-certified neurologists practicing in North America, it’s no easy task, but SEVN strives to be available to people and their pets whenever they need us, day or night. Some of the most common conditions we treat in pets are:

• Intervertebral Disc Disease (IVDD)

• Seizures

• Vestibular Disease

• Atlantoaxial (AA) Luxation

• Encephalitis

• Chiari-like Malformation and Syringomyelia

• Fibrocartilaginous Embolism (FCE)

• Brain Tumors

• Discospondylitis

• Strokes

In most cases we evaluate, advanced imaging is necessary for accurate diagnosing. We use the latest technologies for our services including the most powerful MRI machines for animals, a multi-slice CT scanner, an ultrasonic aspirator for brain tumor removal, and tools to evaluate hearing and check for muscle and nerve disease. Some of our diagnostic testing includes:

• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

• CT (computed tomography or CAT scan)

• CT Myelography

• Spinal Radiography (X-rays)

• CSF Analysis (cerebrospinal fluid analysis)

• Electrodiagnostic Studies

• EMG (electromyography)

• Nerve Conduction Studies

• BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response) Hearing Test

Because we exclusively treat neurological conditions, we perform highly complex procedures every day and have completed thousands of successful neurosurgical procedures. Some of the procedures we perform at SEVN include:

• Spinal Surgery

○ Intervertebral Disc Surgery

○ Stabilizations (atlantoaxial, lumbosacral, fracture)

○ Cyst resection

○Tumor removal

• Brain Surgery

○ Tumor Removal and Biopsy

○ Foramen Magnum Decompression

○ VP Shunt Placement

• Nerve and Muscle Biopsy

But we don’t just offer first-class neurological care to pets at SEVN. Our mission is to keep families together by providing second chances to pets with neurological disease and hope to the people who love them. At SEVN, we come together to change outcomes and transform lives. Every day, we accomplish the impossible, like helping paralyzed pets walk again. And every day, we make it possible for families to enjoy their pets for the rest of their precious time together. What we do matters.