For Referring Veterinarians

  The brain is amazing. It houses an extraordinary number of electrical impulses and trillions of connections controlling everything in the body. With so many connections, it’s not surprising that sometimes there can be a misfire. Such abnormal electrical activity in the brain causes seizures in pets.   Seizures can occur from an issue outside the brain (metabolic) or an issue inside the brain. Issues outside the brain may include…

Spinal cord injury in the dog has a variety of stages (peracute to chronic) and severity (from complete paralysis) on emergency presentation to a planned appointment for back pain. While many diseases can cause damage to the spinal cord, it is key to recognize which diseases can be managed on an outpatientbasis and when patients should be referred for neurosurgical diagnostics and treatment. Common Diseases Causing Spinal Cord Injury in Dogs The most common diseases…

Intervertebral disc disease (IVDD) is a commonly encountered neurological disease of the dog; however, clinical signs within this affected population can be widely variable. With a broad spectrum of clinical presentations, it is important for veterinarians to identify between cases that can be medically managed and those that would benefit from referral. The goal of this article is to provide tools for identifying cases of suspected IVDD and tips for determining when to rest versus…