Veterinary Neurology:
from diagnosis to treatment
Veterinary neurology deals with the diagnosis and treatment of problems related to the central and peripheral nervous systems of animals. This, just like ours, is extremely complex and each of its districts can be affected by various types of phenomena such as those of a vascular or infectious, traumatic or malformation basis.
Among the most common problems we find:
- Epilepsy
- Slipped disc
- degenerative myelopathy
- Chiari type malformation
- Hydrosyringomyelia
- Vestibular syndrome
- Wobbler syndrome
But also in forms related to:
- Trauma
- Neoplasie
- degenerative forms
- Inflammatory/infectious phenomena
Watch out for symptoms
To protect the animal’s health, it is therefore of fundamental importance to monitor and pay attention to the possible appearance of symptoms which, if caught in time, can make the difference in terms of the success of the therapy.
Some of the most frequent are:
- Irregular eye movements
- Loss of balance
- Paralysis
- Tremors and convulsions
- Behavioral changes
- Changes in gait.
The neurological visit
In case of suspected neurological problem, the first step to take is to submit the animal to a neurological examination to obtain a precise diagnosis of the problem and the affected region.
Theneurological examination includes the evaluation of some parameters such as mental state, posture, gait, proprioception (understood as the non-visual perception of one’s body in space) and the reflexes of the cranial and spinal nerves. For a correct diagnosis, however, advanced diagnostic tests and an examination of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) may also be required.
Therapies
Once the problem has been diagnosed, the possible therapies vary from case to case, but the most common are:
- Pharmacological therapies
- Neurosurgery
- Supportive care (such as physiotherapy)
In our clinic you will find highly specialized medical staff ready to assist and treat your four-legged friend with cutting-edge equipment and techniques.