Rocky Mountain Veterinary Neurology Englewood, CO Veterinary Neurology

Veterinary Neurology & Neurosurgery Services in Colorado

Diagnosing and treating neurological disorders can be complex due to the various clinical signs and symptoms they can cause in your pet. Our team is highly trained and skilled in identifying clinical signs of neurological conditions, so if your pet is facing a neurologic diagnosis, we are here to provide advanced medical care with a healthy dose of compassion.

Neurological Conditions in Cats and Dogs

Neurological conditions can be debilitating for pets, impacting their quality of life and taking them away from their favorite activities. Fortunately, most of the common neurological conditions in pets are highly treatable with the help of a veterinary neurologist.

Your pet’s primary care veterinarian may refer you to our neurology service if your pet has:

• Epilepsy
• Ruptured discs
• Spinal or head injuries
• Meningitis
• Inflammatory brain or spinal cord disorders
• Neuromuscular disorders
• Cancer of the nervous system

Visiting a Neurologist for Pets: What to Expect

Before your pet can be diagnosed with a specific neurological disorder, we obtain their complete health history and perform a thorough physical and neurological examination. This allows us to create a comprehensive therapeutic plan, which may include diagnostic tests, medications, surgery or prescribed rest in some cases.

After the initial examination, the neurologist may recommend specific diagnostic tests to guide your pet’s diagnosis and treatment plan. Most diagnostic tests can be performed right here at our hospital. If extended testing or procedures are needed, your pet may stay overnight or be scheduled to return on a future day. Our team will discuss any potential risks as well as cost estimates during your consultation and scheduling.

On-Site Veterinary Neurological Services

In order to provide the most comprehensive, convenient care for your pet, we offer the following neurological services on site:

• Complete neurologic examinations
• Seizure and neuromuscular disease assessment and management
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Radiographs
• Cerebrospinal fluid centesis (CSF)
• Electrodiagnostic testing, including electromyography (EMG), motor and sensory nerve studies, brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs)
• Muscle and nerve biopsies

Neurosurgery for Pets

Our neurologist continues to be at the forefront in his field, with board-certified specialization in neurosurgery, part of the specialty of veterinary neurology. Dedicated to providing unmatched medical and neurosurgical care for companion animals in Colorado and the nation, our team provides both spinal and cranial neurosurgery for pets.

Types of spinal surgeries include:

• Ventral slot
• Cervical hemilaminectomy
• Thoracic hemilaminectomy
• Lumbar hemilaminectomy
• Cervical dorsal laminectomy
• Thoracic dorsal laminectomy lumbar/lumbosacral dorsal laminectomy
• Spinal stabilization and fracture surgery
• Spinal tumor surgery
• Caudal cervical vertebral malformation/malarticulation (wobbler) surgery

Types of cranial surgeries include:

• Tumor resection
• Tumor removal/debulkement
• Brain biopsy
• Caudal occipital malformation syndrome (COMS)
• Malformation correction
• Ventriculoperitoneal shunting

Pet Wheelchairs

Wheelchairs and carts offer pets mobility, giving them a chance to perform more of their normal daily activities again. These aids can also help facilitate the recovery and rehabilitation process for pets recovering from spinal surgery, spinal cord injuries and neuromuscular disorders.

Pet wheelchair carts are custom-made, lightweight frames with wheels and body support materials. These carts are species-specific (dog, cat, rabbit, etc.) and custom-fitted to each pet. Carts are made to provide front, rear or quad support. Depending upon what kind of support your pet needs, the chairs are made to evenly distribute their weight and remove the effects of gravity, making ambulation possible.

“Bogi is walking like crazy, in a two-wheeled cart, thanks to Dr. Lane at RMVN! I don’t know that anyone else would have even attempted surgery on him. Dr. Lane said he is a young 9-year-old and still has several good years left.”

Some of the most common reasons a pet may benefit from the use of a wheelchair cart include:

• Spinal cord injury and resultant paresis or paralysis
• Post-spinal fracture stabilization surgery
• Post-spinal cord surgery
• Degenerative spinal cord diseases
• Neuromuscular disorders
• Tumor resulting in non-use of a limb
• Cerebellar/balance disorders

“We didn’t have any idea how much improvement would be made to our cat’s life–until Dr. Lane fitted Emma for a pet wheelchair!”

Talk to your primary care veterinarian or Rocky Mountain Veterinary Neurology about a wheelchair or wheel cart for your pet. Our team can assist you in acquiring your pet’s measurements, ordering the right cart for their needs and ensuring the wheelchair is fitted properly. For our recovering patients, we may be able to provide a temporary wheelchair for immediate mobility assistance for your pet, which can aid in their recovery and quality of life.