Neurology and Neurosurgery

Our specialist-led neurology and neurosurgery referral team is here to investigate and treat pets affected by brain, spinal and neuromuscular disorders.  We have outstanding facilities and the state-of-the-art equipment including high-field MRI, CT and a purpose-built neurodiagnostics suite.

Our aim is to provide the best care for pets and owners and to minimise unnecessary costs with our affordable fixed-price packages.

To support cats with neurological problems we also offer a feline neurology clinic.  We also run an epilepsy clinic that offers specialised appointments with ongoing phone support for epileptic pets, and fixed-price ‘Tier 3’ investigations to ensure the highest diagnostic confidence.

Our Neurology team are happy to provide non-urgent advice to referring veterinary surgeons here.  For urgent or emergency cases, please call the hospital on 01793 528 341 as we aim to provide this and see emergency referrals same-day.

What will happen on the day of the appointment?

Neurological conditions can be very worrying for pet owners, and our client care team will greet you and ensure you and your pet are made to feel comfortable.

An in-depth consultation and assessment will be led by a vet with at least four years of specialist training in neurology.  They will discuss your pet’s condition and make a bespoke diagnostic and therapeutic plan.

Following this, we usually arrange admission for procedures such as MRI that require a general anaesthetic on a day that is convenient for you, but if it is urgent, your pet will be admitted to our hospital.

After investigations, arrangements will be made so that diagnostic test results and follow-up such as planned neurosurgery can be discussed.

What facilities are available at Eastcott?

We are lucky to have an outstanding range including

• MRI (an AI-enhanced 1.5 T Phillips MR 5300), 64 slice CT, fluoroscopy, x-ray and ultrasound
• Electrodiagnostics including EEG for investigating electrical brain activity, EMG and nerve conduction for investigating nerves and muscles, and BAER to test hearing.
• In-house cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis via cytospin
• Advanced neurosurgery equipment including an ultrasonic aspirator for tumour removal and expertise in 3D-printing for spinal surgery
• An ICU that is staffed 24 hours a day
• Physiotherapy service in-house to look after patients after surgery or spinal injury

The neurology team works closely with other specialists from across the hospital as part of a holistic approach to patient care.

Our Neurology team

We have some of the most highly qualified specialists working in the field of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery.

Out team are accredited by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and European Board of Veterinary Specialisation as specialists in their field.  This is the highest level of qualification available and requires at least four years of specialist training.

To meet the team click here.

What kinds of neurological conditions do you see?

We accept referrals for a complete range of conditions of the brain, spinal cord and neuromuscular system, including

• Spinal problems causing pain or difficult walking due to incoordination or weakness
• Brain disorders causing change in behaviour, loss of balance or circling
• Seizure disorders and similar problems such as paroxysmal dyskinesia, which benefit greatly from our fixed price epilepsy investigation package that includes EEG for confident diagnosis
• Balance problems causing a ‘head tilt’ (vestibular syndrome)
• Weakness causing by nerve or muscle problems (neuromuscular disease)

In addition we frequently perform neurosurgery for carefully selected patients who require it

• Spinal surgery for conditions such as disc extrusions (IVDD or ‘slipped disc’), wobbler syndrome or lumbosacral disease
• We also have considerable neurosurgical experience dealing with tumours affecting the nervous system, and when possible we perform neurosurgery to restore quality of life

A more complete list of conditions treated is here