How to Find a Veterinary Neurologist

Veterinary neurologists treat diseases of the nervous system, including cancers, injuries of the spinal cord, epilepsy, seizures and genetic conditions. In order to find a veterinary neurologist or any other specialist, you will probably need a referral from your regular veterinarian. Even among neurologists there are subspecialties, such as neuro-oncology for animals with cancer involving the nervous system, so finding the best specialist involves a little more than simply looking through the phone book.

Instructions

1. Work with your regular veterinarian, but if you are not seeing a satisfactory resolution of your pet's health issues, ask for a referral. Most vets have a network of specialists to whom they refer. Teaching hospitals and larger veterinary medical centers have specialists on staff; depending on where you live, you may be able to choose among several neurologists.

2. Learn everything you can about your pet's neurological disease or condition. You can find trustworthy information on vet school websites (usually ending in ".edu"). If you have a breed with a disorder common to that breed, you may also find valuable information on the disorder and various treatments. The better your understanding of your pet's condition, the better equipped you will be to find a specialist.

3. Network. If you are a member of a dog club or online pet-loving community, find out from others what their experiences were with similar health issues and get recommendations.

4. Research veterinary neurologists online, either through the hospital or university where they work (most have their backgrounds and areas of research posted), online vet journal databases or association links. (See Resources.) Many specialists have authored or co-authored research and scholastic papers, which can give you insight into their areas of expertise.

5. Talk to the neurologist about your pet's health problems, either on the phone or during an initial appointment. Ask about her previous experiences with similar issues, how the issues were resolved and if there are new treatment protocols that may be promising.

6. If your pet needs a diagnostic work-up and testing, such as an MRI, CT scan or electromyelogram, ask if the doctor has up-to-date equipment on site, or if he will refer you to another facility for diagnostics. This can affect both price and treatment efficiency.

7. Compare treatment prices, if money is a concern. Specialist services can be quite expensive, and costs will vary from facility to facility. Consider going out of state if there is a big cost disparity for similar treatment. Teaching veterinary hospitals often have ongoing research studies. If one is suitable for your pet, this can get you top-notch care for little or even no cost.

8. Try to find a team at the same hospital if you are treating more than one problem, such as cancer along with the neurological issues. This makes it easier for the two disciplines to work together.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a journal of your pet's condition. This will help you stay alert to changes, and you'll be able to communicate better with your vet.

References

• Veterinary neurologists by state

Resources

• Find a veterinary neurologist