What is a Dog Neurologist?

A dog neurologist is a animal doctor that specializes in treating our furry canines for tremors, seizures, brain and spine disorders, muscles, unusual behavior, abnormal gait and balance issues. These doctors are board-certified DVM veterinary neurologist can treat animal melodies but specialize in dog neurology. These doctors are veterinarians who completed a veterinary school program, have graduated from college, have completed a one-year internship followed by a three-year residency program in the field of animal neurology.

Dog Neurologist are certified to do extensive test on dogs by using the following medical equipment: :

These tests help to determine a cause for acute or chronic problems and will ultimately determine the proper course of treatment. A doctor of veterinary medicine has the ability to diagnose and treat all animals for endless diseases and injuries, but when an animal displays neurological symptoms the veterinarian will partner with a board-certified veterinary neurologist to diagnose and treat the patient.

Why Should I see a Dog Neurologist?

Visit a animal or dog neurologist if your dog experiences any of the following symptoms:

  • The dog is wobbling
  • The dog is having difficulty walking or standing
  • The dog is showing signs of weakness
  • The dog is circling or falling
  • The dog is having balancing issues
  • The dog barks have changed
  • The dog is having issues swallowing
  • The dog struggles to keep its head up
  • The dog has spinal pain (could be neck or back) and isn’t responding to medication
  • The dog gets easily fatigued or tired
  • The dog has acutely become blind
  • The dog acts confused or has odd behavior

Contact your veterinarian or make an appointment with a veterinary neurologist if your dog experiences any of the symptoms. You can also visit our dog neurologist in Mission Viejo at our animal neurology center or visit our emergency department.

Dr. Ali Gorgi

BrightCare's Board Certified Canine Neurologist/Neurosurgeon

Dr. Ali has been practicing neurology and neurosurgery for over ten years and is one of BrightCare’s brightest vet neurologist in Southern California. He has spent his life focusing in becoming the leading expert in dog neurology. Dr. Ali is also one of most successful dog neurologist that many clients continue to be part of the community years after the treatment or procedure has been completed. Aside from his advance knowledge on dog neurology, Dr. Ali is also a very skilled vet neurologist and a highly accomplished neurosurgeon that has performed advance procedures such as hydrocephalus, caudal occipital malformation syndrome, atlantoaxial luxation, wobblers syndrome, spinal and brain tumors, and skull fracture repairs.   

What to expect when you visit a dog neurologist?

Degenerative Myelopathy

Before the Appointment

  • Before your appointment we recommend to make/request a copy your dog’s medical records. Your veterinarian will send us a copy of the medical records of your dog if he referred you to our dog neurologist.
  • The day before your appointment, a member our staff will contact you and will give you instructions and possible ask your for further information.

Coming in for the Consultation

  • You will be greeted by our friendly staff the moment you walk into our door. Our staff will give you New Patients Forms to fill out. For your convenience, you can download New Patient Forms from our website before your appointment. It can save you time during your first visit.
  • We offer free refreshments and WiFi to all our patients so feel free to take advantage of these while you wait to be called.

The Consultation

  • Once ready a member of our staff will guide you and your dog to one our exam rooms. In the exam room a member of our team will check your dog’s vitals go over the medical history with you.
  • The dog neurologist will come in shortly after and will begin examining your dog. This process can take up to two hours, depending on test and the nature of the problem.
  • The dog neurologist will then discuss his/her findings and will recommend treatments options and available diagnostics for your dog.

Treatment

  • Once we have your consent we will proceed with treatment or procedure. We may ask to keep your dog for a few hours or overnight if our dog neurologist thinks we need to do further testing, treatment or observation.
  • We will contact you once your dog is ready to go home. We will go over all the information you may need. This information will include cost, medication and how to administer them, information on what to expect during recovery, procedure and how to aid your dog during its recovery.
  • Feel free to ask the neurologist any questions you may have. We want to make sure your dog gets the best care for a fast and save recovery. We are more than happy to assist you with any concerns you may have. You can also call us should you need any assistance or questions at any time.
  • We will follow up with an appointment to ensure the treatment was successful. We hope to see your dog happy and healthy again.