Veterinarian Partners

Neurology is concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders in the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and neuromuscular junction. PVESC’s board-certified veterinary neurologist and neurology team are committed to high-quality medicine, surgery, and patient care.

NEUROLOGICAL CASES, SURGERIES AND PROCEDURES

By appointment or on an emergency basis, our neurologist manages dogs and cats with seizure disorders, inflammatory/infectious meningoencephalomyelitis, cognitive or behavioral changes, traumatic brain injury, neurodegenerative disorders, lower motor neuron disease, interverbal disc disease, neuropathic pain, neuromuscular disorders, and more. Our neurology team can treat certain conditions with surgical decompression. This includes decompressive spinal surgeries for intervertebral disc disease (hemilaminectomies for thoracolumbar spine, ventral slots for cervical spine, and dorsal laminectomies for lumbar or cervical spine). T hey also perform other specialized procedures such as spinal taps, muscle/nerve biopsies, and more.

PATIENT REFERRAL

Veterinary hospitals can refer patients to the PVESC neurology service on weekdays by phone, 207-878-3121 option 4, or by emailing specialty@pvesc.com. If emailing, please note “neurology referral” in the subject line, attach the patient records and veterinary referral form. Once the records are received, we will contact the client to schedule a consultation. Clients are welcome to call us directly as well, at which time we will request the patient records and referral form from the referring veterinary hospital.

Veterinarians are welcome to email or call directly with any case and referral questions.

For after hour and weekend emergency neurology referrals, please contact our emergency department directly.

CANCER IN PETS

Cancer is a leading cause of death in dogs and cats. A consultation with a veterinary oncologist can provide your clients with valuable information regarding treatment options and expectations for their pets. At Portland Veterinary Emergency and Specialty Care, our oncology department is comprised of experienced medical and surgical specialists trained specifically in cancer treatment for pets. Understanding that the focus must always be on the quality of life, we do everything we can to help our patients through this difficult journey—whether the choice is no treatment, eastern-based supplements, chemotherapy, surgery, or some combination.

LIFE FOR CHEMOTHERAPY PATIENTS

Chances are that you, or someone you know, have experienced chemotherapy for the treatment of cancer. Veterinarian oncologists use veterinary specific chemotherapeutic agents, and they also use many of the same chemotherapy agents that human oncologists use. Yet, in many ways, the experience for pets seems very different than humans. Why? For one thing, dosages of chemotherapy agents used in animals tend to be much lower than those used in people. Humans are given the highest doses possible, the consequences of which may require bone marrow transplantation, extended hospitalization, and numerous costly medications—all with good cause. However, for veterinary patients, this process would be undesirable and cost-prohibitive for most owners. Treatment for pets is thus geared to maintain good quality of life. The general quality of life for many veterinary cancer treatment patients can be surprisingly good and very close to normal. Most of the time they can maintain their normal activities, travel, and have fun with the families that love and care for them.