NEUROLOGY
Our Expertise
Our Neurology service is led by Dr. Colleen Embersics and Dr. Arturo Otamendi and offers an array of diagnostic and treatments for animals affected by neurological and spinal issues.
Conditions Treated or Managed
Brain Disorders
- Seizure disorders - status epilepticus, cluster seizures, and refractory epilepsy
- Intracranial neoplasia
- Skull neoplasia
- Stroke
- Infectious encephalitis
- Non-infectious encephalitis
- Hydrocephalus
- Chiari-like malformation
- Congenital anomalies
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Canine cognitive dysfunction syndrome
Spinal Cord Disorders
- Intervertebral disc disease
- Intervertebral disc herniations
- Discospondylitis / Diskospondylitis
- Cervical spondylomyelopathy (Wobbler syndrome)
- Empyema
- Spinal cord cancer/tumors
- Vertebral cancer/tumors
- Fibrocartilaginous embolic (FCE) myelopathy
- Infectious and non-infectious meningitis / myelitis
- Steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA)
- Congenital vertebral malformations
- Degenerative lumbosacral stenosis
- Degenerative myelopathy
- Arachnoid diverticulum
- Traumatic spinal cord injuries
- Brachial plexus avulsions
Neuromuscular Disorders
- Myasthenia gravis
- Optic neuritis
- Masticatory muscle myositis
- Facial nerve paresis/paralysis
- Vestibular diseases
- Myotonia and pseudomyotonia
- Infectious and non-infectious neuritis and myositis
- Nerve sheath tumors
- Compressive and traumatic neuropathies
- Congenital neuromuscular disorders
- Polyradiculoneuritis (Coon Hound Paralysis)
- Tick paralysis
Other
- Movement disorders
- Narcolepsy with and without cataplexy
- Sleep behavior disorders
- Neuropathic pain
Diagnostics
Neurological examination and localization
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) collection and analysis
Diagnostic Imaging
- Radiographs
- Ultrasound
- Computed Tomo-graphy (CT)
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Electrodiagnostics
- Electroencephalo-graphy (EEG)
- Ambulatory electroencephalo-graphy (aEEG)
- Electroretinography (ERG)
- Brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER)
- Electromyography (EMG)
- Nerve conduction velocities (NCV)–motor and sensory
- Repetitive nerve stimulation
- Late (F/H) waves
Surgical Procedures
- Craniotomy
- Craniectomy
- Foramen magnum decompression
- Ventriculoperitoneal shunt placement
- Hemilaminectomy
- Dorsal Laminectomy
- Pediculectomy
- Foraminotomy
- Ventral slot procedure
- Intervertebral disc fenestrations
- Vertebral fracture/luxation stabilization
- Atlantoaxial luxation stabilization (ventral approach)
- Brain/vertebral/skull tumor excision/debulking
- Nerve biopsy
- Muscle biopsy
- Stereotactic surgery
Referrals
Appointments are by referral only. If you are a pet owner, please ask your veterinarian for a referral. Referring veterinarians can contact our Veterinary Teaching Hospital. Please contact Shelby Panepinto, Service Coordinator, at 225-578-5109
Our Team
Dr. Colleen Embersics is originally from Texas, where she attended the Texas Academy of Leadership and Stephen F. Austin State University. Following graduation from the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Embersics completed a one-year rotating small animal medicine and surgery internship with an interest in neurology and neurosurgery at the Purdue University Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital. Following her internship, Dr. Embersics completed a residency in neurology and neurosurgery at the University of California, Davis. She joined the faculty at LSU Vet Med in October 2022. She is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology/Neurosurgery). Her clinical interests include stereotactic neurosurgery, electrophysiology, sleep disorders, neurogenetics, and personalized medicine.
Dr. Arturo Otamendi received his DVM from LSU Vet Med in 2014. He completed a rotating internship at North Carolina State University's veterinary school and a neurology residency at Texas A&M University's veterinary school. He is a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology/Neurosurgery). His clinical interests include managing complicated seizure cases and patients with inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system.
Dr. Sarah Im is a neurology intern.
Michael Boudreaux
Sarah Jackson