A veterinary neurologist is a board-certified specialist who diagnoses and treats disorders of the nervous system in animals. This includes conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and muscles.
Typically, your primary care veterinarian will refer your pet to a veterinary neurologist when advanced diagnostics, medical management, or surgical interventions are needed to address a complex neurological condition.
To become a veterinary neurologist takes years of intensive education and training. After earning a veterinary degree (a DVM or VMD), they complete a rigorous one-year internship, a highly competitive three-year residency in neurology and neurosurgery, and a comprehensive series of exams certified by the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (ACVIM).
Upon successful completion of this demanding post-graduate training regimen and exams, the individual is considered a board-certified member of the ACVIM, also called an ACVIM Diplomate (DACVIM). Today, there are fewer than 500 active, board-certified veterinary neurologists in the entire world—and Dr. Jeff Clarke, Independence Veterinary Neurology’s founder, is one of them.
