Posted with permission of and directly from Langford Vets, Small Animal Referral Hospital For further information or to become involved, please contact Epilepsy Clinic - Langford Vets
At Langford Vets Small Animal Referral Hospital, we are pleased to announce the launch of our new Epilepsy Clinic, led by the largest team of EBVS and RCVS Specialists in Veterinary Neurology in the South West. We recognise that epilepsy not only affects the quality of life of pets but also has a profound impact on their owners. With our new Epilepsy Clinic we aim to provide the best possible support for pets, owners and their local family Vet. We appreciate some cases may be more challenging than others, and we believe that understanding is key to effective management of epilepsy. To facilitate this, in addition to our standard referral for new epileptics, we now offer anenhanced pathway for epileptics via our online referral portal. Thisenhanced pathway offers a comprehensive in-person consultation (including discussing further investigations, and a clear initial treatment plan provided for you and your referring vets), with follow-up advice provided by email with your referring vets if they require this. Following the consultation, access will be provided to aprivate online information huband a 3-month and 6-month follow-up teleconsultation arranged. We know that having consistent and regularly available advice is really important for both vets and owners. We are dedicated to providing this consistent advice and support to ensure that a clear and effective treatment plan is always available, helping to improve the quality of life for both pets and their families. More information on our epilepsy clinic can be found here:Epilepsy Clinic | Langford Vets
We are also excited to offer canine-specific Vagal Nerve Stimulator (VNS) therapy. These are veterinary specific implants that Neurology clinical lead Tom Harcourt-Brown has been involved with designing and we are pleased to again be able to use this treatment for dogs with epilepsy. VNS therapy involves using an implant to repeatedly stimulate the vagus nerve at a variable frequency and strength. These impulses are then carried by the vagus nerve to the brain. This regular stimulation alters the neurotransmitter balance in the brain to inhibit generation and spread of seizures. In dogs who can tolerate the device, seizures start to significantly decrease in frequency after 18-24 months. After 3-4 years, most dogs had changed from a seizure frequency of more than one per month to none over 6-18 months. Please follow this link for more information on the VNS:Vagus Nerve Stimulator | Langford Vets
