History of animal neurology

Veterinary neurology is a relatively young branch of small animal medicine despite the fact that first scientific descriptions of neurological abnormalities in animals appeared in seventeen century already. First scientific publications concerning neurology of animals (Dexler H., 1899) were published in nineteenth century but they were exceptionaly rare. 

Modern veterinary neurology started to develop in the last century with a help of human neurologists who were interested in animal neurology. The biggest advances in this field were achieved after World War II. The fundmental contribution to animal neurology in Europe was made by tandem of R.Fankhauser and E.Frauchiger in Switzerland. They established fundamentals in veterinary pathology of the nervous system. Fundamental publications could be considered the "Neurological Diseases of the Dog" (1949) and "Comparative Neuropathology of Man and Animals" (1957). Almost at the same time was issued publication of J.T.McGranth "Neurological Examination of the Dog" (1956) where was first time fully described the clinical neurological examination. A.C.Palmer, B.F.Hoerlein, J.E.Oliver contributed to development of veterinary neurology. Most of modern veterinary neurology is based on publications of these clinicians and scientists. I.G.Mayhew can be considered the pioneer of the modern neurology of large animals. Generations of neurologists were studying from his book "Large Animal Neurology" (1989).

The neuroanatomy and neurophysiology is considered to be a complicated area of neuroscience in both humans and animals. Thanks to textbooks of Th.W.Jenkins and A.De Lahunta the neuroanatomy and neurophysiology areas became much more understandable (respectively: "Functional Mammalian Neuroanatomy" (1972) and "Veterinary Neuroanatomy and Clinical Neurology" (1983)).

Since 1987 the European College of Veterinary Neurology has been grounded and the systematical postgraduate education of the veterinary neurologists started in Europe (http://www.khd.ugent.be/neurology/ecvn/index.html). The European veterinary neurology program aim is to educate the veterinary neurologist so that the specialist would be able to examine and treat all animal species with neurological diseases.  Currently there are approximately 80 veterinary neurology specialists (Diplomate of European College of Veterinary Neurology) in Europe and the number of them is constantly growing. In the USA the specialisation in veterinary neurology has similar system and has been started even earlier than the European.

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