Veterinary Neurology Center

Dr. Dillard's skilled hands saved my dog from a severe neck injury that caused him pain and discomfort. The staff and doctors at the Neurological Center are superb professionals. I give them all 10 stars not five. Read Less

Dr schissler is amazing , he diagnosed a problem with our shiztzu within 2 min , where other dvm's were stumped. He preformed disc surgery on our dog . The before and after care has been excellent , the other Drs ,techs and assistance along with Dr schissler have been extremely kind , patient and professional as well as being there for questions and concerns almost immediately every time we have called. There customer service is next to none. I recommend them to anyone and everyone . I only wish my Dr and his staff was as great as them. They really care about there animal patients and it shows. Read Less

Dr Dillard and staff were wonderful in treating our little Havanese Hadley. They found out what was wrong with her really fast and she is doing so much better. Everyone there is extremely nice and it was a pleasant change from the vet office we had been dealing with previously. Read Less

Was recommended by our vet to the VNC. Took over one hour and the visit was well worth the trip. First getting an appointment was quick. When we got there before I got to the counter we were greeted with a warm welcome. When we sat down one of the girls came over to us and started talking to Max ( our 9 yr old Yorkie ). Michelle, Kathy and Jaime are the best ladies working behind the desk. I appreciated each one coming to let me know what was happening while I waited in the lobby. These girls are so concerned and attentive to the needs of pets and owners. Dr Vurik was the best. Sat down with me to have a chat about Max and explained throughly about our situation. She is the best. Thank you all at VNC. Read Less

I've been to see the vet here three times with three different dogs.  I love the staff!  They are extremely rescue friendly and I will recommend this center any/every time I hear of a need to see a neurologist.  The office is clean and EXTREMELY easy to get to from the toll roads. Read Less

These 5-Stars are definitely deserving of this Vet. I've taken my dogs to multiple vets over the years as I travel a lot for my job, and Vet Neurology Center has been the absolute BEST experience I've had. Dr. Schissler took care of my pug Cash last year (pug myelopothy) and was extremely helpful in addressing my concerns and questions. Cash is still doing great & walking around on his own at 11yrs young! Highly recommend this vet. I have no problem driving from LA where I live just to take my dogs here because I know they're in good hands with Dr. Schissler & staff. Jaime at the front desk is great also & deserves recognition as well! Read Less

Very calm and quiet atmosphere, perfect for an ill pet. Front office staff very personable and Dr. Hansen was great. Made our dog feel comfortable, but hes very knowledgeable. We have been here twice and would recommend.Read Less

This is a review on behalf of our cat who had IVDD (herniated disc). My purpose here is to help anyone else with a cat (or dog) in this situation. If I had to give a review for diagnostics it would be a 4. The doctor and staff were very nice and got us in right away and I believe did a good job figuring out what was wrong with our pet. It was very expensive ($2,500) but their technology was state-of-the-art. I also liked that they were able to have so many specialty offices close together to get multiple perspectives on the issue (I think it was the orthopedic office our cat also visited). Later our vet even did a consultation with other vets about surgical strategies which I really appreciated. The one star I would take off was the fact that I was given a lot less information than the doctors who got the pet records. They were surprised that I wasn't told certain things (such as the herniation was leaning on the weakness side not the pain side) that were very important to know. I think doctors (human or veterinary) sometimes treat patients and pet parents as if we're not intelligent enough to be part of the discussion or the process. Get copies of your records and copies of your MRI disc (so you have then to take to different doctors - this was an issue for us). Learn the vocabulary so you know what's going on. Also have the doctor go over the estimate with you. Ours handed it to us and basically walked away. Some codes made little sense (later the doctor would say, "well actually x means y" etc.) and we didn't have a good idea of the procedures our pet would be going through. That's a problem even when you are in a good state of mind - but when you are distraught over the state of your pet it's even more important to have someone spend the time to do this with you.We ultimately decided against surgery because of the very advanced age of our cat. We moved on to regular vets, acupuncturists, laser therapists, at home vets, ER vets, etc. Another $2500. Sadly our cat got worse. He went from being able to crab-walk to not wanting to move and having trouble going to the bathroom. His condition got more and more painful and despite trying different types of pain medicines he became more and more unhappy and stopped eating. Ultimately his quality of life was gone and he was put to sleep. Months later I am still heartbroken and don't expect that to change any time soon. I wish we had gotten good advice on non-surgical treatments and options. I've subsequently found out that he should have been put on cage rest for 4-6 weeks. I believe if I had been told this by any of the doctors (especially early on) he might still be here. I'll never forgive myself for not doing better by him. He was my best friend, my little boy - and I failed him. I just don't understand why no one told me to do this. I was told about cat wheelchairs but not how to restrict his movement to let his poor little body try to heal. I understand that surgeons prefer to solve problems via surgery but there needs to be a conveying of good non-surgical options when the owners choose a different course. Information is power - and for whatever reason I didn't get the information I needed. If you decide against surgery do cage rest - it's worked for a lot of pets. I'll always wonder if it would have worked for mine. There are also some good websites for pets with disabilities. I don't know why but I didn't find these when my pet was hurt - only after he died. Maybe this can help someone else. Read Less

I should have left this review years ago! My baby boy Brice (at the time of surgery 6/30/14) was a 7 years old Brussels Griffon, 8 lbs. Brice had some type of whole body spasm (kind of had the look of being electrically shocked), his whole body went into an "S" shape and couldn't move. We rushed him to Yorba Regional Hospital in Anaheim Hills who could not figure out the issue, but felt it was neurological. They referred us to Veterinary Neuro on a rush basis. We went directly to the Neuro Center where Brice had an MRI, which revealed he had atlantoaxial subluxation (first two cervical vertebrae in the neck are not firmly attached to each other). Dr. Hanson was very nice, patient and straight to the point, Brice needed a neck fusion on an emergency basis. He told us it was complex and Brice may not make it, but if it's a success he will never be 100% but will have a quality life. Dr. Hanson did the surgery the same day! Three years later Brice is still alive and doing well. He can no longer jump on couches or beds but he's happy and is still capable of playing with his 3 brothers/sisters. Thank you Dr. Hanson for saving Brice's life! Brice will soon be 10 years old. Read Less

We can't say enough good things about the staff, especially Jayme (front desk/Dr. Assistant) and Dr. Schissler.  We are so grateful that our Vet sent us here because we were scared, confused and heart broken when our girl suddenly became paralyzed last November.  Dr. Schissler and Jayme have been caring, understanding, and made us feel at ease since day one. Turned out that our girl (toy poodle) has IVDD and a disc rupture caused the paralysis. Dr. Schissler has been a true blessing for us.  He is always honest with us and informative. Thanks to him our girl is walking again and is doing better than expected. We are at about six months post-surgery and Dr. Schissler and his staff continue to treat us with so much care, respect, and understanding when we go in for rechecks even if the recheck is just to make us feel warm and fuzzy about our dog's progress so far. Your four legged baby will not go wrong being in the hands of Dr. Schissler. We truly believe he cares about the health and best recovery outcome of all the animals.  Dr. Schissler always takes his time with our dog and answers all of our questions. Everyone at this center is wonderful and we just appreciate them very much. Read Less

Dr. Dillard and her staff are amazing! I brought my previous French Bulldog, Duke, twice in 2016. The first time was for an emergency surgery on his spine. The surgery was done the same day I brought him in and was a complete success! Dr. Dillard and the staff were so helpful and answered all of my questions. I was completely comfortable leaving him at Veterinary Neurology Center, knowing he was in good hands. After a couple weeks of recovery, he was back to 100%! When I brought Duke in the second time, it was not as successful but that was not the Center's fault.  He had a brain tumor that took over and we had to put him down. Dr. Dillard and the staff were so patient with me. I appreciate everything they did. I would take my future dogs here. Read Less

Brought my 12 year old poodle here as my regular vet said I needed to see a neurologist for her legs, which have been progressively dragging the last few months. My vet gave me little to no hope so I came here for a consultation, expecting the worse, but hoping for the best. I'm beyond happy with the same day appointment. I had a comprehensive exam and to my surprise, it was better news than expected. My little one has an awesome quality of life and is pain free. I couldn't be any more happyRead Less

Dr Hansen and his entire staff went above and beyond for my little Carter. It has been years since we were in this office but not a day goes by when I'm not eternally grateful for these people. My chihuahua/doxie mix had a slipped disc which turned into big trouble and fast! She lost all feeling of her hind end. Dr Hansen returned my phone call, personally, right away after I left a frantic message after hours. He scheduled us to come in the very next morning and took her into surgery right away. He and his staff took the best care of her before, during and even after her surgery. I thought she wouldn't walk again and the surgery wasn't guaranteed to fix her. When I brought her in for her follow up appointment, when she walked across the room for the doctor, I could see he and his staff were overjoyed to see her progress. Our entire experience with this office was 100% amazing. Carter has recovered fully and she even dances on her hind legs again. So happy we came here. Cost was roughly $6000 but worth every penny.Read Less

UPDATE: Rocky is able to stand up more easily than before on the hard, slippery tiling in the house. He used to drag himself and scrape his back legs, but not so much anymore. He can also stand for long periods of times and is always in a happy mood! Friday, December 30th, my sister, dad and I took our dog Rocky to this neurology vet center b/c we noticed he wasn't eating and lost his ability to walk on his rear legs. We knew it was urgent, so we took him to Yorba Regional Animal Hospital the day before and then took him to this place the day after. Dr. Vurik took a look at Rocky and believed it was IVDD and told us that a MRI and surgery, a cart, or euthanasia were our options. We wanted to give him a chance and decided on MRI & surgery that same day. The day after, we were called and told he regained pain perception in his toes! He has been in a better mood and more alert since then, too. We cannot be more pleased with how things are going so far, and we can't think this neurology center for being so detail-oriented and courteous! Thank you especially to Dr. Vurik and Jamie!!! Here's to Rocky's (quick) recovery and a good start to the new year. Read Less

I was referred here by my regular vet after my dog had what my vet suspected was a seizure that lasted along time and  was very scary and hard to control. I called and was able to get an appointment for the next day. The Dr was so great and saw my dog and did a lengthy exam.  They took my dogs blood pressure and sent me on my way with a correct diagnosis and instructions on what I should do should it happen again in the future. The doctor was very kind and did not recommend CT scan for my pet.  I felt good knowing she did not charge me for unnecessary tests even though I came prepared for the scan. The thing that really put them over the top for me though was that when I called the next week when my dogs tail stopped working the vet I had seen was not there that day.  They actually went through the trouble to have another vet review my file and called me to tell me it was not related to the other issue. This was great customer service and I really appreciated it. Read Less

Dr. Hanson is amazing! he was super patient and answered all of our questions about our Nacho the Frenchie. Jaime at the front desk was super helpful. I ask a lot of questions and never once felt rushed. Read Less

I meant to give this place a review for 3 month now. My dog was crying and the emergency clinic told us it was the spin. I wouldn't believe it and took her to another emergency clinic that did the same diagnostic and send us  to this neurology center. The doctor there said it was the stomach just by touching her and looking at her. We finally got her to the MRI and sure enough her stomach was the reason of her pain. We were to late to save her but I really appreciate his expertise and just wished more vet would know their job as well as this neurologist. Read Less

After doing a lot of research on which neurology center to take my 2 year old golden retriever to, I am SOO happy I chose this place! Dr. Schissler was very kind and informative. He completed thorough exams on my pup and went above and beyond to help us try and find what was wrong with Benji. Dr.Schissler always answered my questions and never made me feel rushed. The staff was always sweet and the facility was clean. I HIGHLY recommend Dr.Schissler and his staff! Read Less

Although you probably won't be visiting VNC for the best of reasons, the hospital makes you feel like your pet is cared for like one of their own.  From the moment you walk in the door and are greeted by a receptionist, to the time you spend with the dogter, to the moment you check out, you are treated like you matter.Dr. Schissler treated my Frenchie with warmth and concern, leaving me knowing he truly cared about the health of my dog.  I highly recommend VNC if your pet has neurology needs! Read Less

Dr. Hanson was great! He thoroughly explained everything to me about my Boxer and answered all of my questions. Jaime at the front desk was so kind making sure I understood everything and my dog loved her! Read Less

I don't know what I would have done with the amazing work Dr. Schissler and his team did for our little Corgi, Kabuki. Our little guy was on the brink of death, and Dr. Schissler put him on emergency medication that literally brought our dog back to us. Kabuki had an autoimmune disease that caused encephalopathy (brain swelling), and it only took Dr. Schissler about 5 minutes to assess the issue just by looking at Kabuki's eyes. Kabuki was blind and couldn't balance, and we thought all hope was lost.Dr. Schissler put Kabuki on medication that almost completely returned the little guy back to his normal playful self (truly a miracle). However, when we tried to ween him off the medications, his condition returned in full force and we lost our little one six months later. I have full confidence that the team at Veterinary Neurology Center did EVERYTHING they could to help Kabuki, but unfortunately when the issue is autoimmune, there just really isn't anything that can fix it.I am emotional even now thinking about how much the staff had cared for Kabuki. They would always tell us how much they loved him and how much he loved treats, lol. My wife and I were terrified when Kabuki first got sick, but those last months with him were priceless to us, and for that we are forever grateful.THANK YOU Dr. Schissler and team. You have truly made a huge difference in our lives. Read Less

long over due review Dr. Schissler is the best!! and this hospital is definitely 5 stars! all staff was lovely.. My pet Pepper who's a Shih Tzu was diagnosed with IVDD last September. His back legs were completely paralyzed ..after visiting Dr. Schissler he gave us a 90% chance Pepper would walk again if he performed surgery. recovery was rough and it took a lot of time and patience but it was all worth it too see our little pepper walk again 5-6 weeks later. I couldn't thank the doctor enough for accommodating our family one late evening and performing surgery that night. Thank you again! Love Pepper :-) Read Less

When you go to this place be prepared ...... To experience Veterinarian Neurology at it's best....This place has an aura around it that is honest, caring, professional, and top of it's game. We Love Dr Hansons approach with our Dog Valentino who has brain Encephalitis. He saved him literally. He had become paralyzed..... and Dr Hanson saved him fast ..... Dr Hanson has a special touch like the horse whisperer .....And lets not forget the staff.... They make you feel like family! Read Less

I called Dr. Schissler two weeks ago to get a second opinion on surgery needed for my Doxie.  He performed emergency surgery almost a year ago for a herniated disc that had caused my Doxie to go down in his hind legs the same morning.When we brought Igby home, we were told to plan on six months of rehabilitation until we would know the extent of our Doxie's recovery.  However, it was a miraculous recovery that went on for a year, and put our boy in a very happy place. He was a good patient with his exercises, and it paid.  Imagine how distraught we were to get a diagnosis of a tumor!  I called Dr. Schissler for his opinion because we did not want to interfere with our Doxie's amazing progress. Coincidentally, he returned my call on the one year anniversary of my Doxie's back surgery.  We talked it out, and it is not the type of surgery he does, but he did not have any problem with where we had gone to get our diagnosis and thought they would do a fine job on this type of tumor,  which he recommended having removed.  Never did this doctor ask me to bring in my dog. Instead, Dr. Schissler had taken time before returning my call to contact the other hospital and review my dog's tests that I had just paid for days earlier.  Pet medicine is his livelihood, and he extended his post-op, surgical after-care to include a phone consultation a year later without asking a fee for it!   That is something worth a YELP! Read Less

Veterinary Neurology center went above and beyond for our boy Jax. Jax was experiencing facial nerve paralysis on the right side of his face, after taking Jax to the emergency clinic close to our home the doctor told us that Jax has a 30% chance of having a tumor or a 70% chance that the facial paralysis is idiopathic. We were told to be sure we could get a MRI. Since we have pet insurance (we have healthy paws and they been great to us) we went ahead and decided to get a MRI on Jax. After researching all the vet neurologists in our area we decided to drive over an hour away to see Dr. Schissler at the Veterinary Neurology Center of Tustin. Dr Schissler said if we were doing an MRI on Jax we should also do a spinal tap to make sure if anything is wrong we would find it. They fit us in on a Friday afternoon and got the MRI results immediately, spinal tap results came on Monday afternoon because they had to be sent out. Unfortunately our boy has lymphoma but we would have never known if we did not take Dr. Schissler's advice and complete a spinal tap on Jax.The office was clean and the staff went above and beyond to make Jax feel comfortable and loved. The nurses and Doctor made sure to give us all the info about Jax's MRI and spinal tap before they took him back and made us feel great about the caring hands Jax was in while we waited.I would recommend the Veterinary Neurology Center in Tustin to anyone. Read Less

Dr. Dillard took her time examining our fur baby. Our awesome vet, Dr. Greek, referred us to this office. Out dog was experiencing what appeared to be vertigo. Vertigo is fairly common in old dogs. When it doesn't go away, the doctor explained, it can mean a brain tumor or an inner ear infection. The only way to know for sure is to have a $1500 MRI. Luckily she became better shortly after our visit and did not appear to have vertigo any longer. Since she was still shaking her head, Dr. Greek treated her for a possible inner ear infection. Hopefully, I won't be back to the Veterinary Neurology Center, but if the need arises, I will seek treatment for my dog here. Read Less

I was referred to Dr. Hansen by my normal vet when my dog began presented neck pain and limping. This office is exceptional in every way!Office staff - Above and beyond. Everyone here is incredibly patient and friendly, and never makes you feel rushed or like they don't have time to listen. The front staff, and veterinary technicians who bring your dog out after procedures, always treat my dog so well and give her lots of love.When I was experiencing an emergency right before they closed one night due to my dog being in severe pain, the receptionist passed my message on to Dr. Hansen (who was hours away at another office), and he personally called me within 5 minutes. The next day they were completely booked, but he fit me in at 12, which I assume is his lunch. I'm so grateful for that!After a few visits and several procedures (spinal tap, X-rays, blood draws), I am so unbelievably happy with his caring demeanor and knowledge in veterinary medicine. Dr. Hansen always explains all possible options and I feel like my dog, who saw 4 vets before him, is finally getting some diagnostics and care that will get her better. Thank you Dr. Hansen & the entire Veterinary Neurology team! Read Less

I am a Registered Technician at a regular day practice, and when my own boy hurt his neck I came here for his treatment. We tried conservative treatment first and when that didn't work he came in for Dr Dillard to do his surgery. Both Dr Dillard and the entire staff are amazing and show each patient and client personalized care and are truly compassionate. I couldn't be happier with this office, I drove over an hour and a half , not counting traffic to make sure my kids get the best care. Thanks guys and I will see you in a couple weeks for his re-check!! Read Less

We can't thank Dr. Dillard enough for helping our pup Buehrle walk again. Their whole staff there was very kind & helpful. She was referred to us by our vet & they were right she is absolutely THE best! We are forever grateful. Thank you! Read Less

We can't thank Dr. Dillard enough for helping our pup Buehrle walk again. He has (IVDD disease) Their whole staff there was very kind & helpful. She was referred to us by our vet & they were right she is absolutely THE best! We are forever grateful. Thank you! Read Less

Our dear little dachshund "Ricco" had a back injury reoccurrence in October, 2014. His hind legs were weak and he couldn't walk. He'd had a prior injury that he had recovered from with Laser, acupuncture treatment, and crate confinement. However, for this newest re-injury, our veterinarian's recommendation was that we take him to see a neurologist immediately, because timely intervention is extremely important to prevent a back injury leading to permanent nerve damage. Our veterinarian referred us to Dr. Dillard, Veterinary Neurology Center in Tustin, Ca., and called ahead to make the arrangements. The moment I arrived, Dr. Dillard and her staff greeted me, and Ricco was examined without delay.Dr. Dillard's treatment plan recommendation was to have an MRI and surgery.  Dr. Dillard informed us that Ricco might regain the use of his legs since he still had some feeling in his toes. The cost for the surgery was expensive, however, my husband and I never gave it a second thought because we wanted to give our little guy a chance to walk again. He was operated that same evening; after the surgery was completed, Dr. Dillard called me with all the details and kept us posted throughout the time our little guy was hospitalized. He was able to walk and have feeling in his hind legs shortly after surgery. We picked him up after a 3-day stay at the hospital; we brought him home with instructions to keep him crated.  Fast forward to 4 weeks later and our little guy has regained the use of his hind legs and is able to walk (noticed one leg had a little weakness). As of today - 2 months later - he is able to walk, and he has regained the use of his hind legs. Dr. Dillard's professionalism and empathy were monumental - not only for the treatment our Ricco received - but the way Dr. Dillard and her staff treated us before, during, and after Ricco's surgery. I wholeheartedly recommend Dr. Dillard and her team of professionals to anyone who wants to give their pet a fair chance at recovery. Read Less

Dr. Hanson performed a cervical spine surgery on my adopted dachshund recently. Chuck and I are very happy with the results. Chuck is back to his old little rascal self, full of energy with hardly any residual pain left. I highly recommend this clinic to any pet owner going through sleepless nights with a dog who is in terrible pain. Dr. Hanson and his staff are very professional, caring and compassionate. The clinic is very clean and easy to get to from anywhere in Southern California. Read Less

very disapointed with the complete group of service and I am sure there are a few good caring people that are working there and sadly its the phyicans that you are putting your trust in and the well being of your pet Read Less

My shih tzu CoCo was diagnosed with GME disease (auto immune disease which affects the brain). My regular Vet, Dr Patel referred us to Dr Hanson in 2012. Because of his thorough understanding and knowledge of this disease he was able to save her life. She is currently in remission and we are praying it becomes permanent. If it wasn't for our regular veterinarian and our specialist I don't think she would of survived. We are so thankful for the care we have received.Read Less

I live in Arizona and my Doxie had a pretty severe disc rupture. Dr. Hanson scheduled me for a consult first thing in the morning and Charlie had surgery the same day. He gave me an accurate and fair estimate, and was very thorough. Dr. Hanson checked on him every day in the hospital, even on Christmas morning. I've had to call with questions a few times and have heard from him either immediately or within 10 minutes. I feel very fortunate to have received such excellent care and couldn't be more grateful to Dr. Hanson and his staff. I hope nothing happens to my pup's back in the future but if it does, I wouldn't hesitate to drive to see Dr. Hanson again. Read Less

I am so glad we went to see Dr. Hanson. He was so sweet and gentle with our dog. He was very calm and soft spoken. He did a thorough exam on our dog with us present. He clearly explained our dog's problems and the diagnostic and treatment options. The staff were so nice and the facility was clean! We highly recommend them! Read Less