Archive for the Our Staff Category

Dr. Clarisa Robles is a board-certified neurologist and neurosurgeon who works at our Los Angeles hospital. She’s seen here performing a hemilaminectomy, a surgery in which a portion of the vertebra is removed.

Each vertebra contains two pedicles and lamina, which are bony sections that form the sides of the vertebral arch and function as a base for the vertebra. The purpose of a hemilaminectomy is to remove a portion of the pedicle and lamina while still maintaining the stability of the spine.

The removal of bone allows access into the spinal canal to remove any material compressing the spinal cord, such as herniated disc material or cancerous masses. This helps to release nerve tissue from pressure.

Did you know that veterinary specialists go through four years of undergrad, four years of veterinary school, a one-year internship and a three-to-five-year residency before taking their board exams? After all of that, they then need to acquire continuing education credits to maintain their licenses!

Dr. Clarisa Robles (pictured) is Los Angeles native and a board-certified neurology specialist. Along with her great technical training, she brings with her wonderful communication skills and a fondness for building close relationships with referring veterinarians and her patients’ families. She finds such collaboration allows for the best possible patient and client care.

Her interests include inflammatory brain disease, down dogs, and encephalitis, as well as spinal and intracranial surgery.

Joel is the MRI Technician in the Neurology & Neurosurgery Department for ACCESS Specialty Animal Hospitals, Los Angeles.

He’s always looking for ways to help the hospital and his coworkers, and he decided to do a deep cleaning of the kennel drain.