Education

Neurology Residency, Texas A&M University, 2015-2018

Rotating Internship, North Carolina State University, 2014-2015

DVM, Louisiana State University, 2014

Certifications

America College of Veterinary Internal Medicine (Neurology/Neurosurgery)

Research Interest

Cognitive and behavioral changes in dogs and cats associated with age, quality of life implications for patients with canine cognitive dysfunction, histological age-related changes to the brain, neoplastic disorders affecting the brain and spinal cord, neurodegenerative diseases.

Teaching Interest

I enjoy didactic lessons in the classrooms as well as in clinic instruction of 4th year veterinary students, interns, and residents. My main goal is to make neurology interesting, clinically relevant and applicable for students and house officers who will be the first line for most patients. I want to reduce the fear and apprehension that comes when dealing with patients that have neurologic disease, and help young veterinarians develop a streamlined and efficient way of managing these cases.

Clinical Interest

Clinically, my main interests lie in managing complicated seizure cases and patients with inflammatory diseases of the central nervous system. I also enjoy performing and teaching neurosurgical techniques,

including decompressive spinal surgeries for conditions such as intervertebral disc disease, lumbosacral stenosis, wobbler’s disease, spinal fractures, as well as intracranial surgeries.

Publications

Relationship between Machine-Learning Image Classification of T2-weighted Intramedullary Hypointensity on 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Outcome in Dogs with Severe Spinal Cord Injury. Boudreau E, Otamendi A, Levine J, Griffin JF 4th, Gilmour L, Jeffery N. Journal of Neurotrauma, 2021 March.

Surgical decompression, with or without adjunctive therapy, for palliative treatment of primary vertebral osteosarcoma in dogs. Dixon A, Chen A, Rossmeisl JH, Sturges B, Vernau K, Levine JM, Otamendi A, Early P, Partnow A, Curtis L, Thomvosky S, Packer RA, Mauler DA. Vet Comp Oncol, 2019 December.

Population pharmacokinetics of extended release levetiracetam in epileptic dogs when administered alone, with phenobarbital or zonisamide. Munana KR, Otamendi AJ, Nettifee JA, Papich MG. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2018 September.

Detraining differentially preserved beneficial effects of exercise on hypertension: effects on blood pressure, cardiac function, brain inflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress. Agarwal D, Dange RB, Vila J, Otamendi AJ, Francis J. PLoS One, 2012 December.