Natasha Olby

Bio

Natasha Olby gained her veterinary degree from Cambridge University in the UK in 1991, and after a brief period spent in mixed general practice, returned to Cambridge to complete a PhD in spinal cord injury and a surgical training.

Following completion of her PhD and a post doctoral position, also focused on spinal cord injury, she moved to North Carolina State University to do a neurology/neurosurgery residency and she has stayed at NCSU as a faculty member since then.

Dr. Olby is the 2014 recipient of the Faculty Achievement Award from the American Association of Veterinary
Clinicians. The award is presented to an AAVC member who has achieved national recognition in academic or institutional practice, teaching, research, or in another endeavor that advances veterinary medicine.

In 2017, Dr. Olby was awarded the Dr. Kady M. Gjessing and Rahna M. Davidson Distinguished Chair in Gerontology. Read more here.

She is the author or co-author of more than 100 scientific publications, is the co-editor of both the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) Manual of Canine and Feline Neurology, and Advances in Veterinary Neurology, 2014. Vet Clinics of North America. Additionally, Dr. Olby authors book chapters in a variety of veterinary textbooks and manuals.

Natasha Olby is a professor of veterinary neurology and neurosurgery. She is board certified in the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine Neurology Specialty and is a past president of the organization (2008-2011).

CERTIFICATIONS

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Neurosciences, University of Cambridge, UK, 1996
Veterinary degree (VetMB), University of Cambridge, 1991
Bachelor of Arts (BA), University of Cambridge, 1988

Area(s) of Expertise

GENETICS, NEUROBIOLOGY, VETERINARY CANCER CARE
Treatment of spinal cord injury
Understanding the genetic basis of hereditary neurodegenerative diseases and brain neoplasia
Therapy of canine brain tumors
Veterinary Genetics Laboratory (Cardiology/Neurology)

Publications

• Familial Narcolepsy in Dogo Argentino Dogs Is Caused by a Tandem Duplication Mutation in HCRTR2 , JOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE (2025)
• Genomic analyses in Cavalier King Charles spaniels identify loci associated with clinical signs of Chiari-like malformation and Syringomyelia , BMC VETERINARY RESEARCH (2025)
• Global pharmacovigilance reporting of the first monoclonal antibody for canine osteoarthritis: a case study with bedinvetmab (Librela™) , FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE (2025)
• Test of Rapamycin in Aging Dogs (TRIAD): study design and rationale for a prospective, parallel-group, double-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial of rapamycin in healthy middle-aged dogs from the Dog Aging Project , GEROSCIENCE (2025)
• A randomized, controlled clinical trial demonstrates improved owner-assessed cognitive function in senior dogs receiving a senolytic and NAD plus precursor combination , SCIENTIFIC REPORTS (2024)
• ACVIM consensus statement on diagnosis and management of urinary incontinence in dogs , Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine (2024)
• ALSUntangled #76: Wahls protocol , AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS AND FRONTOTEMPORAL DEGENERATION (2024)
• Clinical and imaging findings in dogs with nerve root signature associated with cervical intervertebral disc herniation , JOURNAL OF VETERINARY INTERNAL MEDICINE (2024)
• Cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in senior and geriatric dogs , PLOS ONE (2024)
• Establishing a clinically applicable frailty phenotype screening tool for aging dogs , FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE (2024)

View all publications