Experts on animal health from the college's clinics in Urbana and Chicago share their knowledge in informative columns written for animal owners. Scan the categories and tags at left for topics that interest you. Subscribe to our weekly Pet Health Columns email.
![[pet hedgehog]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/pc-kehoe-hedgehog-260x157.jpg)
Advice on Housing, Feeding, Protecting Hedgehogs are not tiny cats or spiny hamsters. Before getting a hedgehog as a pet, you need to understand their unique needs so you can keep it healthy and happy. Luckily, Dr. Spencer Kehoe, the newest veterinarian on the zoological medicine service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Medicine South...
Horses need new shoes every 4 to 6 weeks What animal regularly wears shoes and needs help putting them on? It’s a horse, of course! Horses need their hooves trimmed and horseshoes placed regularly, a procedure referred to as “shoeing” a horse. The person trained to shoe horses is called a farrier. Farriers provide an...
Research Identified Effective Fungal Medication When the standard treatment for a fungal infection wasn’t working for Frankie, a bearded dragon, the experts at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine were able to help. Frankie was only 8 weeks old when her pet parents noticed a dark spot on her back. After new and...
![[a dog gets its teeth brushed]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pc-kanwal-brush-260x157.jpg)
February is National Pet Dental Health Month “Periodontal disease is the most common disease in dogs and cats over 3 years old,” says Dr. Mallory Kanwal, a veterinarian who is pursuing specialization in dentistry at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. Periodontal disease begins in pets just as it does in people:...
![[cat with a toy]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/pc-gal-microbiome-260x157.jpg)
Eligible Animals Receive Free Insulin During the Study Dr. Arnon Gal, who is boarded in the fields of small animal internal medicine and veterinary pathology, is leading the study. He recently answered questions about the study and which animals would be eligible to participate. Is Diabetes a Problem in Pets? “Diabetes mellitus is one of...
![[racehorses]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pc-afib-austin-fries-260x157.jpg)
Few Veterinary Hospitals Offer Equine TVEC Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart arrhythmia in horses, and it is one that sometimes impacts performance for the equine athlete. At the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, Dr. Ryan Fries, a board-certified veterinary cardiologist, and Dr. Scott Austin, who is board-certified in large animal...
![[dog in front of holiday decor]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pc-er-holiday-hazards-260x157.jpg)
Most Problems Can Be Prevented No one knows better than a veterinarian who staffs the emergency room that the holidays can be fraught with hazards for pets. Luckily, most of the dangers can easily be prevented with some foresight and good advice. Dr. Yanshan Er, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital...
![[dog looking anxiously out window]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/pc-agapis-separation-260x157.jpg)
Change is hard; be patient Among the innumerable consequences of the nation sheltering in place during the pandemic, perhaps one of the nicest was the surge in pet adoptions. But, as first-time pet owners returned to their daily routine of work or school after an extended time at home with their animal, some discovered that...
![[Heather Soder]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pc-vettech-soder-260x157.jpg)
Vet Techs Help Animals and People Veterinary technicians make up a crucial part of the veterinary care team. Not only do they assist veterinarians in hands-on care of animal patients, but many also provide client education, serve various administrative roles, and even specialize in a specific service area. While veterinary technicians often obtain and hone...
![[dog looking guilty]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/pc-sullivan-gi-upset-260x157.jpg)
Consistent Diet May Help Prevent the Problem The two most common symptoms seen in a small animal general practice are vomiting and diarrhea, referred to as “GI [gastrointestinal] upset.” These symptoms can range from mild to more severe and affect dogs and cats. Dr. Drew Sullivan, the medical director at the University of Illinois Medical...