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.
![[baby bird in grass]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/pc-spring-bird-260x157.jpg)
Dos and Don’ts for a Healthy Spring April showers and May flowers aren’t the only signs of spring. There are also baby birds and hot dogs. Every spring the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine issues reminders about how to manage these animal signs of spring for the best outcomes. First, the wildlife babies....
![[pet column - heat stroke]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/pc-heatstroke-mcmichael-260x157.jpg)
Heat stroke requires immediate medical attention The approach of summer brings a spike both in temperatures and in cases of heat stroke in dogs. Dr. Maureen McMichael, a boarded emergency and critical care specialist who heads the emergency service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, urges owners to acclimate their dogs...
![[Dr. Tisha Harper gives an orthopedia exam to a dog]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/pc-harper-prp-260x157.jpg)
Approach May Aid Chronic or Non-healing Wounds A treatment approach that has been in practice in human medicine for decades is now offered for dogs at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. Dr. Tisha Harper, a veterinary surgeon who specializes in orthopedics and physical rehabilitation therapy, says platelet-rich plasma joins a host...
![[curious cat]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/pc-wismer-meds-260x157.jpg)
Or make emergency veterinary visit They say curiosity killed the cat, and it gets dogs into some bad situations as well. Curiosity often leads to disaster when pets find their way to human medications such as NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and at-home chemotherapy. Dr. Tina Wismer, the medical director for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center and...
![[reptile - iguana]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/pc-reich-reptile-260x157.jpg)
The right environment, diet for your reptile According to the most recent statistics for pet ownership in the United States, 4.7 million households kept 9.4 million reptiles as pets in 2016. With the interest in reptiles as pets expanding, Dr. Sarah Reich, a veterinarian who sees wildlife and exotic pets at the University of Illinois...
![[bichon frise - allergies]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/pc-souza-allergies-260x157.jpg)
Itchiness Could Mean Allergies With winter’s dry air and cold temperatures, it’s no wonder everyone—including your furry friends—has dry skin! But unrelated to the weather, dry and itchy skin caused by allergies is a very common chronic problem in animals year-round. Dr. Clarissa Souza, a veterinarian in the dermatology service at the University of Illinois...
Improving health for people, animals, the environment Many Roles, Shared Goals For more than a decade, the Center for One Health Illinois, a program of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, has pursued a mission of education, research, and outreach to promote One Health collaborations in the state. Dr. Yvette Johnson-Walker, a faculty...
![[Dr. Stephanie Keating intubates a tiger]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/pc-keating-exotics-260x157.jpg)
Illinois Anesthesia Team Helps Exotic Felines Think your cat is uncooperative during a veterinary examination? Image if your cat weighed more than 400 pounds and had three-inch-long teeth and claws! Unsurprisingly, lions, tigers, and other wild cats must be anesthetized before they can be examined closely by a veterinarian. When it’s time for dental care...
![[Dr. Devon Hague with patient]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/pc-seizures-hague-260x157.jpg)
Seizures have a wide variety of causes Seizures in pets can be scary for pet owners. Knowing what seizures look like and what to do when they occur can help put pet owners at ease. Dr. Devon Hague, a veterinary neurologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, sees multiple patients every...
![[cow and calf]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/calf-crop-260x157.jpg)
You’ve worked hard to get your livestock bred and maintain a normal production cycle. It’s almost time for that amazing event: giving birth (or, in veterinary terminology, “parturition”). It’s understandable to be a little nervous about birthing season. After all, a year’s worth of work is at risk. The good news is that the process...