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.
![[dog in front of decorated tree]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/pc-biehl-holiday-260x157.jpg)
Dangers Lurk in Lights, Plants, More What you think of as holiday décor just might look like playthings to your pets. “Animals will investigate anything new in their environment,” says Dr. Michael Biehl, a veterinary toxicologist at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. “They explore things with their mouth, which can get them...
![[dog in the snow]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/pc-biehl-winterhazards-260x157.jpg)
A typical garage holds many hazards Cold weather is here. It’s time to winterize the car, pull out the space heaters, and thwart invading rodents. For pet owners, however, these common seasonal activities should be approached with caution because of the potential for hazardous outcomes for pets. Dr. Michael Biehl, a veterinary toxicologist at the...
![[Dr. Alycen Lundberg]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/pc-lundberg-cat-260x157.jpg)
Trial seeks nine cats with lung cancer Yes, cats can get lung cancer. Through a combination of genetic susceptibility and environmental exposures, a cancerous growth can arise just about anywhere in any body. For cats, the lungs are a particularly bad place to get cancer. Dr. Alycen Lundberg, a veterinary oncologist at the University of...
![[Dr. Katherine Kling examines a cat]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/pc-kling-cleaning-260x157.jpg)
Brushing needs to be consistent to be useful Did you get your six-month appointment reminder from your dentist recently? It’s important to keep up on those appointments for your dental health, and it’s just as important that our pets get their teeth cleaned as well. Dr. Katherine Kling, part of the dentistry and oral surgery...
![[cat acne column]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/pc-pieper-acne-260x157.jpg)
Animals typically develop acne in middle age Acne plagues many teenagers and even adults, but did you know that animals get pimples too? Dr. Jason Pieper, a board-certified veterinary dermatologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, sees a few cases of pet acne every year. Acne occurs when a hair follicle...
![[Deputy Chad Beasley and his partner Arco]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/pc-k9-arco-260x157.jpg)
Give a wide berth to working dogs Working dogs can be police dogs (K9s), service dogs, search and rescue dogs, or even Seeing Eye dogs. Each type of working dog goes through special training for its role. These dogs have a very special bond with their human partners. Deputy Chad Beasley, with the Champaign County...
![[Yorkie]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/pc-dcm-diet-fries-260x157.jpg)
DCM on the rise in small breeds Veterinarians around the world have seen a sharp rise in cases of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM, in which the heart is enlarged and weakened) in dogs not previously recognized as predisposed to this condition. The one linking factor: a grain-free diet based on exotic ingredients. “For the past year...
![[dog scratching in backyard]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/pc-july-fleas1-260x157.jpg)
What Pet Owners Need to Know The FDA recently alerted the pet-owning and veterinary public about the potential for neurologic adverse events in dogs and cats treated with drugs that are in the isoxazoline class. Most dogs and cats receiving these medications have not had neurologic adverse reactions. What medications are involved in this...
![[maine coon cat heart disease]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/pc-feline-heart-disease-260x157.jpg)
Heart disease is harder to detect in cats than in dogs Cats and dogs may occupy similar places in people’s hearts, but when it comes to the two species’ hearts—and heart disease—there are a lot of differences. Dr. Ryan Fries, a veterinary cardiologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, explains some...
![[Jr Surgery pre-op for cat]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pc-keating-anesth-260x157.jpg)
Anesthesia Needed for Many Procedures Anesthesia is an induced, temporary loss of sensation. It is an important part of any surgery or procedure that requires an animal to remain completely still. Although putting your pet under anesthesia may sound scary, Dr. Stephanie Keating, a board-certified veterinary anesthesiologist at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital...