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 tarantula]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/pc-keller-tarantula-260x157.jpg)
Tarantulas May Live 10 to 30 Years Not all “furry friends” have fur. Some people choose tarantulas as their family companion. Dr. Krista Keller, a board-certified specialist in zoological medicine at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, says big spiders need attention and love, just like a dog or cat does. “The...
![[dog in a car]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/pc-travel-regs-260x157.jpg)
Pet travel is regulated “Most people consider pets as family members and often bring their pets with them when traveling,” says Dr. Adriana Roman-Muniz, a veterinary medical officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services. Recently Dr. Roman-Muniz spoke with students at the University of Illinois...
![[deuces walking 2 days after surgery]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/pc-deuces-feature-260x157.jpg)
Two Days After Surgery Deuces Was Walking Dr. Danielle Marturello, a clinical assistant professor of orthopedic surgery, brought an innovative option for fracture repair with her when she recently joined the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine faculty. Meet Deuces Deuces, a two-year-old male pit bull, came to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana...
![[Dr. Arnon Gal with a cat]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pc-gal-utis-260x157.jpg)
Don’t ignore urinary problems in cats Urinary tract disorders are relatively common in cats, according to Dr. Arnon Gal, a veterinarian who specializes in small animal internal medicine at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana. But unlike urinary tract infections in people, in cats these problems are not usually caused by bacteria....
![[cow milking at Vet Med Open House]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/pc-open-house-2019-260x157.jpg)
Sunday, October 6, from 10 am to 4 pm Each year the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine opens its doors to the public for an in-depth experience in the world of veterinary medicine. This free event, put on by roughly 400 veterinary students, is perfect for all ages. This year, the date is...
![[Dr. Mallory Kanwal and a canine dental patient]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/pc-kanwal-dental-260x157.jpg)
Pet Dental Care Improves Quality of Life When an animal visits the veterinarian for a dental cleaning, the procedure is often referred to as a “dental.” Dr. Mallory Kanwal, a second-year resident in the dentistry and oral surgery service at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, prefers to use the term “COHAT.”...
![[outdoor cats can get rabies]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/pc-rabies-cat-brummet-260x157.jpg)
In U.S., More Cats Than Dogs Test Positive for Rabies September 28 is World Rabies Day, a day to raise awareness about rabies virus and promote prevention and control efforts worldwide. But how much do you really know about the disease? In TV shows and movies, rabies is typically depicted as a frothing-mouth wild animal...
![[Francisco the betta fish]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/pc-keller-franciso-260x157.jpg)
Seek Help If Your Fish Exhibits Abnormal Behaviors Of course you’d take your cat or dog to see a veterinarian when there’s a health concern. But what do you do when your sick pet is a fish? Leslie, a third-year student at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, noticed something odd on her...
![[white persian cat]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/pc-bccatstudy-gleason-260x157.jpg)
The Future Is Feline Bulldogs, pugs, Boston terriers, and exotic cats with their squishy little faces…. They’re cute, they’ve got big personalities, and sometimes they snore. What many don’t realize is that this cuteness comes with a price tag: brachycephalic syndrome. Brachycephalic syndrome is a pathological condition in short-nosed dogs and cats. These animals have...
![[sad dog]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/pc-lumps-connell-260x157.jpg)
Accurate Veterinary Advice Is Empowering Imagine petting your dog or cat and finding a lump, something you hadn’t noticed there before. Feeling alarmed, you turn to an online search engine, which yields lots of scary diagnoses: cancer, tumor, cyst, fatty mass. What does this all mean? And which condition does your pet actually have? According...