Tell us about your background and interests. I received both my undergraduate and veterinary degrees from the University of Illinois. I completed a small animal internship in Connecticut before returning to the University of Illinois for a zoo specialty internship. I completed my residency in zoo medicine at the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park in Washington,...
Surgical Procedure May Aid Breathing Serious heart and lung disorders in brachycephalic dogs contribute to life-threatening disease. Despite suffering similar conformational deformities, brachycephalic cats such as Persian, Himalayan, and Exotic Shorthair cats remain largely unstudied as a population at significant risk for systemic and quality of life issues. Mounting evidence suggests brachycephalic cats also develop...
Biomarkers Aid Diagnosis of Cardiac Conditions Cardiac biomarkers are substances that are released into the blood when the heart is damaged or stressed. Measurements of these biomarkers are used to help support the diagnosis of a variety of conditions, including heart failure, myocarditis, and cardiomyopathies. The most widely utilized cardiac biomarkers in dogs and cats...
Tell us about your background. I am originally from Sydney, Australia. I went to veterinary school at the University of Sydney. Following graduation, I worked for a year in general practice in Sydney, then completed a specialty internship in internal medicine and emergency and critical care medicine at a private referral hospital in Sydney, Australia....
Illinois is the first to offer certain veterinary oncology care options For decades, the Illinois oncology program has been recognized for the breadth and depth of its leadership in cutting-edge research, compassionate clinical service, and clinical and communication training for veterinary students. This month our program gains another point of distinction by adding a Varian...
Tell us about your background. I am originally from the Duluth, Minn./Superior, Wis. Area, where I grew up in a sled-dog racing family, which is what sparked my interest in becoming a veterinarian. As a child, my goal was to someday be the chief veterinarian for the Iditarod. I earned my bachelor’s degree from the...
Tell us about your background I’m originally from Pennsylvania, specifically a somewhat rural area near Sewickley, a small town near Pittsburgh that is very much like a slightly larger version of Monticello, Ill. I grew up with German shepherds and horses and knew from early childhood that I wanted to be a veterinarian; I had...
![[Dr. Kathryn Fleming examines a cat's eyes]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/pu-fleming-blasto-260x157.jpg)
Blasto causes eye disease in up to half of infected dogs Fungus is highly abundant and can be found in a wide range of environments, from the arid desert to Antarctica. Fortunately, very few species are naturally pathogenic, but fungal infection is not uncommon in small animal patients. Blastomycosis, caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis, is the...
Account for day-to-day variability Chronic kidney disease is a common condition in companion animals that follows an irreversible renal injury secondary to infections, exposure to toxic chemicals or drugs, or conditions causing decreased renal blood flow. The nature of chronic kidney disease is that it progresses over time. Therefore, monitoring of renal function is an...
![[bassett with Malassezia dermatitis]](https://vetmed.illinois.edu/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/souza-fig-3-260x157.jpg)
ABOVE: Figure 3. Hypotrichosis and erythema of ventral neck and thorax of a Basset Hound with Malassezia dermatitis secondary to allergic dermatitis. Malassezia dermatitis is an inflammatory condition associated with increased numbers of Malassezia yeasts on the skin that lead to dermatitis and pruritus. Predisposing factors for Malassezia proliferation and pathogenicity include increased environmental...