Pet Columns

My Horse Has a Cough. Now What?

May 20, 2018 / Disease / General Care / Horses

Many Conditions Make a Horse Cough As a horse owner, you would not hesitate to seek veterinary care if your horse shows signs of lameness, colic, choke, or other immediate dangers. But what do you do when your horse shows signs that are less clear-cut, such as a cough? There are dozens of reasons why...

Infection in Dog’s Uterus Is Serious Business

Aug 15, 2017 / Disease / Emergency/Critical Care / Dogs

Pyometra is a veterinary emergency When a middle-aged, intact female dog comes into the clinic with complaints from her owner that she has been depressed and lethargic, one of the first concerns that likely pops into the veterinarian’s mind is a potential pyometra. “A pyometra is a uterine infection, and it is a true veterinary...

Necropsies Solve Mystery of Animal Deaths

May 7, 2017 / Diagnostic Laboratory / Disease / Public Health / Toxicology

Necropsies, the equivalent of human autopsies In every murder mystery, there is a scene where the coroner interprets markings, bruises, and injuries on the dead body to estimate a time and cause of death. What most people don’t know is that a similar process occurs in veterinary medicine. Necropsies, the equivalent of human autopsies, are...

Veterinarian, Farrier Solve Curious Case of Equine Lameness

May 1, 2017 / Advances in Medicine / Disease / Horses

Veterinarians and Farriers Team Up on Lameness Lameness. Technically, it’s defined as an abnormal gait of an animal. Practically speaking, lameness can mean the end of a sport horse’s career or a diminished quality of life for a pasture pony. Because lameness is challenging to manage and often requires a teamwork approach that includes a...

Illinois Explores New Treatment for Mouth Cancer in Cats

Feb 18, 2017 / Advances in Medicine / Cancer Care / Disease / Cats

Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma is often seen in older cats. Males and females are equally susceptible. Early signs of the disease are similar to signs of bad oral health, such as drooling, having distinctly foul-smelling breath, or wanting to eat but being unable to. There may also be swelling or facial deformities due to...

New Feed Directive Applies to All Farm Animals

Feb 12, 2017 / Disease / Public Health / Farm Animals

Antibiotics can no longer be used for growth promotion Just as many people make New Year’s resolutions about dietary changes to improve health, so the veterinary world began this year with a health-oriented change to the diets of farm animals. This change, called the veterinary feed directive, took full effect starting January 1, 2017. “The...

Keep the Paws off the Table to Avoid Pancreatitis

Dec 5, 2016 / Disease / Emergency/Critical Care / Internal Medicine / Dogs

Miniature schnauzers are  prone to getting pancreatitis With the holiday season upon us, many people want to include their pets in the festivities. As tempting as it may be to give your pet a feast of roasts, gravy, and stuffing, these and other high-fat people foods can be harmful to dogs and cats and could...

Canker Hoof Infection Makes Cranky Horses

Nov 21, 2016 / Disease / General Care / Horses

To prevent canker keep bedding clean and dry The word “canker” just sounds unpleasant, and to the horses that it affects, it is. Dr. Erica Secor, a veterinarian who is completing a three-year residency program in equine surgery at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, explains that canker “is the horseman’s term for...

The Mysterious Emergence of Feline Hyperthyroidism

Aug 22, 2016 / Advances in Medicine / Disease / Internal Medicine / Preventive Health / Cats

Feline hyperthyroidism is likely a man-made disease Feline hyperthyroidism is a disease that didn’t even exist 40 years ago. Now, it has become the most common endocrine disorder in older cats in the United States. In June 2016, the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP) issued its first set of guidelines for veterinarians regarding signs,...

The Tragic Case of Bear: Hypothyroidism in Dogs

Jul 11, 2016 / Advances in Medicine / Disease / Internal Medicine / Dogs

Hypothyroidism can be managed, but not cured In April 2016, a three-year-old dog named Bear was brought to the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital with abusive injuries. In addition to the obvious injuries Bear bore—an open wound on his back leg, skin ulcers, and a jawbone fractured by a bullet—the dog was diagnosed with...