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[Francisco the betta fish]

Francisco the Fish Visits the Vet

Jul 24, 2019 / General Care / Fish

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...

Bettas Need More Than Bowls

Apr 15, 2019 / General Care / Preventive Health / Fish

It’s Not ‘Just’ a Fish Known for their bright, beautiful coloration and elaborate fin displays, betta fish, more accurately called “Siamese fighting fish,” are a common household pet. These little beauties require specific care to ensure that they stay happy and healthy. Dr. Krista Keller, a veterinarian at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital...

[reptile - iguana]

Simple Things Your Reptile Might Be Missing

Feb 25, 2019 / General Care / Preventive Health / Reptiles

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...

[Deputy Chad Beasley and his partner Arco]

Police Dogs Work Hard, Play Hard

Nov 5, 2018 / General Care / Dogs

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...

[dog scratching in backyard]

FDA Alert on Flea Medications

Oct 22, 2018 / General Care / Parasites / Toxicology / Cats / Dogs

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...

[hot weather dog]

Avoid Hot Weather Hazards for Dogs

Jul 2, 2018 / Emergency/Critical Care / General Care / Preventive Health / Dogs

Dehydration, Heatstroke Are Preventable Ironically, the dog days of summer—the hottest time of the year—are not always good for dogs. Dr. Jennifer Reinhart, a specialist in veterinary internal medicine at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, shares tips on preventing dehydration and other hot weather hazards that could require a trip to...

[Nearly one-third of US dog owners sleep with their pet]

Lives Intertwined: Pets, People, and ‘One Health’

Jun 18, 2018 / General Care / Public Health / Birds / Cats / Dogs / Reptiles / Small Mammals

Pet Ownership Benefits People “One Health” is a term used to convey the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health. In their recent book, Beyond One Health: From Recognition to Results, coeditors Drs. Jack Herrmann and Yvette Johnson-Walker, faculty members at the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine, devote an entire chapter to the...

[horse cough]

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...

[Illinois veterinary students practice a physical examination]

Let’s Get Physical: Annual Examinations Promote Pets’ Wellness

Mar 26, 2018 / General Care / Preventive Health

The physical examination helps prevent disease From molecular and genetic testing to advanced imaging using magnetic resonance or computed tomography, veterinarians have many tools available to diagnose their patients. Even with these technological aids, the physical examination remains the most basic yet important of diagnostic tools. Dr. Ashley Mitek, a faculty member at the University...