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[Culex pipiens]

What’s the Buzz? Birds, Horses, People Get West Nile Virus

Jul 24, 2018 / Infectious Disease / Parasites / Public Health / Birds / Horses / Wildlife

Mosquitoes transmit West Nile virus Mosquito season is here. Not only are the bites inflicted by these flying pests itchy and annoying, they also carry the risk of disease for humans and animals alike. Veterinarians actively monitor, treat, and seek solutions for diseases that affect human and animal health. Heartworm disease is a well-publicized and...

[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...

[nine-banded armadillo]

Get to Know the Amazing Armadillo

Oct 30, 2017 / General Care / Public Health / Wildlife

But Experts Say, Don’t Get Too Close It’s official. With confirmed sightings last August, nine-banded armadillos are now part of the wildlife scene in east central Illinois. Dr. Julia Whittington, director of the Wildlife Medical Clinic, part of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine in Urbana, shares some fascinating facts about these new...

[necropsies - pathology slide]

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...

[girl with goat]

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...

[pet-wildlife interactions]

Pets and Wildlife Don’t Mix

Oct 17, 2016 / Preventive Health / Public Health / Cats / Dogs / Wildlife

Pet-Wildlife Interactions Endanger Both—and People It may seem like a harmless, if disgusting, remnant of your pet’s predator instinct when your cat—or maybe your very stealthy dog—presents you with its latest kill. The truth is, though, pet-wildlife interactions can be dangerous to both parties and have serious consequences for the conservation of species. “According to...

[white-tailed deer fawn in grass]

It’s Time to Learn about Wildlife Babies

Mar 14, 2016 / General Care / Public Health / Wildlife

Wildlife babies do best when left in the wild Each spring, wildlife babies are taken from the wild by well-meaning people who believe the animals have been abandoned by their parents. Although it may be human nature to want to rescue an animal that looks like it needs help, the truth is wild babies rarely...

[Livestock management in Bolivia]

Around the World as a Public Health Veterinarian

Nov 10, 2014 / Preventive Health / Public Health

Think a veterinary degree prepares you only to vaccinate dogs and cats? The career path of Dr. Maureen Birmingham will make you think again. Recently, the 1983 graduate of the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine spoke to students at her alma mater in Urbana, Ill. Describing herself as a “fortunate victim of a...