Pet Columns

University of Illinois students visit Danville to help with a community medicine clinic

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Prevention and Testing Keep Pets Safe from Heartworm, Lyme Disease
May 11, 2024

Is it really necessary to test your pets for certain diseases at the annual veterinary visit? And what about paying for vaccinations and monthly preventive medications? Dr. Gene Pavlovsky, director of Veterinary Medicine South Clinic,…
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dog in a taco costume

Remember FEAR Tips to Keep Pets Safe This Halloween

October 16, 2017

When Halloween comes, adults and kids alike enjoy the chance to dress up and eat more candy than usual. But the American Animal Hospital Association recommends being mindful of pets’ FEAR—food, environment, attire, and recovery—to keep pets safe…
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[Kora the greyhound running]

The Case of the Greyhound That Ran Too Much

October 07, 2017

Kora Is Recovering from Exertional Rhabdomyolysis It happened on a gorgeous but cool—only 75 degrees F—Saturday afternoon in mid August. Kora, a young retired racing greyhound, was playing and romping around at a three-acre dog park…
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[snake with bite wound]

Your Pet Snake’s Diet: Dead or Alive?

September 30, 2017

Feeding live prey has risks In the wild snakes can’t just order carry-in; they have to hunt for their next meal. So it’s not surprising that owners of pet snakes may believe their pets need…
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[a horse gets up from rolling in a field]

Colic Comes in Many Forms

September 23, 2017

With quick attention, a colicky horse often recovers In horses, colic is an ambiguous, potentially dangerous, diagnosis. Dr. Annette McCoy, an equine surgeon at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital in Urbana, says, “Colic…
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[Dr. Krista Keller poses with a pet rabbit]

Brush Up on Dental Problems in Pet Rabbits

September 16, 2017

Rabbits’ teeth grow throughout their lifetime A diet of grass and hay is a real grind for your pet bunny’s teeth. That’s why rabbit teeth have evolved to grow continually, to accommodate the wear and…
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[the shelter medicine mobile surgical unit at the University of Illinois]

Sorting the Science on Spay and Neuter Surgeries

September 11, 2017

It’s almost always best to spay and neuter pets By far the most common surgeries performed on dogs in the United States are spay and neuter procedures—collectively called gonadectomies—that remove the reproductive organs to prevent…
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[cat statue in pet cemetery]

Take Time to Grieve Your Pet

September 04, 2017

National Pet Memorial Day Is September 10 “The death of a pet is one of the few types of loss that may not be appreciated by others as a true cause for grief,” says Gail…
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[Sonny, a French bulldog, in the University of Illinois veterinary hospital]

New Hope for Pets with Brachycephalic Syndrome

August 26, 2017

Illinois first in U.S. to offer procedure Brachycephalic syndrome: it’s a medical term for a variety of anatomical problems that sometimes obstruct the airways in pugs, bulldogs, and other pets (even cats!) with flat faces….
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[pyometra dog photo]

Infection in Dog’s Uterus Is Serious Business

August 15, 2017

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…
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