Pet Columns

Three veterinary students examine a white Great Dane

Recent

A Twist of Fate: Gastric Dilatation-Volvulus (GDV) in Dogs
April 4, 2025

Do you own a gentle giant … a Great Dane, Doberman pinscher, Weimaraner, or Irish setter? These big-hearted breeds are known for their loyalty and laid-back charm, but their deep-chested conformation also carries a hidden…
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Species

Orange and blue discus fish in an aquarium.

Care and Feeding of Your Pet Fish

October 24, 2024

Fish are the perfect starter pet for kids and adults, right? Well, it may not be as simple as you think. To avoid mishandling and other problems that result in the needless death of the…
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a student holds two turtles trapped for a health monitoring study

Why Did the Vet Student Catch the Turtle?

August 19, 2024

Every spring and summer, students from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine venture into Illinois forests and waterways to save the world … one turtle at a time. The veterinary students work in…
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close-up of tick "questing" for a host

Prevent Tick Bites for Pets and People

July 18, 2024

They crawl on your shoes as you hike. They burrow in your scalp. They crawl around in the hair of your dog and nestle in the skin of your cat. “They” are ticks! Every veterinary…
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dairy cows outdoors by birds

Why All the Fuss about Avian Influenza?

July 08, 2024

You’re coughing and you feel miserable. Is it “the flu”? Maybe. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, most years, around 30 million people in the United States will become ill with influenza,…
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Cicada on a rock

Cicadas: Pet Treat or Pet Threat?

May 02, 2024

Periodical cicadas have an unusual but ancient life cycle. They spend most of their life underground, emerging every 13 or 17 years (depending on which brood of periodical cicada they are) for a rush of…
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A young bird receives care at the Wildlife Medical Clinic

When Does a Wildlife Baby Need Human Help?

April 11, 2024

This time of year, people begin to notice baby birds hopping on the lawn, while their pets begin to find hidden bunny nests. It’s orphan season, when wildlife have offspring and some of these offspring…
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