HawkTalk | Wildlife Medical Clinic

Domestic or Wild? The Snowshoe Hare

Damp Snowshoe Hare sitting in the grass with ears up.

Order Lagomorpha

Rabbits are often misidentified as rodents, but they actually belong to the taxonomic order Lagomorpha. Within this group are two families: Leporidae, which includes rabbits and hares, and Ochotonidae, which includes pikas. Among these animals is a species closely tied to winter landscapes in the northern United States due to its remarkable seasonal transformation. Today, I want to highlight the snowshoe hare, an animal whose biology and ecology make it both fascinating and vulnerable.

Snowshoe Hare Information

Snowshoe hares inhabit boreal forests across Alaska and Canada, as well as the Rocky and Appalachian mountain ranges in the United States, with populations extending as far south as Minnesota, Michigan, and Montana. These herbivores are named for their disproportionately large hind legs and feet, which are covered in thick fur increasing surface area allowing them to move efficiently atop deep snow. They breed throughout the spring and summer, with a gestation period of about one month, and can produce up to four litters per year with as many as eight young per litter. Unlike rabbits, which have altricial kits, snowshoe hare young, known as leverets, are precocial and are born fully furred and capable of running shortly after birth. As crepuscular animals, they are most active at dawn and dusk, relying heavily on acute hearing and camouflage to avoid predators.

Seasonal Color Change Makes Identification Tricky

One of the most striking features of the snowshoe hare is its seasonal pelage. During most of the year, their coat is a brown agouti color, but in winter it turns white, while the black tipped ears and white ventrum (belly) remain year round. This molt is triggered by changes in photoperiod and temperature, typically beginning in late September through October. The transition is gradual, and hares are often seen with a mixed, patchy coat for about a month. During this period, well intentioned members of the public sometimes mistake molting hares for abandoned domestic rabbits. Although the concern is understandable, capturing or handling these animals can cause significant stress and pose serious risks to their health. It is important for the public to recognize that a mixed coat during seasonal change is normal and that these animals should be left undisturbed in their natural habitat.

Troubling Findings from Recent Research

Recent research has added another layer of concern. A study spanning 44 years and nearly 4,500 hares, conducted by a collaboration between the University of Florida IFAS wildlife ecology and conservation department and ecologists in Canada’s Yukon Territory, suggests that snowshoe hares are beginning their molts later in the year. As climate change warms the environment and reduces snowfall in many regions, hares may no longer be fully white when snow arrives, increasing their visibility to predators. This is particularly troubling because snowshoe hares are considered a keystone species, supporting numerous predators especially during winter months when other protein sources are scarce. If their populations decline, the effects could ripple throughout the ecosystem, underscoring how closely their survival is tied to a changing climate.

Sources

https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Snowshoe-Hare

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/rsos/article/12/11/250662/234095/Seasonal-coat-colour-moulting-phenology-of

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Snowshoe-hare-coat-color-during-molt-according-to-the-a-three-and-b-five-category_fig1_340724870

Written By: Toni K., Class of 2027

Visiting the New Education Classroom

CiLiving recently visited the Wildlife Medical Clinic and chatted with WMC Program Coordinator, Sydney Oliveira, about the clinic’s new education classroom and programs offered in this new space.

Request a Visit

If you are interested in scheduling an ambassador program, go to the WMC website and fill out the request a visit form.

Rabbit Fever, People, and Pets

Adult Eastern Cottontail in grassy area.

Earlier this year, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District identified Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever, in several dead squirrels from the Champaign area. While Tularemia can affect people and animals, the lagomorph (rabbits and hares) and rodent populations are most susceptible to the disease. Both Eastern Cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus) and Swamp Rabbits (Sylvilagus aquaticus) are native to the state of Illinois and could possibly act as sources of the disease.

What Is Rabbit Fever and How Does it Spread?

Rabbit Fever or Tularemia is a disease caused by Francisella tularensis, a gram-negative bacterium that is found in mud, dead animals, and water. Francisella tularensis can survive in the environment for about 4 months or up to three years in frozen meats, however, it is easily killed by disinfectants. There are two types of Francisella tularensis, Francisella tularensis biovar tularensis (Type A) and Francisella tularensis biovar holarctica (Type B). Type A is more harmful than Type B and is found in the North American region while Type B is less harmful and found in Europe and Asia regions.

Rabbit fever can be spread by direct contact with rabbits or other infected mammals via bite wounds, handling contaminated skin or paws, or in laboratory exposure. It can also spread via tick bites and inhalation of contaminated dust or soil. Additionally, it can spread through contaminated water and eating undercooked meat from an infected animal.

Signs and Symptoms in People and Pets

Tularemia can cause many different signs and symptoms depending on how the bacteria entered the body. The most common symptom in people is Ulceroglandular, which is caused by tick bites or after handling a contaminated animal. Ulceroglandular symptoms can be described as a formation of skin ulcers and swelling of lymph nodes in the arm pit or groin areas. Symptoms are also accompanied by a fever as high as 104°F.

Tularemia signs and symptoms in cats include fever, depression, appetite loss, and oral ulcers. Symptoms and signs in dogs include fever, loss of appetite, nasal and eye discharge, and abscess formation at the site of infection. Horses also exhibit signs of fever and depression, additionally they can show signs of trouble breathing, stiffness and swelling of the limb.

How to Prevent the Spread of Rabbit Fever

The spread of Rabbit Fever can be prevented in a multitude of ways, including the use of insect repellents, promptly removing ticks, wearing long pants and sleeves while outdoors, wearing PPE such as gloves and mask when mowing and working in your yard, and by avoiding drinking untreated surface water. Additionally, the spread of Rabbit Fever in pets can be prevented by limiting their exposure to wildlife, especially rabbits and rodents, and making sure that they are on Flea/Tick prevention year-round.

Many Eastern Cottontail neonates huddled together in their grassy nest.

Sources

Tularemia, U.S Centers for Disease and Control (2024, May 15^th). Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://www.cdc.gov/tularemia/about/index.html

Deaths Reported in Several Area Squirrels, Tularemia Identified, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (2025, April 16^th), Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://www.c-uphd.org/press-release/2025/deaths-reported-in-several-area-squirrels-tularemia-identified.html

Tularemia, Cleveland Clinic (2022, August 25^th) Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17775-tularemia

Tularemia in animals, AVMA, Retrieved October 17, 2025, from https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/tularemia-animals#:~:text=Enlarged%20liver,How%20is%20tularemia%20transmitted?

Written By: Irene J., Class of 2028

Eastern Gray Squirrel 25-1701

Eastern Gray Squirrel in hand for a medical exam.

Initial Exam and Findings

Patient 25-1701 was an adult eastern gray squirrel that presented to the clinic on August 16th, for a possible head injury and abrasions. On examination, it was noticed that the patient had a broken incisor, but the extent of the damage was unknown. The patient’s wounds were lightly flushed, and the patient was started on anti-inflammatories and pain medication until radiographs could be performed to better assess its injuries.

Further Findings and Treatment Plan

On August 19th, the patient was sedated for a thorough exam and radiographs. On further examination under sedation, the patient was found to be missing a left upper incisor, with several healing abrasions on the rostral (front near the nose and mouth) aspect of the skull. Dental rads revealed a fracture of the remaining left incisor, but no evidence of a skull fracture was present. The patient was administered pain medication and was woken up from sedation. It was decided to allow the patient’s incisor to heal by second intent (or on its own) as the fracture did not extend to the skull or rear brachydont teeth and would theoretically heal over time. Due to the suspected head trauma which caused the broken incisor and abrasions, this patient was closely monitored and continued on a course of anti-inflammatories and pain medication through August 30th.

Ready for Release

On September 5th, the patient underwent a recheck examination, which they were sedated for so that we could safely and clearly see the patient’s teeth. Healthy intact incisors, with normal length and growth were appreciated, with no oral swelling or malocclusion. At this time, the patient was off all medication, given a clean bill of health and was cleared for release. The following day, it was transport back to the area where it was initially found and released back into the wild.

Written By: London W., Class of 2028

A Troubled Turtle

Eastern Box Turtle sitting on an exam table. Aural abscess visible on left side of head.

Eastern Box Turtle 25-611

Meet 25-611, a male eastern box turtle. He came to us with an aural abscess–an issue commonly seen with turtles of multiple species, as well as some early warning signs of respiratory issues. Fun fact: the word “aural” means related to the ears, though it is pronounced almost identically to “oral”, which can cause confusion.

After spending a bit of time with us, it became obvious that this turtle was dealing with a serious respiratory infection. He was intermittently struggling to breathe, and symptoms were exacerbated when he was not at rest. Further evaluation was conducted with radiographs of his lungs, which showed signs of pneumonia.

Before we could fix his ear, we had to address his respiratory infection. He was started on a protocol of antibiotics and pain medication. After about two weeks on medication, we saw some improvement. However, discharge was seen coming from his left nare and eye, which indicated there was a blockage on that side called a rhinolith. Once he was stable enough for anesthesia, we were able to surgically remove the rhinolith along with the aural abscess.

So What’s Up with Aural Abscesses?

Aural abscesses in turtles happen when the turtle doesn’t get enough Vitamin A over a long period of time. Both wild and captive turtles get their Vitamin A from what they eat, but wild turtles don’t get vitamin supplements the way a pet might. When they develop a Vitamin A deficiency, their skin and mucus membranes near the ear start to change. The tissue overgrows and transforms into big clumps of dead cells that eventually become infected, interfere with the tympanum (the eardrum), and can even erode bone.

Once an aural abscess forms, it isn’t considered an emergency on its own, but it does require surgery to fix. Ongoing care is also needed to manage pain, treat any remaining infection, and possibly provide nutritional support.

Not Out of the Woods…

Luckily, 25-611’s aural abscess wasn’t particularly severe or complicated, and his surgery went well. Unfortunately, the surgery did not resolve all his issues. For a while, it looked like he was better. With his ear fixed and healing, his nose unplugged, and support from antibiotics, he gained weight and was breathing more normally.

Eastern Box Turtle exploring outside next to a side walk.

In August, after two months, his lungs looked clear on imaging and his clinical signs had improved so much that he was taken off of medication entirely. Two weeks later, he was given one final check and appeared to have completely recovered from his pneumonia, so he was approved for release. Unfortunately, on the very same day that we planned to release him back to his home, his respiratory signs returned.

Strangely, though, they were a bit different this time. His x-ray images still showed that he was free of pneumonia, but his breathing would still intermittently be heavy, especially after exercise. We placed him back on two different antibiotics, and also pursued more aggressive diagnostics. We performed a lung wash, where a small amount of fluid is used to collect a liquid sample of whatever germs may be in the lungs. We also did a test for several important turtle pathogens. None of these provided any answers.

25-611 improved greatly and was off antibiotics, but release was not an option regardless as it was too late in the season and he would need to be overwintered and released in the spring when temperatures warmed up. We decided to proceed with high resolution CT imaging to confirm the pneumonia had cleared up and just to make sure there wasn’t anything that simple x-rays might have missed. Nothing new was found on the CT scan so we continued with the supportive care and closely monitored him over the winter months.

Approved for Release

Over the winter, 25-611 continued to improve and his appetite and weight increased and no further respiratory issues were noted. We just needed the temperatures to increase and stay consistent so 25-611 could be released back into the wild. After nearly a year in our care, patient 25-611 had a clean bill of health, was in great body condition, and the weather was finally suitable for release back into the wild!

Written By: Alex W., Class of 2028

Illinois Threatened and Endangered Species

Ornate Box Turtle walking on gravel with head barely extended.

Since joining the Wildlife Medical Clinic at the University of Illinois I have learned a lot about common species found in Illinois, anatomical differences in these species, and medical efforts to help them heal. It has been an amazing opportunity to learn more about wildlife but prompted me to learn about who else is helping and protecting these animals in Illinois.

How is Illinois Helping these Vulnerable Animals?

Different organizations are responsible for keeping tabs on how our natural resources are preserved. Conservation efforts continue in Illinois. From my research I have found that the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) and the Illinois Endangered Species Protection Board (ESPB) play a crucial role in identifying and protecting endangered and threatened species in Illinois. Specifically, the ESPB continues to revise and review the Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Species as things change, but a confirmed list comes out every five years, so I will continue to watch for that. The IDNR is the resource to go to for advice on conserving these species. Scientists and conservationists are working to protect and recover endangered and threatened species through various projects involving habitat restoration, research, and public education.

One Species Close to My Heart

One specific member of the threatened species list in Illinois that I have seen multiple times is the ornate box turtle, Terrapene ornata. They are quite small, only averaging four to five inches. Their shell is dark brown or black with yellow lines radiating like starbursts, anatomy of a hinged lower shell allowing them to hide themselves completely inside of it, and four toes on each hind foot.

Their species name has turtle in it, but they are solely terrestrial, living on the prairies of both northern and southern Illinois. They nest in sandy soil, digging a shallow nest where they lay 2 to 8 eggs once per year, but for about 30% of the population, twice per year. They can also be seen making burrows to avoid the summer heat and the cold winter. Their diet is similar to most turtles consisting of plant material, insects, worms and carrion or dead animals. Conservationists have found the main reasons for the decline in the population are habitat loss and fragmentation, illegal collection for the pet trade, and vehicle collisions. With slow reproductive rates, it makes it difficult for their population to recover from these threats.

What Can You Do to Help Threatened and Endangered Species?

Help to restore native habitats, you can start in your backyard by being a Habitat Helper.
Plant Native to support local wildlife.
Minimize chemical use and if you must use them, follow the label.
Join Citizen Science Projects
Report rare sightings, by using the IDNR E&T Reporting Tool
Support your local licensed wildlife rehabilitation center, volunteer your time cleaning up a stream or nature area, or visit a state or national park (fees to enter go back to conservation).
Donate to conservation efforts. One easy way is to purchase conservation licenses like state hunting , fishing, and federal duck stamps, or specialized outdoor plates as these help fund land conservation which protects species.

Written By: Katherine M., Class of 2028

Bird Migration

Whether you’re an avid bird-watcher or a person who avoids parking under trees so that you don’t have to wash the droppings off your car for the nth time this week, you’re bound to have noticed that bird populations seem to ebb and flow with the seasons. You might be wondering, “where do they go?” Some might even notice that a few of these birds are only around during certain parts of the year, such as the famed Swallow-tailed Kite in the southeastern U.S. Then, you might be wondering, “why don’t they stick around?” As the seasons change, so do the food sources and the climate. Birds don’t have the luxury of bringing out-of-season foods back to their home or adjusting their thermostat with the changing temperature like we humans do, so they resort to travel. Each species’ resource needs will dictate where they go during migration and how far they need to travel for it.

Fall Migration

Brewer's blackbird walking on sandy ground.

We are actually right in the middle of the Fall migration season, which runs from approximately August 1st to November 30th. Each night, up to 45 million birds fly over Illinois on their way South to the southern U.S., Central America, and South America to escape the winter cold and lack of food supply. During these migratory seasons, species that are not normally seen in your area might be coming through, such as the Magnolia Warbler and the American Redstart, which will be on their way South shortly, to Central and South America.

What Can You Do to Help?

Plant native trees and flowers

Because of the long journey, birds need to be able to get food along the way. With decreasing diversity of flora in urban and suburban areas, ample food sources, such as bugs and seeds, are increasingly difficult for migratory species to come by. Pesticide use and monoculture agriculture are turning their travel route from an all-you-can-eat buffet into a Nevada desert gas station scavenger hunt. Imagine Forrest Gump making his trek across the U.S. with only the occasional french fry; it wouldn’t happen. So, how can you help the birds out, you ask? Plant some native flora! Diverse flowers attract diverse insects, which help feed the immense variety of bird species that come through Illinois (not to mention the native bats!).

Build shelters and nests

Nobody wants to get caught out in the rain when they’ve got business to do, and that includes our avian friends. Building nest boxes and shelters helps our friends have a dry and safe place to rest before continuing on the air highway. Some species also nest here in Illinois during the Spring, so building nest boxes also helps them to have a safe place to raise their young; and if you planted some native plants near the box, they’ll have food delivery, too!

Put decals on your windows

Window on a door covered in bird friendly window treatment which is opaque bird silhouettes.

For birds, windows are worse than invisible. They reflect foliage or the sky and look like an inviting place to fly. As a result, they often fly straight into them and suffer severe head trauma – a major reason a lot of birds end up here at the Wildlife Medical Clinic. Placing decals on your windows helps them to see the window and at least slow down before attempting to fly through it, which can potentially save their lives. There are many commercially available products out there and several are listed in, “Why Birds Hit Windows-And How You Can Help Prevent It.”

Want to Learn More?

Cornell University and their Ornithology Lab have put out some incredible free resources for you bird lovers, such as Merlin and eBird. Merlin functions as a bird-identifying app through use of sound and step-by-step visual identification tools to help you figure out what obscure bird it was that you just heard or saw. Once you are able to identify which bird it was, you can hop over to eBird, Merlin’s sister-app, to record the bird you found and at what location. This is a way to help contribute to the ongoing research of bird migration seasons, which even helps us out here at the WMC! We can use the information learned from species-specific migratory seasons to know if it is okay to release a bird or if they have to over-winter; we want to make sure we’re sending them out with a band of their mates to find their feeding grounds for the winter.

Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoy seeing a new bird or two!

References

“American Redstart Overview, All about Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.” Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, TheCornellLab,www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Redstart. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.

“Illinois – Birdcast Migration Dashboard.” BirdCast, TheCornellLab,dashboard.birdcast.info/region/US-IL. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.

“Magnolia Warbler Overview, All about Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology.” Overview, All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, TheCornellLab, www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/magnolia_warbler. Accessed 16 Oct. 2024.

Written By: Ryland D., Class of 2027

New Treatments of Chytridiomycosis

Green frog resting in a pond hiding behind vegetation.

Chytridiomycosis is a fungal disease cause by Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis and Batrachochytriu salamadrivorans. This disease infects amphibians, effecting frogs the most. It has led to the decline and extinction of amphibian species across the globe. Scientists have been searching for ways to combat this disease. This article outlines two novel treatments of this disease.

Saunas for Frogs?

Although it sounds hard to believe, scientists in Australia have found that Hotspot Shelters, which are basically saunas for frogs, may be a new way to help combat Chytridiomycosis in wild frog populations.

Hotspot Shelters use the sun to generate heated shelters that use the fungus’ properties and frogs natural desire for heat to kill the fungus. B. dendrobatidis thrives in cooler weather and its virulence decreases in temperatures over 86 ℉ , which is the temperature inside a hotspot. In their study, scientists found that in both lab and semi-wild settings, frogs prefer to hang out in hotspots and that by hanging out in these hotspots for extended periods of time, they were able to clear Chytridiomycosis infections. Additionally, by clearing the infection, the frogs were able to develop immunity to B. dendrobatidis; thus, they are protected from future exposures to the fungus!

The benefits of hotspot shelters has been theorized by scientists for a while, but this is the first study to provide empirical evidence of their benefits. Hotspot shelters are relatively cheap and easy to make, which means they can be effective management tool of Chytridiomycosis in the wild! It is also theorized that hotspot shelters may be beneficial for other fungal diseases that effect wildlife such as White-Nose Syndrome in bats or snake fungal diseases!

Fighting Disease with more Disease?

Another potential treatment for Chytridiomycosis could come from secondary metabolitesof bacteria in the genus Xenorhabdus. Secondary metabolites are compounds produced by a living organism that don’t effect their growth, but offer some sort of advantage to the organism.

In this case, the secondary metabolites of interest are anti-fungals. The potential benefits of Xenorhabdus genus bacteria were first shown in 2023 and have been confirmed in a few other species since. All of these studies have found that in vitro, the metabolites from Xenorhabdus are able to completely halt the growth of B. dendrobatidis. When tested on living frogs infected with Chytridiomycosis, they found that treatment with Xenorhabdius metabolites was able to reduce the infection by almost 75%; thus, greatly increasing the survival of these animals. Additionally, no major side-effects were reported with this treatment. Although more research is needed, metabolites of Xenorhabdus species appear to be a potential treatment for Chytridiomycosis, especially in rehab settings where repeated treatments are possible!

*The images in this article do not depict frogs infected with Chytridiomycosis. *

Sources

Hotspot Study: Waddle, A.W., Clulow, S., Aquilina, A. et al. Hotspot shelters stimulate frog resistance to chytridiomycosis. Nature 631, 344–349 (2024).

Xenorhabdus Study: Ujszegi, J., Boros, Z., Fodor, A. et al. Metabolites of Xenorhabdus bacteria are potent candidates for mitigating amphibian chytridiomycosis. AMB Expr 13, 88 (2023).

Written By: Grace L., Class of 2028

Bobcat Bulletin: A Wild Case Update

Bobcat being positioned on a foam pad for an ultrasound.

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

American bobcats are a medium sized cat that can be up to two feet tall at the shoulders and weigh upwards of thirty pounds. They often have a mostly brown coat with black spots speckled throughout with a white stomach. They are found all throughout the United States and are very adaptable animals living in a variety of different habitat types.

A Unique Patient Not Often Seen in the Clinic

On December 3, 2025, the Wildlife Medical Clinic was presented with a sub-adult male bobcat that had been reported to have been hit with a car. Before being sedated on intake, he had a quiet mentation, didn’t want to move much in his carrier, and did not have much reaction to the people examining him.

Initial Assessment

Triage exam on a bobcat. Two staff holding an oxygen mask over a sedated bobcats face.

For his initial exam to ensure his safety as well as the safety of our staff he was fully sedated. This also allowed us to complete a thorough exam including: collecting a blood sample to run basic bloodwork and get a baseline on his overall health, x-rays, and an ultrasound. The blood work ended up showing mild signs of muscle injury, but no major signs of organ dysfunction. No broken bones or other major injuries were found on the x-rays. The point of care ultrasound was an abbreviated abdominal and thoracic ultrasound to look for areas of free fluid that could indicate bleeding into the body cavities; this ultrasound was also negative.

Our only concern at this point was the bobcat’s mentation. We started him on some pain medications, anti-inflammatory medications, and fluid therapy. The first round of fluids he received were given intravenous, or in the vein, in order to receive them quicker and help decrease any increased brain pressure. Additional fluids were given underneath the skin, subcutaneously, to give slower and ensure that he had adequate continued hydration. Now it was time to let the medications work and continue to monitor his symptoms.

Continued Care

However, over the next few days his mentation was still quiet and he wasn’t moving around the cage or hiding like we would expect, even with the continued pain and anti-inflammatory medications. We also had not seen him eating on his own. We decided to perform another sedated exam, and did another point of care ultrasound and reran the same bloodwork. The ultrasound was still negative and the bloodwork showed signs of improvement in the values indicating muscle injury. We decided to give another round of fluid therapy and also added some anti-nausea medication.

In the days after this exam the bobcat regained his appetite and began acting more appropriately by vocalizing when people were nearby the cage, and hiding from view when we were present. We continued to monitor over the next few days, and waited for the weather to be more appropriate for his release.

Final Assessment and Release

Our last step of the process was to perform an awake ambulation exam in one of our larger flight cages to ensure that he had full use of all his limbs and did not have any signs of limping or other injury. After being let out of the transport carrier he immediately ran and proceeded to climb up the wall with no issues or hesitation showing that he was back to normal. He received a clean bill of health from our staff veterinarian and was cleared for release. We were able to quickly secure him back in his carrier and he was immediately transported back to where he was found for release. Once we arrived and opened his carrier, it took a few seconds of figuring out where he was, but once he realized, he sprinted off into the woods and was gone in the blink of an eye.

Written by: Riley D., Class of 2027

Introducing our Junior Student Manager, Alexa

WMC Junior Manager Alexa holding a Red-tailed hawk for an exam.

Meet Alexa, our junior student manager! She is currently finishing up her first year as a veterinary student here at University of Illinois. She is interested in wildlife and zoological medicine and is excited for all the new opportunities she will experience throughout veterinary school. She is looking forward to growing her own knowledge as well as guiding students during their time in the Wildlife Medical Clinic (WMC) and ensuring they have as many learning opportunities as possible.

What Led Her to Vet School?

Alexa knew she wanted to be a veterinarian from the time she could talk. She volunteered at a small animal clinic during high school and has multiple years of experience in shelter medicine and wildlife rehabilitation. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 2024 with a BS in Animal Science, with minors in Chemistry and Public Health.

WMC Experience and Summer Goals

Junior manager Alexa holding a Red-tailed hawk while veterinary student volunteer, Caroline examines it.

Alexa is no stranger to the WMC, she began volunteering during her undergraduate studies in 2022. She is looking forward for her first summer as a clinic manager. Summer has always been her favorite season in the WMC, and this year she is excited to be more involved with the wide variety of adult patients we receive. With a higher case load, smaller group of students, and orphan season in full swing, there is constantly something new to learn and teach. Alexa is looking forward to the opportunities to improve and grow her knowledge of wound care, surgical procedures, and physical therapy. Having the opportunity to work in the clinic full-time over the summer will build her confidence as manager and help her to better serve as a resource when student volunteers return in the fall.

Memorable Patients Over the Years

Throughout her many years as a WMC volunteer, Alexa has really enjoyed working with all the raptors in the clinic and has a soft spot for our many orphans, especially the white-tailed deer fawns and opossums! She enjoyed working the muskrat that came into the clinic last year and looks forward to what might present in the future. We are thrilled to have Alexa on our team!

Written By: Caroline M., Class of 2026