In The News

Dental care and oral health for our pets has become a popular topic among pet parents and veterinarians. It can be hard to know what we should and shouldn’t do for our pet’s dental care. Here are some hints to keep your dog and cat’s teeth healthy. Do ask your veterinarian about your pet’s oral health. Veterinarians are trained to look for signs of dental disease in our pets. If we recommend a dental…

While this winter in Chicago is the eleventh coldest on record, furry friends have to fend for themselves.  Some may even perish this winter due to frigid temperatures.  The Anti-Cruelty Society, MedVet Chicago, and Tree House Humane Society give information about how to protect your pets.  You might even save their life. Read More…

Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a costly medical and surgical emergency condition that is fatal if untreated. Luckily, GDV is also a preventable condition. GDV occurs when the stomach distends with air and rotates along its axis, effectively shutting off any means of air, food and liquids getting into or out of the stomach. Image depicting rotation of the stomach seen with GDV GDV is most commonly seen in large and giant breed dogs.

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A figurative “Tiny Tim” of the feline persuasion presented to Dr. Kate Fitzwater, DACVS, and our Surgery Department on Halloween. Hercules (his real name) was just six weeks old, smaller than his litter mates, and had a condition called bilateral carpal varus. Put in simple terms, both his front limbs turned inward. Try as he might, this little fellow just could not keep up and was doomed to life long problems. Hercules is also…

The old saying, “A picture paints a thousand words”, could not be more true here, only it is video that tells this story. Greta received her wheelchair during her latest rehabilitation session and surprised everyone with her instant liking to this new form of mobility. Once she figured out what this new contraption was supposed to do, it was full speed ahead…literally! There was no doubt that Greta was on a roll as she…

Fall in Indiana is a great time of year. The leaves are beautiful, the air is crisp…what better time to make your dog happy and get some exercise at the same time? Now there is an app available to make walking your dog both fun and informative. MapMyDogWalk by Subaru is a free app available for both Android and iOS. MapMyDogWalk tracks and maps your dog walking route. It keeps…

Greta continues rehabilitation.  Her family reports that she can wag her tail again, ever so slightly, which means a lot since she was always very expressive with her wagging.   To the left is a picture of Greta during one of her land exercises and below a video of one of Greta’s sessions in the underwater treadmill. Along with her exercises, Greta receives laser therapy and acupuncture.  She is being fitted here for a wheel chair and…

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The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) recently made a requirement that all of its member hospitals only perform dental cleanings under general anesthesia with an endotracheal tube in place, AAHA Dental Guidelines. This decision has come under fire from groups who perform dental cleanings without anesthesia. Fairly, we should look at each side’s concerns. The groups who perform dental cleanings without general anesthesia argue that their trained staff can safely and completely clean the…