Case Studies

Hoppy and the Lasting Limp
September 18, 2019

Dr. Maryse Arteficio Associate Veterinarian – Animal Medical Center   Hoppy and the Lasting Limp Hoppy is a kitten who was brought to us by a good Samaritan who found her as a stray. She had been limping on her right rear leg and we noted a large wound on [...]

Small Stone in the Urethra
May 15, 2019

Dr. Alexis Bergstrom Associate Veterinarian – Animal Medical Center   Small Stone in the Urethra Charlie is a 14yr-old Maltese who was found as a stray by his owner roughly two months prior to presentation.  He was updated on vaccines and tested for heartworms at that time, and started on [...]

Chronic UTI’s in a Female Dog
May 15, 2019

Dr. Kirsten Plomin Associate Veterinarian – Hinsdale Animal Hospital   Chronic UTI’s in a Female Dog Tequila is an approximately 5-year-old female spayed French Bulldog who has had recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) for the majority of her life. Upon examination by Dr. Kirsten Plomin of Hinsdale Animal Hospital, Tequila [...]

Tia With The Terrible Breathing
January 17, 2019

Dr. Kasey Aona Associate Veterinarian – Animal Medical Center   Tia with the Terrible Breathing         Tia, a 12 year-old, 5.5 pound chihuahua, presented to Animal Medical Center of Gahanna for difficulty breathing. Tia had been previously diagnosed with a loud heart murmur, an enlarged heart seen [...]

Legend “Glutton for Trouble”
November 21, 2018

Dr. Jennifer Marlatt  Associate Veterinarian – Animal Care Center of Plainfield EMERGENCY   Legend “Glutton for Trouble”    Legend is a 2 year old male neutered doberman mix. He was recently adopted by his new family who did not know of his counter surfing bad habits. The owner’s left the [...]

The Tail of Heartworm Disease
October 30, 2018

Dr. Maxine Koyanagi Associate Veterinarian – Animal Care Center of Shorewood   Here at the Animal Care Center of Shorewood, we are seeing an increased incidence of heartworm disease but are often asked “is heartworm prevention absolutely necessary and, if so, do we really need to give it year around?” [...]

Lance and the Cloudy Eye
October 18, 2018

Dr. Maryse Arteficio Veterinarian – Animal Medical Center Lance is a 13 week old Terrier mix who is one of our adoptable puppies through our in house rescue Help Save Pets. He had a bit of a rough start in life and came to us after spending some time in [...]

Why Are Dentals So Important?
October 12, 2018

Dr. Mark Piechocinski Veterinarian – Animal Care Center of Plainfield Did you know dental care is just as important for your pet as it is for you? Just as it is with people, dental disease is a major contributor to to any animals overall health. Lack of attention to this [...]

The Emergency C-Section
October 12, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

The Giant Mass on Bailey’s Tail
October 10, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

The Border Collie Who Loves To Play Frisbee
October 10, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

The Case of the Dryer Cat
October 8, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

Thoracic Trauma
October 8, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

Healing Kasey’s Wound
October 8, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

Dr. Feldman’s Most Interesting Cases of 2018!
October 5, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

Roscoe, and his recurring urinary stones
July 23, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

Rocky’s PPDH
May 31, 2018

“Rocky” is a two-year-old male neutered Domestic Shorthair that presented to Hinsdale Animal Hospital for an acute history of vomiting. Rocky was adopted with his sibling as a kitten from the local humane society. He has always been smaller than his sibling, and more of a picky eater, but was [...]

Salem’s Case of FIP
May 22, 2018

Salem is a 9-month-old, male, Domestic Shorthair cat that initially presented for an exam due to a 2 day history of lethargy. The owner expressed that Salem was just not acting like his normal self but was still eating, drinking, defecating, and urinating normally. The owner did not know of [...]

Madison and the Meibomian Gland Tumor
April 17, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

Kristoff, the Kitten, and Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease
April 13, 2018

Kristoff, an approximately 5 month old kitten, was found as a stray with a limp and brought into Animal Care Center of Plainfield. This kitten was non-weight bearing on his left hindlimb. X-rays showed that Kristoff either had a rare condition called Legg-Calve-Perthes disease or possibly an old fracture to [...]

The “Dutchess” Of The Giants
April 2, 2018

Dutchess is approximately a 2-year-old female spayed Cane Corso mix (rescue) who presented to OAH for right forelimb lameness. The owner reported that Dutchess fell down a flight of stairs a few days prior and was limping on her right leg. She also noted that Dutchess’ right elbow appeared to [...]

Tasha: A Case of Pyometra
March 23, 2018

Tasha, a 10-year-old intact female English Mastiff, presented to ACC of Plainfield on recommendation from their routine veterinarian. Tasha had been lethargic for the past 72 hours and over the last 24 hours began refusing food. Her owners noticed she seemed uncomfortable, continuously repositioning herself and never seeming to be [...]

Pepper: A Case of Hydronephrosis
March 15, 2018

Pepper, a 10 month female spayed mixed breed dog, presented to the Animal Care Center of Polaris for a few days duration of a slightly reduced appetite.  Given her non-specific signs, blood work was performed.  Initial lab work (complete blood count, chemistry profile, and urinalysis) showed a mild elevation in [...]

Wendy, the Sock Thief
March 5, 2018

Wendy, a six month old Bernese Mountain Dog, was presented after a long weekend with the babysitter. On Wendy’s first day back home with her family, she defecated two socks. Her owner’s were startled but she was still playful and happy. A few days later, though, she also vomited up [...]

Risk and Reward – Open Fracture Repair
February 28, 2018

Fiona, a 3 year old Greyhound, presented on emergency after a frightening encounter with a truck – this sweet girl was hit by a car.  While she was in shock from the event, this lucky dog did not have any major damage to her internal organs – her right front [...]

Persistent Right Aortic Arch (PRAA)
February 1, 2018

  PRAA is a congenital abnormality of the blood vessels of the heart. It can constrict the esophagus and cause dysfunction.  It is more common in dogs than cats. The earlier it is diagnosed and treated (surgically) the better the prognosis. Unfortuantely for Ellie, with poor prognosis differentials and financial constraints, this abnormality lead [...]

Abigail, The Tripod Puppy!
January 25, 2018

Abigail, a 7 month old female poodle, was presented late one evening with a bone sticking out of her right arm. Her arm had been wrapped with nylon gloves and packing tape to cover the exposed bone. The owners had noted that Abigail had originally fallen down the stairs about [...]

The Case of the Unlucky Penny
January 11, 2018

Roscoe is a 12-year-old, neutered male Poodle who was originally presented in September 2017 for having urinary accidents in the house, straining to urinate, and increased frequency of urination. His physical examination was unremarkable except for having a large bladder. A urinalysis and x-rays were performed which showed evidence for [...]

Cloud and the Forearm Laceration
January 9, 2018

Cloud, a 2 year, indoor-outdoor intact male cat, was presented to us for a large laceration on his left forearm. He went outside for several hours, when he returned was bleeding profusely from his arm. His owners are unsure how he acquired the wound. On presentation, Cloud had a very [...]

But I never see fleas!
January 15, 2018

Many pets suffer from allergies, and it can be a real battle to find the cause. If you have never seen a flea, believing your veterinarians when they suspect flea allergy dermatitis can be difficult. However, flea allergy dermatitis is one of the most common reasons dogs and cats itch. [...]

Betsy and the Mystery of the Missing Baby Pacifiers
December 31, 2016

Betsy, a two year old mixed breed dog, was presented for a one day history of vomiting and unwillingness to eat. The owners note that Betsy had one episode of vomiting her dinner last night and was unwilling to eat her breakfast that morning. Since breakfast, Betsy had five episodes [...]

What Did Leah Eat?
December 12, 2016

Leah, a 1 1⁄2 year old female spayed Labrador mix, presented for a sudden episode of collapse and bloody diarrhea. Leah is a very active dog who loves to eat anything she can manage to pick up in her mouth. Despite her owner’s best efforts, she will still get a [...]

Sammy and his Screwy Situation
December 5, 2016

Sammy, a 2 year old male neutered dog, was enjoying a normal afternoon playing out in his backyard. Suddenly his owners noted he completely stopped bearing weight on his right front leg, and was reluctant to move at all. On brief examination they noted a metallic foreign body protruding from [...]

Madison and Giardia
November 28, 2016

Madison, a three year old Labrador Retriever, was presented to Oswego Animal Hospital for a week long history of diarrhea, intermittent episodes of vomiting and lethargy. On physical examination, Madison was slightly dehydrated with no other abnormalities noted. Due to Madison’s clinical signs of diarrhea, vomiting and lethargy, it was [...]

Wilson and his Skin Mites
November 14, 2016

Wilson is an 8-month-old intact male mixed breed dog who was recently pulled from a local shelter by a rescue group. He presented for his intake exam to assess his overall health and administer all vaccines, and to start heartworm and flea/tick prevention. His overall health was found to be [...]

Otodectic Mange:  Itchy Ears in a Kitten
October 31, 2016

Edwin, a 6 month old male intact domestic medium haired cat, presented to Oswego Animal Hospital for an examination.  Edwin was previously an outdoor cat that came from a rural community.  The owners noticed both his ears were dirty and that he scratched them frequently. On presentation, Edwin was examined [...]

Sandy’s Sepsis
October 17, 2016

Sandy is an eight year-old shar pei mix who presented to the Animal Care Center late morning. According to her owner, she was normal the night before. She had a little bit of an appetite in the morning but, as the morning progressed, she became lethargic and seemed confused. She [...]

Overcoming Pet Obesity
October 10, 2016

OVERWEIGHT PETS Pet obesity is becoming an epidemic in the United states. It is estimated that over half of all household dogs are overweight. At Animal Care Center that percentage is higher! Obesity can lead to many health problems including heart disease and diabetes. Another condition commonly seen is early [...]

Penelope and her Mast Cell Tumor
October 6, 2016

A 10-year-old female spayed Domestic Shorthair named Penelope presented to Hinsdale Animal Hospital for evaluation after the owners noticed a small bump on her face. The mass had slowly gotten larger over the course of a few weeks. A fine needle aspirate (FNA) and cytology was performed by Dr. Plomin [...]

What you need to know about Canine Influenza
May 2, 2016

According to the AVMA: Canine influenza, or dog flu, is a highly contagious infection caused by an influenza A virus. In March 2015, an outbreak started in the Chicago area was determined to be due to an H3N2 strain. This strain had never previously been recognized in the United States, but since [...]

Lola and her Bladder Stones
April 14, 2016

Lola is a 2 year old, spayed female, pug that presented to Dr. Buedel at Animal Care Center of Plainfield for straining to urinate and not being able to produce any urine. Her temperature, heart rate, and respiration were all normal. Although, she was painful when her abdomen was palpated. [...]

Mia and her Bladder Stones
April 12, 2016

This weeks case of the week deals with a dog that was urinating all over the house uncontrollably. Mia is a 6 year old female, Yorkie mix who for the past couple weeks, has been urinating small amounts all over the house. The urine had blood in it, but was [...]

Zander and the importance of Oral Health
March 22, 2016

Zander, a 14-year-old neutered male Domestic Shorthair, presented to Hinsdale Animal Hospital for evaluation after the owners noticed Zander’s breath had become foul smelling. A dental cleaning and examination was scheduled and Dr. Plomin was able to perform a complete oral examination with the patient under anesthesia. Not only was [...]

Nugget – Eenie Meanie Miney Toe!
March 14, 2016

Nugget is the sweetest 6 year old English Bulldog you’ll ever meet! Nugget presented to Animal Care Center for a swollen toe on his back right paw. Nugget’s owner had noticed that he would occassionally develop a draining lesion on the toe. Recently the toe has become more swollen and [...]

Mimi’s Anemia
March 8, 2016

Mimi is a 2 year old spayed female cat that was presented for a several day history of acting oddly. Her owners noticed that she had been hiding more, cried when picked up, and had a dull hair coat. She was eating and drinking normally. Mimi is an indoor only [...]

Ripley and the missing sewing needle
February 2, 2016

Ripley, a 1 year old female spayed Labrador Retriever, presented for an exam after owners had noted her to have protracted vomiting since the morning. She ate her breakfast and was interested in food but subsequently had vomited the ingested material. Owners believed that she may have ingested a needle [...]

Cuterebra: A Creepier, Crawlier Side of Veterinary Medicine
December 30, 2015

Bambi, a 7 year female spayed Papillon dog, presented to Oswego Animal Hospital for evaluation of a swelling on her side that the owners noticed the day before. [...]

Surgical Correction of Gastric Dilation and Volvulus
December 30, 2015

Adam, a 7 year old Great Dane, was presented to Oswego Animal Hospital for a painful abdomen and unsuccessful attempts at vomiting.  On physical examination, his stomach felt enlarged and very firm, he had a rapid, irregular heart rate and was extremely dehydrated. Due to concerns for gastric dilation and [...]

Lola and Leptospirosis
December 30, 2015

Lola was a 2 year old, intact female Olde English Bulldog, that presented for vomiting, loss of appetite, recent weight loss and a foul smell from her mouth. She was formally adopted by her current owners earlier in the year, although they had known her since she was a puppy. [...]

Trudy and her itchiness
December 13, 2015

Trudy is a 2 year-old retriever mix who occasionally seems itchy. Through the summer, she licked her feet fairly often, and seemed to scratch her ear a lot. Recently, her owner noticed her ear seemed red and had a lot of debris in it. Her owner also noticed red bumps [...]