Blog

by Companion Animal Hospital on September 5, 2019 at 12:00 pm

What to Expect When You’re Expecting…a Fur Baby!               The excitement of bringing home a new puppy is unrivaled to most, but there can be a lot of uncertainty and questions for new pet parents or if it has […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on August 21, 2019 at 4:40 pm

Our very own Dr. Amanda Schnitker at Companion Animal Hospital River North was featured on CBS Chicago! Watch the video to learn more about pet allergies and what do do if your pet has a serious allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis. Severity of allergies in pets can vary, just like in […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on July 17, 2019 at 7:11 pm

The summer heat is officially here!While that means lots of fun activities outdoors, be sure to be extra careful when including your canine companions. Dogs can quickly suffer from “heat stroke” or extremely high body temperatures. A dog’s normal temperature is between 99-103 […]

by Unknown on June 27, 2019 at 3:30 pm

Thunderstorms and Fireworks are here!Noise phobiaNoise phobia is a common disorder in our pets, and is thought to affect one third of all dogs. Common signs of noise phobias can include; pacing, lip licking, panting, cowering, hiding, refusing to eat, trembling and shaking to name a few. Does your […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on June 4, 2019 at 4:00 pm

Be Prepared - Microchip Your Pet! It is a heartbreaking event for any pet parent to have to endure. Even with our best intentions, pets seem to find a way to slip out and away. Their natural curiosity can get them into trouble. Have you taken the proper steps to assure your pet is […]

by Unknown on April 2, 2019 at 2:00 pm

Ticks are a relatively common parasite in our area.  At times, they are a VERY common cause of concern (or even panic!) amongst pet owners.  If you have found a tick on your pet, here are some “Do’s and Don’ts" of removing the tick.Do:Part the fur so you can see where […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on March 5, 2019 at 8:42 pm

Help your pup conquer seasonal allergies with Cytopoint!With warm weather right around the corner, allergies are starting to act up. Just like humans, many dogs are affected by seasonal allergies.  Allergies in dogs show up as skin problems, typically signaled by licking, biting, scratching, […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on January 29, 2019 at 6:56 pm

Cold Weather Tips for You & Your Pet Helpful tips for keeping your pet safe during the cold weatherCold weather may worsen some medical conditions such as arthritis. Your pet should be examined by a veterinarian at least once a year, and it's as good a time as any to get him/her checked […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on January 24, 2019 at 1:00 pm

Fleas and Ticks in the Winter: Frozen or Flourishing?After the first frost of the season, it may be tempting to skip Fluffy’s dose of flea and tick prevention, but contrary to popular belief, fleas and ticks can still be a threat in the winter.Although near-freezing temperatures will kill […]

by Unknown on December 20, 2018 at 1:00 pm

Happy Holidays from Companion Animal Hospital! With the holidays fast approaching, we know what a busy time of year this can be.  By taking a few precautions, you can make sure that everyone in your family (including your furry friends) enjoys the holidays! Below are some ideas to help […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on December 11, 2018 at 2:00 pm

The dog ate WHAT??I arrived at work one morning and was told by our receptionist that there was a client on the way with his 5 month old Shepherd. She said they thought had eaten nails that had been laying around in the garage. When they arrived, I told them the best way to visualize what is […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on November 20, 2018 at 1:00 pm

End of Life Care: Making Every Day CountBeing a veterinarian is often a rewarding job; we get to watch our patients grow and mature, perform preventative care to keep them healthy, and help heal them when they’re sick. However, being a vet also means that I sometimes have the unfortunate task […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on November 8, 2018 at 5:47 pm

Why is it so important to keep your pets on heartworm preventative year round? Check out this video to learn just what heartworm is and the importance of year round prevention! […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on October 23, 2018 at 12:00 pm

A Zoonotic disease, is one that, by definition, “is transmissible from animals to humans under natural conditions and can also be an infection or disease that is transmissible between animals and humans”. This is particularly important as the strength of the human-animal bond continues […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on September 25, 2018 at 1:00 pm

What's the deal with worms?Picking up your animals' feces is often not a pleasant task, but did you know that there could be friends hiding out within?Roundworms This parasite is very common in puppies and kittens, they are infected while in the uterus as well as when they ingest milk. Adult […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on September 11, 2018 at 1:00 pm

Why Do Cats Need Dental Exams?FORL of the canine tooth in the cat.             Feline Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions (FORL’s) account for 20-75% of all dental disease in cats over 4 years old.  Odontoclasts, which originate in the bone marrow, […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on August 28, 2018 at 12:00 pm

FIVE TIPS IN FEEDING YOUR PUPPYFeeding a puppy can be challenging with all the different foods available.  Here are five tips that are important when feeding a puppy:Tip one:  Feed puppy food.  I realize this sounds obvious, but puppy food is designed and formulated for the specific […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on August 14, 2018 at 12:00 pm

Toddlers and Dogs: Tips for HarmonyDogs and toddlers can be overly excited when interacting with each other.  This can result in pulled hair or tumbling children.  They can also be shy or afraid in uncertain interactions.  A misunderstanding can be dangerous. Both children and dogs […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on August 8, 2018 at 7:15 pm

Tick-Bourne Disease in Dogs and Cats      With summer upon us and lot's of ticks around this year, discussing tick-bourne diseases seemed appropriate. We typically think of dogs getting ticks but cats can as well.  I am going to seperate dogs and cats in my discussion […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on July 31, 2018 at 12:00 pm

Rabies Vaccine - Why does my pet need that?These days, we rarely hear about a domestic animal with rabies virus, and when a human gets rabies, it makes the evening news!  However unseen, rabies virus is endemic to the continental United States, which results in many of our wildlife animal […]

by Unknown on July 17, 2018 at 12:30 pm

Why are we so preoccupied with checking your pet’s poop?Consider the following facts:Most pets are born with roundworms.Roundworms and hookworms carried by pets can infect people.  These infections have been known to cause eye disease leading to blindness in an eye in some people that […]

by Unknown on July 10, 2018 at 12:00 pm

Wellness testing: What it is and why we do itAs veterinarians, we are at a disadvantage relative to our human medical counterparts, in that our patients cannot always tell us how they feel or what is wrong with them.  Still, our goals are always to 1) relieve pain and suffering, 2) treat ill […]

by Companion Animal Hospital on June 26, 2018 at 12:00 pm

Fireworks Fun (and Safety)!In the midwest, summer is full of celebrations involving fireworks. We LOVE our fireworks! Unfortunately, most of our pets do not.  Some aren’t upset by the explosions, while others are so scared they may injure themselves.  We have seen pets that have […]

by Unknown on June 19, 2018 at 12:00 pm

How to Prevent and Detect Heat Stroke in Pets Summer is a time to have a great time with your pets outdoors.  There are countless activities we do with our four legged friends.  However, when the temperature rises, the risk for heat related illness increases as well.  Heat […]

by Unknown on June 12, 2018 at 12:00 pm

Skunked: How to get rid of that awful smell!It is the absolute dread of every dog owner - you let Fido out for his evening nature break and then you smell it!  SKUNKED!  Some dogs can get sprayed so badly it might not even be recognizable as skunk at first.  You may even think they […]