Dr. Donna Solomon Archive

Grain-Free Pet Food Trend a Hoax?

written by Donna Solomon, DVM Today I started thinking about the grain-free pet food trend that is currently in vogue. First, I wondered how this craze evolved. I know it definitely did not originate in the professional veterinary community. I speculate that this movement was triggered in part by a pet food company’s advertising campaign

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Brewing Beer at Home: Risk of Hops Toxicity in Pets

At my dinner table, my family frequently asks me about my workday. Most days I share crazy or funny stories about my patients. Regrettably, on a few days, I share tragic stories. This case that I am about to share with you is one of those tragic stories that every pet owner dreads to hear.

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Antifreeze Warning

As the weather changes in the northern hemisphere, many people start preparing for freezing temperatures by using antifreeze to protect their cars and plumbing in seasonal cabins. Spills and leaks of antifreeze pose problems for our curious pets, who like to investigate and taste interesting materials. There are basically three kinds of antifreeze available: Methanol

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Community Involvement

At Animal Medical Center of Chicago, we believe that we have a social responsibility to have a positive impact in our community. Every year, the entire staff gives back to the community by donating several free surgeries to local non-for-profit animal shelters and rescue organizations in the annual “Have-A-Heart” project. These 100% free surgeries have

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Dancing With the Devil: A Puppy Mill Retailer

Some Pet Stores Don’t Tell You Their Puppies Are From Puppy Mills Many years ago a new client came to see me with his ill pet. I examined and successfully treated his dog. This new client, whom I later learned was the owner of a popular Chicago pet store, was so impressed with my skills

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Marijuana and Your Pet: Not a Good Time

Does Your Dog Get High On Marijuana? Not long ago one of my clients and her 17-year-old son came to see me with their almost one hundred pound Labrador retriever, whom I will fictitiously name “Chewy.” This big overgrown teddy bear was acutely ill. He stumbled into the examination room with dilated eyes and a

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Your Pet’s Dental Day

Thank you for entrusting us with the care of your pet. At Animal Medical Center, your pet’s safety is our first concern. All patients will receive a thorough examination and pre-operative blood work prior to your pet’s prophylactic dental cleaning. If abnormalities are detected, your doctor will contact you. Please make sure that you are

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Dog Registration

The Chicago City Clerk requires all dogs four months and older be registered with the City of Chicago. [Registration costs $5 annually for spayed or neutered animals and $50 for dogs that haven’t been sterilized.](http://www.chicityclerk.com/dogs ) If your dog is currently not registered, please do so as soon as possible in order to avoid a

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Environmental Friendliness

The staff at Animal Medical Center of Chicago strives to limit their impact on the environment by reducing, reusing and recycling. We maintain the following practices to reduce our environmental footprint: Reduce We use a digital radiography system instead of a traditional film dependent radiography system to eliminate product waste and the use of hazardous

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