University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital

I want to share how appreciative I am of the staff at the U of I Small Animal ER. I came in twice this week to the ER with my 6-year-old orange cat. We had received concerning test results from our vet that showed what appeared to be a mass, lung consolidation, or pleural effusion in his chest, and he was struggling to breathe. The ER staff were so kind and understanding of his situation. They ran additional tests and placed him on oxygen. They were able to determine that there was no mass or fluid in his chest, and determined that he instead has asthma, which is such a relief considering we were thinking the worst based on the results from his initial scans. I highly recommend this ER for the expertise, care, and thoroughness of the staff. They took what had been a very scary situation for us and turned it into such a relief, and my cat is now on a care plan for his asthma. Thank you to the staff - we really appreciate you! (Photo of my asthmatic orange boy below 😊)

Very thankful for U of I’s emergency vet clinic. My husband and I are in Cancun for our honeymoon. Our cat sitter had called us saying they found our sweet cat, Milo, paralyzed. We had called the emergency line for the vet we take Milo to, they said they weren’t concerned being he wasn’t having any issues with losing control of his bladder or bowel movements. I had called them again and had to leave a message, saying I really wanted him to take a look at my cat. I never got an answer. My sisters picked up Milo and drove him (around a 3 hour trip) to the U of I clinic. I was able to stay on the phone so I could talk to the doctors there. Everyone was so kind and professional. They took Milo in immediately, and although I was in another country, they still kept me very updated with Milo’s wellbeing. Unfortunately Milo did cross the rainbow bridge, but hang the U of I team there really helped out. Even being there via phone call, I felt heard and respected. Thank you for giving my sweet boy love and kindness during his final moments. Thank you for letting him cross the rainbow bridge with ease. Thank you for your compassion and a true respect for our beloved pets.

I took my dog to our vet with symptoms of exercise intolerance and not being able to stand while being groomed. Found nothing. I then took the dog to U of I. After examination they suggested an x-ray and bloodwork. Neither showed anything. The Dr. kept saying they needed more to go on. Someone else suggested a vet in a nearby town. I took my dog there and he was diagnosed in about 6 minutes. He would not let vet move his back right leg. She had her assistant walk him while she watched, she pointed out he was carrying his back right leg abnormally. I am wondering if moving a dogs legs are part of an examination? If not it should be.

This Hospital saved our baby. Pepito age 4. After 4 operations to save his life, he's back to normal. Can't say enough about the staff and doctors. Thank you to everyone.

My wife brought our dog into the ER for an eye emergency (appeared to be ocular proptosis) and after prescribing eye drops and painkiller, they left her to wait in the lobby while they got the meds. My wife sat there for 2 hours without a word and finally had to leave. Keep in mind the appt/exams were complete and she was just waiting for meds and to check out. This is the 2nd time in a year that we have been left waiting for hours with zero communication. This why the U of I animal emergency center is among the lowest rated in all of Illinois. Sadly, you need to drive up closer to Chicago to get competent/caring vet emergency services. A local vet we know warned us that the U of I had gone downhill and we've now experienced it twice in one year. The U of I is a prestigious school - their emergency vet center does harm to the school's reputation.

Started with the oncology group. I cannot say enough about this group. They were amazing. Out local vet did the initial diagnosis based on an X-ray. Basically told there wasn’t much that could be done. I then reached and made an appointment with UofI oncology. After tests and evaluations, it was found that she didn’t have cancer, but instead a final infection that infiltrated the bone. Everyone, except for one provider was beyond what I could ask for. The one provider was also attending to ER pets that day, so it could have been the flow of pets or it could have been his personality. Either way, I just made sure we didn’t see him again.

My dog suffered a life-changing spinal injury six days ago and, honestly, it was one of the scariest experiences of my life. No local hospitals had room for him, so I rushed him down to the University of Illinois — a 3-hour drive that felt endless. He was walking with a limp at my house, but during the drive he became completely paralyzed. Being a Saturday, we weren’t even sure how quickly he’d be seen, but thankfully they moved fast. He was evaluated immediately and had an MRI the very next day, which finally gave us answers. Surgery was performed that same evening. Dr. Ma and her team were absolutely incredible. They were compassionate, patient, and also very honest about what the outcome could look like. She explained everything thoroughly, answered every question, and kept me updated multiple times a day. In the middle of such a devastating situation, that level of communication meant everything. What stood out the most was how much Dr. Ma truly wanted Dilbert to pull through. She seemed genuinely invested in his recovery and aftercare every step of the way. Gilbert is not an easy dog by any means, and even with his stubborn personality, they handled him so well and cared for him like he was their own. I was able to bring my boy home yesterday. We still don’t know whether he’ll regain function in his hind end, but he is alive because of her and her team, and for that I will always be grateful. ❤️