Dr. Burgess

Grain-Free Dog Food and Heart Disease: What Pet Owners Need to Know Grain-free dog food is not medically necessary for the vast majority of dogs,...

Is Corn Bad for Dogs? The Truth Behind the Filler Myth Corn is not a cheap filler in pet food. When properly processed, it supplies protein, complex...

Why a Board-Certified Veterinary Nutritionist Matters in Pet Food Not all pet food nutrition credentials are equal. Some "nutrition" certifications...

Who Is Really Making Your Pet's Food? Most pet food brands do not own the facility where their food is actually made — they provide a recipe and a...

Pet Food Feeding Directions: Why They Are Just a Starting Point Feeding directions printed on a pet food bag are set by the manufacturer, not by...

What Is AAFCO and Why It Matters for Your Pet's Food AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials, sets the nutritional standards that...

What Pet Food Ingredients Really Mean Pet food ingredient lists are ordered by pre-cooked weight, not nutritional importance, and terms like "meal"...

Understanding Pet Food Guaranteed Analysis The guaranteed analysis on a pet food bag lists only minimum and maximum percentages for crude protein,...

Pet Food Shrinkflation: Are You Getting Less for the Same Price? Pet food shrinkflation is when a manufacturer quietly reduces the amount of food in...

Pet Food Marketing Claims: What Labels Really Mean Terms like "holistic," "premium," and "ultra-premium" on a pet food label are pure marketing and...

Lucy is a comfort dog for the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office. Her job is to be there for victims, especially children, during the hardest moments, initial meetings with prosecutors, trial preparation, and court-related interviews.

Yesterday was Gus-Gus’ 11th birthday! Many of you know we have two resident cats here at Healthy Paws: Gus and Eleanor. Adopted in 2016 from Helping Paws, they are an integral part of our team and hospital life.

Clark came to visit Healthy Paws and he took a video of his experience!

Heather, one of our amazing technicians, is going into the weekend smiling and happy…puppy cuddles are the best! 

Greta was in for her annual wellness. Mom does such a great job keeping her calm, as she gets a little nervous. Greta has come such a long way! 

Some cute catness for your day! 

Baby Scout was falling asleep on the scale today, it is tiring being an 8 week old puppy sometimes!

Knox's first head to tail exam, congratulations Higgins family!!!! 

Bear was ready for his dental last Friday and is now looking forward to the sunny week ahead. Happy Tuesday!

Oakley came in today for his wellness visit. Oakley is the sweetest boy, however he gets nervous at the vet and goes into fight or flight mode. BUT...

I might work with the most amazing people. I love how our team is always there for each other, supportive during tough times, and always ready to...

Meet Norman and, as dad calls it, his “emotional support frisbee." We do everything we can to help our fearful friends feel more at ease and we love...

Pet food quality is an often discussed, but poorly understood hot topic. Ask ten people for advice and you will likely hear ten different opinions...

Bear was ready for his dental last Friday and is now looking forward to the sunny week ahead. Happy Tuesday!

Chase was in today and brought his birthday hat! We helped him celebrate with whipped cream, of course.

We are fortunate enough to work with students from the Burlington Central High School Veterinary Science Program. Becca went from intern in the fall...

In our world, "Local" also refers to how we keep our patients comfortable. Whenever possible, we prefer performing minor procedures using sedation...

Sometimes I forget that everyone doesn't get to play with cats and dogs all day at their job, love that I do! Have a great weekend everyone....

Speaking of spring, let’s talk about some hidden dangers in our gardens and floral bouquets. One of the most dangerous beauties for cats is the ever...

Hope this brings a smile to your face to start the week. Not quite how my flowers look yet, but it is good to have aspirations.

They say it takes a village, and this is mine. This photo was taken during a moment of celebration, but I am sharing it today for a different...

I love learning and research. Diving deep into, well, almost anything, is a hobby and sometimes an obsession of mine. Tonight, I spent the evening...

It is never easy losing a beloved pet. But there is a special kind of joy that comes when our team gets to see puppies and kittens find new homes...

I cannot remember this exact moment but I can feel it. The scrappy barn kitten, warm in my arms. The smell of dirt, fresh air, and cows that came...

So what if your dog or cat is missing a few teeth, it just makes their smile more charming, right? Maybe. But in some cases what appears to be “just...

So fun seeing Buck today for his first visit after joining his forever home. I love a good rescue and we are so excited that he found the perfect...

Ever heard of a “Shark Smile”? In the vet world, we call these retained deciduous teeth (or sometimes supernumerary teeth). The Golden Rule for dogs...

We are thrilled to partner with Dr. Paula West and the Innovet surgery team. By collaborating with these specialists, we are able to provide...

Oscar visited yesterday for an ultrasound and lab work. Oh and a little walk outside. Enjoy the beautiful weather!

Do you ever see your cat at the water bowl? How much water should your cat drink? Should you give your cat canned food? All of these are questions that can be answered by traveling back over 10,000 years to when cats were first domesticated.