Wildlife Medical Clinic at Illinois

06/13/2026

Have you ever had a feathered friend hit your window and did not know what to do? Take a look at the article below to learn what we can do to help these guys out when a window may get in their way!

Join us as we discuss bird window strikes. What can you do to prevent these at home and how to help an injured bird you may find.

06/12/2026

You definitely want to take a peek at this ! 👁️

Did you know that red-tailed hawks have extraordinary eyesight? Red-tailed hawks have remarkable eyesight, several times sharper than a human's. They can detect small prey from great distances and can see ultraviolet light, which may help them locate prey by revealing trails invisible to humans. If you spot a red-tailed hawk in the wild, there's a good chance it noticed you long before you noticed it!

06/11/2026

It’s time for another Thursday !

Adult barred owl 26-542 presented to the WMC on May 1st after being found on the side of the road with a broken left leg. Upon initial examination, our team identified a left tibiotarsal fracture and went to work on placing a splint and administering pain medications to stabilize the patient until further radiographs and surgery a few days later.

On May 3rd, anesthetized radiographs were performed to further evaluate the extent of the fracture and help plan for surgery. That same day, this patient underwent surgery to place an implant in tibiotarsal bone stabilize it until it could heal.

After multiple weeks with the implants in place, as well as pain management, antibiotics, pin site cleanings, and monitoring, BDOW 542 is healing well and has begun the process of implant destabilization, to slowly transfer the weight load from the surgical implant to the bone. We’re hoping to get the implant completely removed this week so that he can continue to get his leg strength back and return to full health!

Enjoy this photo of our barred owl patient still sleepy after recovering from his surgery on May 3rd. 💤

06/10/2026

⏰ Time’s up! Did you guess correctly?
This eye belongs to the Great Horned Owl! 🦉

Unlike our eyes, a Great Horned Owl’s eyes are tubular in shape and held firmly in place by a bony structure called the sclerotic ring. Because their eyes can’t move within their sockets, owls have evolved an incredible alternative—they can rotate their heads up to 270 degrees to scan their surroundings!

Did you know owl eyes can’t move? Let us know if this fun fact surprised you!

06/10/2026

Who does this enormous eye belong to?👁️ Take a guess for this weeks in the comments down below and check back at 5pm to find out!

06/09/2026

Today’s is Jayci Jeffirs, a rising third-year veterinary student and current student intern at the WMC! Jayci is from Aurora, Illinois and completed her undergraduate degree at Loyola University Chicago. As a summer intern, Jayci works with her team to triage new cases, assist our fourth years with treatments, and answer the public’s questions about local wildlife. Jayci has been so excited to become more involved in the WMC to sharpen her clinical skills and reasoning. So far Jayci has had the opportunity to work with bald eagles, a pelican, fawns, Canada geese, snakes, and so much more! She can’t wait to continue learning this summer and share her knowledge with her team at the start of the school year!

Jayci is fabulous and we love the positive vibes she brings to the WMC!

06/08/2026

Today’s is Kat, a rising third-year veterinary student and current intern for the summer at the WMC!
Kat is from Fort Worth, Texas and completed her undergraduate degree at Regis University in Denver, Colorado. She began volunteering in the WMC as a first-year veterinary student and has truly hit the ground running. Whether working directly with the WMC or in the Ambassador Program, Kat loves learning the different traits and behaviors that native Illinois species possess. She is so grateful for the clinic and all the wonderful opportunities it brings!
Kat has the ultimate goal of becoming a zoo veterinarian one day and can’t wait to see how everything she learns at the WMC aids her in her future career!

We are SO excited Kat is spending the summer with us, she is amazing!

06/06/2026

As we are entering deeper into the warmer season, we have seen an influx of patients presenting to the clinic for cat attacks. Check out this article to learn more about some of the risk outdoor cats pose to our wildlife!

Learn about the dangers that domestic cats pose to wildlife and what you can do to minimize these dangers.

06/05/2026

Did you know a raccoon’s famous black “mask” may do more than make it look like a tiny bandit? 🦝

Scientists believe the dark fur around a raccoon’s eyes can help reduce glare from sunlight, much like the black stripes athletes sometimes wear under their eyes. By absorbing stray light and minimizing reflections, the mask may improve contrast and help raccoons see more clearly, especially during dawn, dusk, and other low-light conditions when they are most active.

06/04/2026

Patient number 26-822 is subadult male painted turtle that presented to the clinic on May 16th after being hit by a car. On initial examination, our team found a significant fracture of the carapace (upper shell) and weakness of the hind limbs. Radiographs were performed that revealed the patient had a fractured left ilium (part of the pelvis) and luxation (dislocation) of some vertebrae in the tail.
The team then took part in assisting a carapacial fracture repair surgery. Once anesthetized, two small holes were drilled into the distal edge of the carapace on each side of the fracture to feed a thin wire through. As the wire is tightened the edges of the fracture appose to aid healing. This patient did excellently during the procedure!

Since the procedure, 26-822’s hind limb motor has started to improve. He may still have quite the healing journey ahead of him, but we are pleased with his progress and cannot wait to support him more.