It’s no secret that companion animals can be unpredictable. From accidental injuries and unplanned toxicities to sudden illnesses, sometimes it seems like we spend more time focusing on—and paying for—the healthcare of our pets than we do for ourselves, not to mention, the worry we often experience associated with our pets and their health.

In March, we met Stella, the canine victim of a house fire. Since the fire occurred in February, she has been treated at the MSU Veterinary Medical Center for several injuries; the most severe—partial- and full-thickness burn wounds that covered 10 percent of her body surface area—was healed in a way no other animal burn wound has been healed before.

Dr. Rebecca Smedley, pathologist and biopsy service coordinator at the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, is putting on her dancing shoes for charity.

Lucky, a one-year-old mixed breed goat, presented to the Michigan State University Veterinary Medical Center’s Large Animal Clinic for straining and inability to urinate. According to his owners, the last time Lucky urinated normally was the previous day.