My Dog's Symptoms : Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.

Hydrotherapy for Dogs: The Weight Of Water And How It Helps Dogs

Water has unique properties which make it a wonderful exercise medium for canine patients. Most dogs love it as much as I do! The Weight of Water, by Anita Shreve, is one of my favorite books. It’s the kind of book I can read over and over again. It combines all of my favorite things: history, suspense, relationships, islands, sailboats,…

by Susan E. Davis PT

TPLO Post-Op Disaster: Sampson Destroys His TPLO Repair

Every surgery carries potential complications. Some of them are common and predictable, but sometimes your dog might surprise you with what they manage to inflict on themselves. The more invasive the surgery is, the more room for a disaster. Yet, serious complications are quite rare. Some of the common TPLO complications include: swelling, bruising, and seromas at the incision poor…

by Jana Rade

Food Allergies in Dogs: Allergies Are Not the Same as Food Intolerance

Food allergies in dogs are gaining more and more recognition, both by dog parents and by veterinarians. When my friend, Jana Rade, asked me to help write about food allergies in dogs, I was delighted to. I know Jana and her dog Jasmine have been to hell and back when they were struggling with what would take years to diagnose…

by Dr. Laci Schaible

Why Walk Your Dog: It’s Not Just Walking, It’s Therapy!

Hmmmmm, are you wondering just what type of therapy I mean? Physical? Emotional? Mental? And the answer is all of these! If you consider your dog to be a big part of daily life, then the time spent with them takes on great importance. One of the most valuable ways to enjoy your time together and accomplish great things for…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Canine Idiopathic Renal Hematuria: Sclerotherapy—Lucy’s Unique Life-Saving Procedure

If your dog starts peeing blood, it typically involves two potential scenarios—damage to the tissues of the urinary tract or conditions that cause abnormal bleeding. The most common cause of blood in your dog’s urine (hematuria) are urinary tract infections (UTIs) or urinary tract stones. Other potential causes include: trauma non-infectious inflammation cancer Further information: Blood in the Urine in…

by Jana Rade

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer by day, dog health advocate, dog writer, member of the Dog Writers Association of American and an award-winning author. Jasmine, the Rottweiler of my life, was the largest female from her litter. We thought we were getting a healthy dog. Getting a puppy from a backyard breeder was our first mistake. Endless veterinary visits without a diagnosis or useful treatment later, I realized that I had to take Jasmine's health care in my own hands. I learned the hard way that simply seeing a vet is not always enough. There is more to finding a good vet than finding the closest clinic down the street. And, sadly, there is more to advocating for your dog's health than visiting a veterinarian. It should be enough but it often is not. With Jasmine, it took five years to finally get a diagnosis for her initial issue. Unfortunately, other problems had snowballed for that in the meantime. Jasmine's health challenges became a crash course in understanding dog health issues and how to go about getting a proper diagnosis and treatment. I had to learn and I had to learn fast. Helping others through my challenges and experience has become my mission and Jasmine's legacy. I now try to help people how to recognize and understand signs of illness in their dogs, how to work with their veterinarian and when to seek a second opinion. My goal is to save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners . What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

View Full Profile →