Articles by Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and 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. Countless 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 merely 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 get a diagnosis. 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.

Oral Melanoma in a Dog: Laney’s Battle With Oral Melanoma

Melanoma is the most common oral tumor in dogs. Male dogs, particularly certain breeds, are most susceptible to this type of cancer. Common symptoms include: bad breath pain facial swelling excessive drooling anorexia Further information: Canine Oral Melanoma Thank you, Lisa Freeman, for sharing Laney’s story. Laney’s story Laney came to me through a friend who bred Pekingese. I had…

by Jana Rade

HBOT Treats Spinal Issue: Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Heals Diamond

Dogs can be affected by spinal conditions from the neck to the mid and lower sections of the spine. Dachshunds are one of the breeds most susceptible to spinal problems. The treatment for severe cases is laminectomy–surgical decompression of the spinal cord in the affected area. What if your dog went through the surgery but continued to have issues? Thank…

by Jana Rade

Canine Viral Infections—Parvo: Cosmo’s Battle with Parvovirus

To vaccinate or not to vaccinate is one of the big questions. However, even the experts who believe that we are over-vaccinating our dogs agree that there are at least three infections for which vaccination is a must. These are rabies, parvovirus, and canine distemper. Canine parvovirus Canine parvovirus is an acute, highly contagious disease that is often deadly, particularly…

by Jana Rade

What is Chiari Malformation in Dogs: Syringomyelia Awareness

My friend at Two Little Cavaliers blogs about Syringomyelia Awareness. She has a lot of important information about the condition and real-life stories. The first time I heard about syringomyelia was during conversations with Annie, Ella’s mom. Ella had syringomyelia. As I learned about it, I was horrified at how much potential suffering this could mean. I include some of…

by Jana Rade

Misdiagnosis in a Dog: When Symptoms Are Not What They Seem—Molly’s Hemangiosarcoma

This is not the first time I am sharing a hemangiosarcoma story. And I fear not the last either. But, here is one thing I’ve learned – you won’t see it coming, except you will. If your dog’s arthritis seems to start acting up, especially if you have one of the susceptible breeds, get an abdominal exam and ultrasound. “Some…

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.

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