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.

Small Dog Knee Injury: Junior Stops Bearing Weight on his Hind Leg

Ruptured cruciate ligaments are a common injury in large breed dogs but small dogs can hurt their knee too. In small dogs, the injury can sometimes resolve with conservative management–rest and medication. Junior’s story Junior is an active, nimble senior dog–a little rocket. Age didn’t slow him down much. During one winter,t though, he suddenly stopped using his left hind…

by Jana Rade

Seizures in Senior Dogs: Maia’s Story

In senior dogs, epilepsy is the least likely cause of seizures. Brain tumors are common but not the sole cause of seizures in older dogs. Potential causes of seizures in senior dogs include: tumors inflammation infection secondary to insulinoma or liver failure vascular issues trauma It can be any of those things though some of them should be easy to…

by Jana Rade

All Hands on Pet: My Foreword to Susan Davis’ Book on Physical Therapy

What do you think of when you hear the words physical therapy? If it sounds like work, it is. The benefit however far outweighs the effort you put in. And even though your dog needs to do much of the work, it will require dedication on your part as well. If your dog is recovering from an injury or surgery,…

by Jana Rade

Corneal Ulcer in a Pug: Bruce’s Eye Injury

The large, bulging eyes in the brachycephalic breeds look adorable but it makes them susceptible to injury. Eye injuries, inflammation and even loss of an eye are, unfortunately, common in Pugs and other smooshy-faced breeds. Not only the eyes are too large for the eye sockets, but the eyelids also might not be able to fully cover the eye when…

by Jana Rade

Best Dog Blogs of 2020

What are the best dog blogs to follow? People who love dogs also love reading about them and learning how to make their lives the best they can be. Considering how long we have shared our homes with dogs, there is always more that we can learn how to better understand them and care for them. The moment you figure…

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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