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.

Tailored Veterinary Solutions: Thinking Outside The Box

Standard treatments and approaches address most conditions your dog might face. But one size doesn’t always fit all. There are times when your dog will benefit from a tailored solution. You should be able to discuss alternative options with your veterinarian. Grab your best tool for communicating with your veterinarian here. Looks like the boils, altered mental status, and heart…

by Jana Rade

Tracking Dog Symptoms and Progress: Visual Chart

If your dog is dealing with a complicated or long-term medical condition, you might find it helpful to keep track of their symptoms and progress. You can try a diary or a table, but how about something which allows you to see what’s happening at a glance? A good system allows you to track anything you might need, including: activity…

by Jana Rade

Vomiting and Collapse in a Dog: Sickly Dixie Collapses in the Exam Room

Persistent vomiting signals a potentially life-threatening problem, especially when paired with lethargy. Regardless of the cause, dehydration caused by consistent vomiting can result in enough problems such as: confusion/depression low blood pressure and resulting organ damage GI bleeding seizures brain damage shock and death Other complications of persistent, severe vomiting include: electrolyte disturbances aspiration pneumonia esophageal damage pH changes Sounds…

by Jana Rade

Myos Canine Muscle Formula: Can It Help My Dog?

Is there help for dogs suffering from age-related muscle atrophy? Muscle atrophy is the gradual loss/wasting of the dog’s muscle tissue. It is, unfortunately, common in senior dogs. Age-related muscle atrophy affects especially the hind legs. In fact, any weakness issue shows up in the hind end first. Non-age-related causes of muscle atrophy include: injuries surgery illness and disease reduced…

by Jana Rade

IMHA in Dogs: Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde—Razzle’s Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia

Who doesn’t know the story of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde? How does the story relate to autoimmune disease? What happens during the disease Your dog’s body was designed to maintain health, and it has a fantastic guard against disease—the immune system. His immune system protects your dog against disease by identifying and killing invaders, foreign (infections), and domestic (tumor…

by Jana Rade

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer by day, dog health advocate, dog writer, member of the Dog Writers Association of America, and an award-winning author in my spare time. 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 into 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 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 use 20 years of hard-earned experience to save others from the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way, as I did.

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