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.

Canine Cushing’s Disease: Viva Has Cushing’s

Cushing’s disease is caused by excess cortisol in the body. Canine Cushing’s disease is most prevalent in middle-aged to older dogs, especially poodles, dachshunds, Boston terriers, boxers, and beagles. You can learn why too much cortisol in a dog’s body is a problem here. Viva’s story Helping Viva to get better and improve health is a lot like peeling the…

by Jana Rade

Veterinary Prescribing Mistakes: Bubbles’ Medication Overdose

Even the best veterinarian can make a mistake. Some, however, can put your dog’s life in danger. Because nobody is infallible, it is important to have in place enough checks to catch mistakes before they can harm your dog. Thank you, Judy Nelson, for sharing Bubbles’ story. Bubbles’ story Our ideas have really been interrupting Mom’s thoughts lately…or could it…

by Jana Rade

Canine Hip Dysplasia: Indy’s Struggle with Sore Hips

You might think of hip dysplasia as sore, arthritic hips. While it is true that arthritis inevitable develops, hip dysplasia means an unstable hip joint. You can learn more about hip dysplasia and how to prevent it here. Thank you, Angie Falcsik, for sharing Indy’s story. Indy’s story Indy’s story began about 4 years ago when Indy was just 6…

by Jana Rade

Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (Maldigestion): My Dog Is Always Hungry and Losing Weight

What if your dog is TOO hungry? It is a common belief that a hungry dog is a healthy dog. While things are not quite this simple, it is true that a decrease in appetite is an important symptom that should be taken seriously. A ravenous appetite, particularly when combined with weight loss, can be just as important to note.…

by Jana Rade

Canine IVDD Surgery: Best Money I Ever Spent—Lincoln’s Disc Injuries

Spinal surgery—laminectomy—is a costly but life-changing treatment for dogs with disc injuries. Many dogs recover with conservative treatment but for some, surgery is the best way to give them their lives back. Laminectomy is a surgical procedure that relieves compression on the spinal cord. Thank you, Laura Potts, for sharing Lincoln’s story. Lincoln’s story The first few years of Lincoln’s…

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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