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.

Stress Fracture in a Dog: Moose Won’t Bear Any Weight on a Front Leg

Stress fractures are small cracks in a bone caused by repetitive force. It is typically an overuse injury though it can happen from normal use of a weakened bone. Moose’s story Moose is a 3-year-old active Cocker Spaniel. She loves her outings in the countryside. Little Moose’s mom suspected that a fun walk could end up with an emergency trip…

by Jana Rade

Barbiturate Poisoning in a Dog: Yogi’s Sudden Collapse

When you take your dog for a romp in the countryside, the last thing on your mind is the outing ending up at an emergency vet clinic. You might be aware the standard seasonal outdoor risks your dog might be exposed to. Potential dangers can lurk in standing water, buzzing through the air, growing or slithering in the grass. Having…

by Jana Rade

Does Bitter Apple Spray Work: Is It a Safe and Effective Way to Prevent Your Dog from Licking and Chewing?

Can you use bitter apple spray to stop your dog from chewing your furniture or prevent them from licking their wound? The was bitter apple spray is meant to work is as a taste deterrent. The common scenarios in which you might want to use it is as part of puppy-proofing or wound protection. Does it work? Is it enough…

by Jana Rade

Example Report for Dog PT: Cookie’s New Lameness

When talking to your dog’s veterinarian or physical therapist, a thorough history of events and observation can be an indispensable part of successful diagnosis and treatment. Signs and symptoms can be subtle and ambiguous and elude an explanation. The more puzzle pieces you can gather, the more likely your PT or veterinarian are to be able to put together the…

by Jana Rade

Bowel Obstruction and Peritonitis in a Dog: Mort’s Brush with Death

Peritonitis refers to the inflammation of the abdominal cavity that results from injury to the lining tissues. Potential causes include: injuries/wounds bacterial or chemical contamination pancreatitis ruptured bladder or gallbladder liver abscess and the like Thank you, Jen deHaan, for sharing Mort’s story Mort’s story This is the story of Mort’s third brush with death. Mort is a 3-year-old Australian…

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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