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.

TCVM Consultation: What To Expect During A Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Exam

The TCVM exam is quite different from what you’re normally used to. While the individual experience might vary with different practitioners, most things should be the same. The first thing Jasmine noticed as she walked into our TCVM vet’s exam room was the lack of an exam table! Yay! A good reason to like the place! Instead, our TCVM vet…

by Jana Rade

Melanocytoma in a Dog: Cookie’s Eyelid Bump that Was Not a Cyst

A melanocytoma is a benign tumor of cells that produce pigment—melanocytes. Only a histopathologist can determine the difference between a melanocytoma and a malignant melanoma. As a general rule, tumors of the pigment-producting cells are usually benign where the skin is covered by fur and malignant in bare-skin areas such as lips or nail beds. The one exception are eyelids…

by Jana Rade

Recognizing Signs of Pain in Dogs: How Do I Tell My Dog Is Hurting?

Is your dog in pain? Would you know if they were? Many dogs out there are in pain without their parents’ having the slightest idea. It doesn’t mean their parents don’t love them. They suffer silently because of the broad misconception of how a dog would express pain. This is important to realize. Dogs don’t go around groaning, whining, and…

by Jana Rade

Homemade Playdough Poisoning in a Dog: Daisy’s Trip to Veterinary Emergency

If you make your kids’ modelling mixture at home, it is perfectly safe, isn’t it? After all, everything you put in there is edible, right? Right. But not everything that humans can eat is safe for dogs. Let’s take a look at an example homemade playdough recipe. The ingredients include: 2 cups all-purpose flour 3/4 cup salt 4 teaspoons cream…

by Jana Rade

Pain and Neck Swelling in a Dog: Pippa Has Puppy Strangles

Sometimes, when you hear hooves, you need to think of zebras and not horses. Particularly if your dog has a constellation of severe symptoms that don’t fit a straightforward explanation. Puppy strangles is a rare but potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease that affects young dogs. There seems to be a genetic component but the condition is considered idiopathic with no known…

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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