Alternative treatments

Front Leg Lameness in a Rottweiler: Cookie’s Sore Front Legs

Hind leg lameness has been my biggest fear. Yet, a sore front leg can be way more complicated. The most common causes of hind limb lameness in dogs include: cruciate ligament injuries hip dysplasia arthritis (often secondary to one of the above) Front leg lameness can have various causes, the most common ones being elbow dysplasia and shoulder injuries. Neck…

by Jana Rade

Evaluating Canine PT Effectiveness: Is the Treatment Necessary? Is It Working?

As you proceed with any treatment plan, it essential to continue to evaluate its effectiveness. About 2 months ago I was evaluating a new patient named Molly, a chocolate Lab, in the client’s home. While taking a history the client mentioned that Molly had prior cold laser treatments in the veterinarian’s office. “We bought a package of twelve treatments”, she…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Hip Dysplasia in Puppies: Top 10 Prevention and Management Recommendations

Here’s an interesting fact: all (or nearly all) puppies are born with normal hips. So how does hip dysplasia in puppies develop? Hip dysplasia timeline Radiographs taken of their hips appear normal for the first few weeks of life. Puppies with hip dysplasia will start showing changes in the shape and congruity of the hip joint as early as 2…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Unsteady Gait in a Dog: Raven’s Stumbling and Trouble Walking

Dealing with your dog’s mobility issues can be equally hard on you and your dog. The list of potential things that can impair your dog’s ability to walk is long and can include: injuries/trauma degenerative conditions metabolic disorders endocrine disorders heart and blood disease infections poisoning immune-mediated conditions adverse reactions neurological conditions cancer The potential suspects differ with acute or…

by Jana Rade

Canine Physical Therapy: Ramps!

The thought of a small to medium-sized dog jumping down from a sofa or bed makes me cringe! The sight of a large, older dog leaping out the back of a truck or van makes me gasp as their joints come in jolting contact with the hard ground. Am I just the “nervous type”? Well, that’s for another discussion. I…

by Susan E. Davis PT

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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