Gastrointestinal disease

Unhealthy Gut—Unhealthy Dog: Mandy’s Story

The most common cause of acute pancreatitis in dogs is the ingestion of a fatty meal or table scraps. It is by far not the only cause. Further, the picture gets more complicated with chronic pancreatitis. Anything that disrupts the tissue of the pancreas can trigger panccreatitis. The list of all potential causes is quite long and includes: breed predisposition…

by Jana Rade

Fecal Transplants for Dogs: Micro-biome Restorative Therapy (MBRT)

Have you heard about the micro-biome Restorative Therapy (MBRT)? Does your dog eat poop? Do they know what they’re doing? In a healthy dog, healthful bacteria coat the entire surface of the gut, protecting it from invaders and toxins. Illness and antibiotic therapy can seriously damage the balance of gut microflora. With the beneficial bacteria and other protective factors missing,…

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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