Heart disease

Canine DCM Symptoms: What Would Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) Look Like in Your Dog?

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) has made it on everyone’s radar lately. The reason is the emerging pattern of increased incidence of the disease both in higher numbers than usually as well as in breeds where you wouldn’t expect so many cases. Moreover, the prime suspect at this time is diet. FDA is investigating whether that is the case and what exactly…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Canine Mitral Valve Disease: Zoey’s Surgery

Zoey’s veterinarians diagnosed her with Mitral Valve Disease (MVD) in July of 2016. We were told it was a disease of the heart where the valve degenerates causing regurgitation of blood back into the heart. This condition ultimately leads to congestive heart failure and death. They said there was no surgical option, only medication to delay its onset. As you…

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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