Mobility issues

Hind End Weakness in a Dog: Clara’s Story—What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

How many potential causes of hind end weakness and stiffness in a dog can you name? Could you tell the difference between weakness and pain? Would they look the same? Could you tell the difference between weakness in the back end and weakness in general? Does the dog’s age matter when trying to figure it out? Are you thinking conditions…

by Jana Rade

Weakness and Lethargy in Dogs: Mandy Cannot Walk. What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

Mandy became ill quite suddenly. She became lethargic, didn’t want to get up, and didn’t want to eat. Mandy was a nine-and-a-half-year-old female German Shepherd. Considering her age, she was in good shape until this happened. It was apparent Mandy was not well. Besides losing her appetite and strength, she was extremely thirsty and started having potty accidents at night.…

by Jana Rade

Brown Urine in a Dog: What Would You Do If It Was Your Dog? Jasmine’s Story

How freaked would you be if your dog’s urine was brown and they had difficulty walking on top of that? If your dog’s pee is brown, it’s never good news. Urine turns brown in color because it contains things that should not be there. This can be waste products of the breakdown of muscle tissue or red blood cells or…

by Jana Rade

Canine Hind End Paralysis: R.G.’s Hind End Lameness and Paralysis. What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

Paralysis is the partial or full loss of body movement. Symptoms of canine hind end paralysis can vary in severity. Mild neurological deficit leads to weakness and knuckling. Full paralysis results in a dog dragging their rear legs. Associated problems include pain, potty accidents, inability to urinate or constipation. R.G. was a happy, active girl, until one day she suddenly…

by Jana Rade

Loss of Balance in Dogs: Phoenix’s Loss of Balance and Ability to Walk. What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

Phoenix was a fourteen-year-old Labrador Retriever. One day he lost his balance and started falling over. What can cause loss of balance in dogs? The list is relatively long. Some potential causes include injuries stroke poisoning infections neurological issues immune-mediated conditions cancer What happened with Phoenix? Phoenix was a service dog and a great companion. But then scary things started…

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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