Conditions

Is Vomiting Bile in the Morning an Emergency?

Persistent, projectile or bloody vomiting is an emergency. Unproductive retching is an emergency. If a dog vomits bile in the morning every now and then, it is not an emergency. However, it’s not something I’d ignore if it happened to my dog more often than once in a blue moon. What is bile? Bile is a fluid which is secreted…

by Jana Rade

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

End of Life Dog Care: My Love…The Last Chapter

Penny Philippi shares her story of end of life care for her soulmate dog. It’s 2017 the New Year. I see many resolutions being made and people calling for a new start. For me, I am still recovering. Dec 2015 I lost my dog, Harry. He succumbed to cancer. He was My Love’s brother. They were rescued together from a…

by Jana Rade

Is Unproductive Retching an Emergency?

A dog who is trying to vomit but nothing is coming out is a major emergency. This is a telltale sign of GDV/bloat! Most problems come with a combination of symptoms. Rarely will your dog exhibit a sole symptom or a sign. With some issues, it is important to consider them in context. Some, however, are reason enough to seek…

by Jana Rade

Dog Care Decisions: Would Taking JD to a Vet Immediately have made a difference?

When things go wrong, it is important to reflect on what has happened and whether something could or should have been done differently. When it comes to my dogs’ health, I am very paranoid and advocate seeing a vet as soon as possible. Sometimes immediately. I am not one to promote procrastination, putting things off, watching a disease to progress…

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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