Conditions

Swollen Eye in a Dog: Bugs. I Hate Bugs. But They Seem To Have Nothing to Do with JD’s Puffy Eye

Eye swelling in dogs can be a serious situation. Potential causes include insect stings, allergic reactions, infections, and injuries. JD’s swelling didn’t affect the eye itself but rather the area around the lid. Because it was a bug season and he had no other ill effects, it made sense to suspect a bug sting. I hate bugs Bugs are the…

by Jana Rade

PRP for CCL Injuries: Cookie’s PRP Treatment for Partial Cruciate (CCL/ACL) Tear Update and Considering the Future

Can regenerative therapy treat canine partial cruciate injuries? When I have an option to chose between surgery or regenerative therapy, I am always willing to consider regenerative therapy first. Platelet-rich plasma treatment is what we decided to try to treat Cookie’s partial CCL tears. Our experience A long time has passed since Cookie’s treatment. It is time to review how…

by Jana Rade

Another Note on Canine Lameness: It’s Like a Murder Mystery

As much as one would consider canine lameness to be one of the symptoms the cause of which can be easily identified, many times it’s nothing short of a mystery. A long time ago I have already learned that what you think you see is not always what you got. It was that way with Jasmine, it has been that…

by Jana Rade

Restricted Activity and Weight Management: Cookie’s Musculoskeletal Challenges

When your dog is recovering from surgery or an injury, a big part of successful rehabilitation is usually dramatic exercise restriction or even strict rest. While strict rest is often introduced only through the initial period (and there is actually an emerging movement against the use of too much crate rest), exercise and activity restrictions can last weeks or even…

by Jana Rade

Intestinal Blockage in Dogs: RIP Johny

Gastrointestinal obstructions are a common but potentially life-threatening problem in dogs. Johny passed away yesterday. His mum wanted other pup parents to learn from their experience so you don’t go through what they went through. Johny’s story I was an avid chewer. His mum thought he was really good at spitting pieces out. But Johny died because he had pieces…

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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