Real-life Stories

Red Skin and Hair Loss in a Dog: Magnolia’s Demodex Infection and Excessive Self-Licking

If your dog pays excessive attention to parts of their body, so should you. While there are exceptions, a dog will lick themselves excessively when something itches or hurts. That is a clue to you to look for a cause. There are two reasons for that: catching a problem early excessive licking leads to further harm Even though licking might…

by Jana Rade

IMHA Complications in a Dog: Whitney’s Lost Battle

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) is a condition in which the dog’s immune system attacks its own red blood cells. If severe anemia wasn’t bad enough, IMHA is notorious for its complications. The most common complication is thromboembolic disease. As a result, blood can clot within vital organs and cause difficulty breathing and even sudden death. Source: South Carolina Veterinary Specialists Thank…

by Jana Rade

A Dog Has a Lump under the Tail: What Was Whiskey’s Large Swelling?

The first rule of lumps is that you should not rely on your eyes to identify them. There are exceptions. For example, when it concerns lumps under the tail—by the rectum—the chances are that it is an anal gland abscess. Other signs of anal sac disease are quite telling and include: scooting licking and biting at the base of the…

by Jana Rade

Canine Leg Swelling: Jasmine’s Mysterious Swelling And Another Experience With Telemedicine

Peripheral edema can be the result of allergies, immune, or heart issues. Localized or single-limb edema may result from injury, such as from a car accident, burns, obstruction in an artery (due to a blood clot), contact with toxic agents, such as a snake bite or bee sting, abnormal tissue growth (known as neoplasia) in the lymphatic tissues of the body, or high pressure in…

by Jana Rade

My Dog Vomited … Why Examine Your Dog’s Vomit?

I get that nobody likes playing with puke. But if your dog does throw up, examining what came out can be quite useful. And for a fresh real-life example? Cookie’s leg had been sore off and on (more on that later), and our vet recommended giving Tylenol for the time being. I was not thrilled with the idea, but yesterday…

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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