Real-life Stories

Small Puppy Hypoglycemia: Angel’s Story

Hypoglycemia is a medical term for low blood sugar. Small breed puppies are extremely vulnerable to this life-threatening situation. Symptoms of hypoglycemia include weakness lethargy sleepiness neurological signs twitching tremors seizures coma Puppies can develop hypoglycemia from parasitic infestation or simply because of insufficient caloric intake and reserves. Glucose reserves are in the liver but tiny puppies’ liver is so…

by Jana Rade

Canine Fur Analysis: What Fur Can Reveal and Differences between Labs

There was more than one reason I wanted to run a canine fur analysis for Cookie. I wanted to make sure her diet provides everything she needs, particularly when it comes to minerals. Cookie is on a raw diet so I am not worried about proteins or vitamins. It is the minerals that can be a challenge. I also wanted…

by Jana Rade

Doberman with Neck Swelling: Rio’s Story of a Mysterious Swelling on His Neck

The most common reason your dog might get swelling on their neck are infections. However, more sinister things can be at play. Could it be an abscess? A swollen lymph node? And what is the underlying cause? Potential causes of swelling in the area of the face and neck include: dental issues insect bites and stings other bites and wounds…

by Jana Rade

Observation Skills for Dog Owners: Cookie’s Sore Shoulder

Signs of lameness can be subtle and hard to see. The sooner you discover a problem, the easier it is to deal with. Watch for any changes in gait or posture. Hubby used to think that I see ghosts. Over time he came to realize that ghosts are real. Often I am not sure if my mind is playing tricks…

by Jana Rade

CCL/ACL Injury in a Rottweiler: How The Odyssey Started—Jasmine’s ACL Injury

Rottweilers, like other large-breed dogs, have increased predisposition to CCL/ACL injuries. Morpheus: What happened, happened and couldn’t have happened any other way.Neo: How do you know?Morpheus: We are still alive. The Matrix Reloaded Jasmine’s story When Jasmine started limping that summer, we didn’t think too much of it. It wasn’t the first time it happened. Jasmine had injured her hind…

by Jana Rade

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and author. 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 in 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 how to 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 save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners . What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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