Dog care

My Rottweiler is Going under Anesthesia: Anesthesia Considerations for Large-Breed Dogs

Anesthesia is a drug-induced loss of sensation with or without loss of consciousness. In veterinary medicine, anesthesia facilitates painful or lengthy procedures such as surgery. Non-surgical procedures that might require anesthesia include: diagnostic imaging (x-rays, CT scans, MRI) endoscopy radiation treatments Further information: A Primer on Anesthesia in Dogs We decided on general anesthesia for Cookie’s follow-up PRP treatment because…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

The Function of Cortisol: What Happens In A Dog’s Body When It Goes Awry?

Cortisol is a vital hormone from the glucocorticoid family of steroid hormones. Cortisol is primarily produced by a dog’s adrenal glands. In health, cortisol plays a critical role in the dog’s ability to cope with stress. It stimulates glucose production and the breakdown of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates to provide fuel for the body. Cortisol also suppresses the immune system.…

by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM

How to Slow Dog Eating: How Can You Make Your Dog Eat Slower?

A healthy appetite is a reflection of good health. A dog that doesn’t want to eat is a sick dog. Can wolfing down their food ever be a problem? A ravenous appetite can be a reflection of a health problem, particularly when your dog is also losing weight or having diarrhea. However natural to dogs, eating too fast can create…

by Jana Rade

The Function of Insulin: What Does the Hormone Do In The Dog’s Body?

In my last post about xylitol poisoning, I mentioned that dogs respond to high blood xylitol levels with a spike in insulin secretion. This spike results in a dramatic drop in blood sugar levels. I thought this was the perfect opportunity to delve into how insulin works. Insulin is a hormone. It is produced by beta cells within the pancreas…

by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM

Do Dogs Like Spicy Foods: Can I Share My Chili with My Dog?

Do you have that one friend who swears that their dog loves spicy foods? Does that mean that your dog would too? There is no biological or evolutionary reason why dogs would seek out or enjoy the heat of spicy foods. The compound that gives spicy foods their heat is capsaicin. Capsaicin is a chemical certain plants produce to discourage…

by Jana Rade

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer by day, dog health advocate, dog writer, member of the Dog Writers Association of American and an award-winning 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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