Dog care

The Worth of Dog’s Health: How Much Is The Health Of My Dog Worth To Me?

How much is your dog’s health worth to you? As veterinary medicine advances, there are constantly newer and better options for taking care of our canine friends. But how far should one go? When it’s too far, and when it’s not far enough? That is a decision everyone must make themselves, and it is not an easy one—I had to…

by Jana Rade

Purpose of Differential Diagnoses: Rant About Quality Of Life Versus Quantity, And Differential Diagnoses

So Jasmine broke out with a third skin infection in quite a short time. This time it was a nasty bacterial folliculitis—inflammation of hair follicles—around the base of her tail. Further reading: Folliculitis in Dogs She lost a bunch of fur, which left her with bald patches. The infection seemed to have cleared up with antibiotics and topical treatment. Even…

by Jana Rade

Pain Management For Dogs: Types of Pain Medications for Dogs And What They Do

The two main issues with pain in dogs are recognizing pain in your dog and what to do about it. “What can I get over the counter to help my dog’s pain,” is one of the most frequent questions on dog forums. And yet, that’s not what we’ll be talking about today. Two main types of pain Pain falls into two…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Dog Poop Contents: What Is the Stuff in My Dog’s Poop?

What else other than color and consistency should you look at when examining your dog’s stool? Mucus Healthy poop should not have any coating on it. Sometimes you’ll find poop covered by a slimy substance – mucus. Mucus is produced in the intestine to lubricate and protect the gut lining, but it usually isn’t noticeable on feces. Mucosal surfaces in…

by Jana Rade

Canine Heartworm Disease: Veterinarians Share Insights About Heartworm Disease And Prevention in Dogs

Do you think your dog might be at risk of contracting canine heartworm disease? Do you think it’s something to worry about or not so much? Is your dog on preventative, or do you think they don’t need one? I asked my veterinary friends. Question: Have you seen heartworm-positive dogs in your area? Do you feel that dog owners underestimate…

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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