Dog health advocacy

Veterinary Communication with Clients: Breaking The Bad News When It Could Be Something Else—Penny Does Not Have Cancer

Is there a good way of breaking bad news to dog parents? That is a hard one. But what if there is a lack of certainty? How would you like your veterinarian to discuss such news with you? Penny Recently I received a distressed email from a friend regarding her dog. I wanted to reach out to you and tell…

by Jana Rade

Dog Health Internet Research: Should You Curb Your Internet Research Enthusiasm?

Is internet research a good thing, or is it a bad thing? The internet is a wonderful tool. But make sure you use reputable sources and a discerning mind. I research things on the internet all the time. But, at the end of the day, internet research bought Jasmine years she wouldn’t have been with us. Is internet research a…

by Jana Rade

Infected Uterus in Dogs: Congratulations, It’s a Pyometra—Miku’s Story

Pyometra is a life-threatening bacterial infection in the uterus of dogs. Miku is a female Akita, about seven years old. My friend is “babysitting” her—kind of. The exact circumstances aren’t that important. Miku’s story The whole story started with my friend asking how long a heat cycle should last. I have to admit I know very little about these things…

by Jana Rade

Obesity in Dogs: Veterinarians Talk About The Biggest Toll Our Dogs Pay For Obesity

Do you think that obesity in dogs is a problem? 56 percent of American dogs are obese! That is more than every other dog. When our vet saw three dogs in a row who were at an ideal weight, he was so excited he had to blog about it! So I asked my veterinary friends what they consider the most…

by Jana Rade

Looking For A New Veterinarian: Our List Of Questions

The time I dreaded has come; we had to look for a new veterinarian. We love our vet, and finding him was a long, painful journey. There were only two reasons why we would look for a new one: us moving our vet moving or retiring We had to search for a veterinarian because were moving. Looking for a new…

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.

View Full Profile →