Dog health advocacy

CBLO Surgery Complications: Lightning Bolt’s Knee Injury and Surgery Disaster

When your dog sustains a serious injury it is always difficult to figure out what is the best treatment option. When the recommended treatment means surgery, it gets even more challenging. A surgical intervention always comes with risks. Knee repair surgeries are successful for most dogs. However, potential surgical complications range from minor to severe and include: anesthesia complications surgical…

by Jana Rade

Covid-19 and Heart Disease in Dogs: Covid Alpha Variant Linked to Heart Problems in Dogs?

Are dogs susceptible to the Covid-19 infection? So far, information about how Covid-19 may or may not affect our dogs has been scarce. The following quote is from the Worms and Germs blog which focuses on infectious diseases in animals. Are dogs susceptible to the SARS-CoV-2 virus? Yes, but… not very… maybe. It depends on what you mean by “susceptible.”…

by Jana Rade

Medication Overdose in Dogs: Trusting Your Instincts May Save Your Dog’s Life—Brandy’s Story

Thank you, Carol Bryant, for sharing Brandy’s story of serious medication overdose. I feel a connection to Jana Rade and her dog, Jasmine, although we’re yet formally meet. Dogs often bring people together, and that is certainly the case for me: Most of my friends and connections are “dog people.” A fan of Jana’s Facebook group and her blog, I…

by Jana Rade

Drug-Resistant Canine Hookworms: Superworms not Responding to Treatment?

Drug-resistant infections are one of the veterinarians’ and dog parents’ worst nightmares. Hookworms worms are true blood-suckers. These common, tiny small intestinal parasites anchor themselves in the intestinal lining, feeding on blood. Despite their size, hookworms can ingest a surprisingly large amount of blood. Consequently, hookworm infestation can lead to anemia as well as inflammation of the intestine. How does…

by Jana Rade

Spinal Tumor in a Dog: Lupa Cannot Walk

If your dog becomes unable to walk, it is one of the scariest things to experience. The problem is usually because of the disruption of communication between the brain and the rest of the body. Sometimes, the dog might have difficulty moving and appear weak, and sometimes they might be unable to walk at all. As it turns out, there…

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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