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A dog with the book Owner-to-Owner Dog Health Series: Decoding Dog Health Speak

New Release!
Decoding Dog Health Speak

Decoding Dog Health Speak: How to See and Think About Your Dog’s Symptoms builds on Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog looking at the topic through real-life scenarios.

Dog health advocacy

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

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…

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by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Pain and Neck Swelling in a Dog: Pippa Has Puppy Strangles

Pain and Neck Swelling in a Dog: Pippa Has Puppy Strangles

Sometimes, when you hear hooves, you need to think of zebras and not horses. Particularly if your dog has a constellation of severe symptoms that don’t fit a straightforward explanation. Puppy strangles is a rare but potentially life-threatening autoimmune disease that affects young dogs. There seems to be a genetic component but the condition is considered idiopathic with no known…

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by Jana Rade

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

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.…

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by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM

Change in Behavior in a Dog: Teddy’s Subtle Symptom

Change in Behavior in a Dog: Teddy’s Subtle Symptom

Do you think it is significant if your dog changes their behavior, however subtle the change might be? What if your dog stops doing something they always did or starts something new and strange? Could there be medical significance to it? Indeed, there usually is. A new aggression, or what looks like one, is commonly related to pain. Teddy’s story…

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by Jana Rade

Large Veterinary Hospital Chains: Our Experience

Large Veterinary Hospital Chains: Our Experience

How do you feel about large veterinary hospital chains? Do you like them or hate them? I have always been partial to smaller veterinary clinics. My instinct tells me that corporatization and good care don’t mix—what do big corporations care about more, their profits or the end-user? One of my veterinary friends has left such a chain specifically for those…

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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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