Knee issues

Dog Injuries Pain Management: Should You Say Yes To Pain Management?

Should you accept and even insist on pain management measures after your dog’s surgery or injury? It’s a no-brainer, isn’t it? Or is it? What would be your answer? A friend’s dog became lame and was diagnosed with a partial ACL tear. Their vet recommended to wait and see, even though the friend wanted to do surgery (I don’t know…

by Jana Rade

Assessing Lameness in Dogs: Measuring Leg Circumference—Cookie’s PRP Treatment for Partial Cruciate (CCL/ACL) Tear and Leg Circumference

Muscle mass measurements are a useful tool to evaluate the use of limbs. The following methods can estimate muscle mass: limb circumference measurements ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) Measuring leg circumference is an option that is readily available and affordable. Further information: Assessing and Measuring Rehabilitation Outcomes Jasmine’s vet always said that…

by Jana Rade

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

OrthoPets Canine Orthotics and Prosthetics … and Casts

When my Rottweiler partially ruptured her CCL, the last thing we wanted to do was put her through surgery. Our original plan was regenerative cell therapy. However, by the time we’d be able to do that, the tear was full. So as it turned out, surgery was what we did. However, what if regenerative treatment or surgery isn’t a good…

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by Jana Rade

Bennett’s TPLO Surgery: Bennet Ruptured His Cruciate Ligament

Bennett was only 6-months-old when one evening, he started limping on his hind leg. Bennett’s parents were hoping his leg had just fallen asleep and he would walk out of it. But he did not. Perhaps he just sprained something? Bennett’s parents saw a vet right the next day to make sure that whatever happened gets taken care of properly.…

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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