Diarrhea

Dog Swallows a Toothpick: The Devil in the Hor D’oeuvres—Beware of Toothpicks around Dogs

Gastrointestinal foreign bodies that don’t like to show up on imaging can be the most dangerous. Did you watch the Needle in a Haystack House MD episode? A toothpick almost killed a perfectly healthy teenage boy. Not visible on imaging but punching holes through nearby organs. A teenage boy becomes gravely ill and a cause cannot be found. He bleeds in…

by Jana Rade

Acute Kidney Failure in Dogs: Blitzen’s Tragic Story. What Would You Do If It Was Your Dog?

Many things can cause acute kidney failure in dogs. Toxins are high on the list of potential causes. What constitutes a toxin, though? The well-known substances that cause injury to the kidneys include antifreeze grapes and raisins over-the-counter pain relievers Infections, such as leptospirosis are not far behind. This does not, however, constitute a complete list. Diagnosing kidney failure is…

by Jana Rade

Bloody Diarrhea in Dogs: Duke’s Bloody Vomiting and Diarrhea

What can cause bloody diarrhea and vomiting in dogs? Duke is a 7-year-old gentle giant. He loves life and his family. Duke’s life was great until one Saturday morning he started vomiting blood. Duke’s mom took him to a vet right away. They ran a blood panel, but everything looked good except for a high red blood cell count. The…

by Jana Rade

Blood in Dog Poop: Simple Case of Diarrhea? Boney and Clyde’s Story

This story kind of reminds me of my dad’s quick demise after simple food poisoning. Boney, a Lab, and Clyde a Doxy were housemates. Everything started with Boney getting diarrhea. She had to go so urgently that she messed in the house, which she never does. To help her belly settle down, she got boiled rice and egg for dinner.…

by Jana Rade

Intestinal Blockage in Dogs: RIP Johny

Gastrointestinal obstructions are a common but potentially life-threatening problem in dogs. Johny passed away yesterday. His mum wanted other pup parents to learn from their experience so you don’t go through what they went through. Johny’s story I was an avid chewer. His mum thought he was really good at spitting pieces out. But Johny died because he had pieces…

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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