Facial swelling

Facial Swelling in Dogs: Why Is My Dog’s Face Swollen?

Would you be surprised to learn all the potential causes why your dog’s face could swell up? Some of those are scary things. If it is summertime, and your dog swells on one side, the first thing that comes to your mind is likely an insect sting. The odds that you’re not wrong are going to be high. Insect stings…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Swollen Eye in a Dog: Bugs. I Hate Bugs. But They Seem To Have Nothing to Do with JD’s Puffy Eye

Eye swelling in dogs can be a serious situation. Potential causes include insect stings, allergic reactions, infections, and injuries. JD’s swelling didn’t affect the eye itself but rather the area around the lid. Because it was a bug season and he had no other ill effects, it made sense to suspect a bug sting. I hate bugs Bugs are the…

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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