Treatments

Tibial Tuberosity Advancement: My Two Cents on the TTA Repair

The tibial tuberosity advancement (TTA) was one of the first modern surgical options to address cranial cruciate ligament tears in dogs. The TTA neutralizes the abnormal forces in the joint that result from a CCL rupture differently. Even though it also involves cutting a bone, it uses the strength of the patellar tendon to stabilize the knee. This technique underwent…

by Jana Rade

CCL Tears TightRope Repair: My Two Cents on the TightRope® CCL Fixation System

The TightRope fixation technique is an update on the traditional suture repair. The modifications were to address concerns about safety, effectiveness, and availability of the surgical CCL repairs available at the time. The TightRope fixation differs from the traditional suture stabilization in the following ways: stronger material bone anchors TightRope versus extracapsular repair Extracapsular repair The traditional suture repair achieves…

by Jana Rade

CCL Injuries Extracapsular Repair: My Two Cents on the Lateral Suture Stabilization or LSS in Dogs

The extracapsular repair or LSS is the oldest surgical technique in use for the treatment of dog CCL tears. The procedure comes under several names. Along with the terms I already introduced, if your veterinarian refers to a traditional technique, or external capsular repair technique (ECLS), they are all the same thing. Different surgeons might use various modifications of the…

by Jana Rade

Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy: My Two Cents on TPLO Repair

The tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) surgery is considered the mainstay treatment for cruciate ligament tears in dogs. The purpose of the surgery is to stabilize the knee joint by altering the joint anatomy, namely the tibial plateau angle. Is TPLO a good option for your dog? Introduction It’s been over ten years when I first heart the term. When…

by Jana Rade

Pre-Anesthetic Blood Tests: Jack’s Test Reveals Kidney Failure

Many illnesses can go from undetectable to potentially deadly (particularly when combined with surgery and/or anesthesia) over the course of just a few weeks. Having fresh blood work provides insight into your dog’s overall health making sure that they can handle anesthesia safely. It is important to adjust the treatment plan if the blood test reveals any abnormalities. Knowing is…

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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