Thyroid replacement therapy

Canine Thyroid Replacement Therapy: Cookie Is Hypothyroid—Treatment Response Re-Check

So it’s been a bit over six weeks since we started Cookie’s therapy after she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. The recommended timeline to check whether the prescribed dose is optimal is six to eight weeks after starting. It is a good idea to avoid any discrepancies with potential results variations between different labs. Therefore we decided to retest with Hemopet,…

by Jana Rade

Canine Hypothyroidism Diagnosis: Cookie is Hypothyroid

The hardest part of dealing with hypothyroidism in your dog is getting the proper diagnosis. Hypothyroidism is both over- and under-diagnosed at the same time. Diagnosing hypothyroidism is not straight-forward. If not tested correctly, there is a high likelihood of misdiagnosis. The main reason why your dog might get wrongly diagnosed with poor thyroid function is when your vet tests…

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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