Veterinarians answer

Canine Heartworm Disease: Veterinarians Share Insights About Heartworm Disease And Prevention in Dogs

Do you think your dog might be at risk of contracting canine heartworm disease? Do you think it’s something to worry about or not so much? Is your dog on preventative, or do you think they don’t need one? I asked my veterinary friends. Question: Have you seen heartworm-positive dogs in your area? Do you feel that dog owners underestimate…

by Jana Rade

Veterinarians Share Their Peeves: What Is Veterinarians’ Biggest Pet Parent Peeve?

Do you know what is most likely to frustrate your veterinarian? We love our vet dearly and treat him with love and respect. But we often refer to him as a Saint. I have to face it. Dealing with me isn’t exactly a walk in the park. I get concerned about every little thing that could potentially be a symptom,…

by Jana Rade

Obesity in Dogs: Veterinarians Talk About The Biggest Toll Our Dogs Pay For Obesity

Do you think that obesity in dogs is a problem? 56 percent of American dogs are obese! That is more than every other dog. When our vet saw three dogs in a row who were at an ideal weight, he was so excited he had to blog about it! So I asked my veterinary friends what they consider the most…

by Jana Rade

Signs of Pain in Dogs: Veterinarians Answer Whether They Often Have Difficulties Getting Clients To Believe Their Dog Is In Pain

Would you know if your dog was in pain? Would you believe if your veterinarian told you? Many people are still denial about their dog’s pain. I asked my veterinary friends how commonly they deal with denial regarding signs of pain in dogs. Question: Do you often have difficulties getting clients to believe that their dog is in pain? How…

by Jana Rade

SDMA Kidney Function Test: Veterinarian Share Opinions and Experience With The New Way Of Monitoring Kidney Health In Dogs

SDMA kidney function test is the newest test for evaluating kidney health in dogs. It has been around for a while now so I figured it’s time to ask veterinarians how they feel about it. Have you been using the new kidney function blood test [SDMA]? How would you rate its usefulness? Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is one of 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 American and an award-winning author. 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 in 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 how to 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 save others the steep curve of having to learn things the hard way as I did. That is the mission behind my blog and behind my writing. That is why I wrote Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog, which has turned out being an award-winning guide to dog owners . What I'm trying to share encompasses 20 years of experience.

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