My Dog's Symptoms : Page 172 of 172 : Dog care, symptoms, health issues, and dog health advocacy from an owner's perspective. In loving memory of Jasmine.

Does Your Vet Listen To You?

One of the things that make our vet so amazing, and why we travel a long way to see him, is that he listens to what we’re telling him. Is that a big deal? You bet it is. By listening I don’t mean letting you talk, I mean actually listening to what you are saying and taking it into account. …

by Jana Rade

Talk To Me About Dog ACL/CCL Injuries

I truly hope that you will never have to find out what the acronym ACL/CCL means. But if your dog develops sudden lameness in a hind leg, and particularly if he is a large breed, you might hear your vet say these letters… Image from Dog Health Handbook So what does an ACL injury mean, besides not being good news? …

by Jana Rade

Jana Rade

I am a graphic designer, dog health advocate, writer, and 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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