Articles with dog care

Canine Physical Therapy: Ramps!

The thought of a small to medium-sized dog jumping down from a sofa or bed makes me cringe! The sight of a large, older dog leaping out the back of a truck or van makes me gasp as their joints come in jolting contact with the hard ground. Am I just the “nervous type”? Well, that’s for another discussion. I…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Managing Your Dog’s Care Plan: Taking an Active Role in Your Dog’s Treatment

Take an active role in your dogs treatment. I have an obsession with helping dog owners gain knowledge and empower them to be proactive in their dog’s health care. It must be the force behind what inevitably connected me to your blog author, Jana Rade and a host of others such as Dr. Patrick Mahaney, Carol Bryant, etc. It’s a…

by Susan E. Davis PT

Large Breed Dog Fencing: Humane and Effective Vinyl Panels

Dog owners are always on a quest for information on how to contain their dogs. Did you consider vinyl panel fencing? Vinyl panel fencing meets my two criteria of of it being effective and humane. Effective Effectiveness is essential for the proud owner of a confirmed four-footed escape artist otherwise known as Bridget. If there is a way to get…

by Leslie McGavin Clifton, PMCT, CPDT-KA

Hot Spots in Dogs: Harvey’s Acute Skin Infection

Dogs usually develop hot spots as a result of skin trauma whether from scratching an itchy spot or running through bushes and brambles. As the skin integrity gets compromised, it allows local bacteria to overwhelm the area. Bacterial infections can get quite bad fast. Harvey’s story Harvey is an energetic Pug. He is full of life and loves to play…

by Jana Rade

Zinc Toxicity in Dogs: What Happens In The Dog’s Body With Zinc Toxicity?

A West Highland White Terrier named Sierra died last month down the road from me in Denver, CO after eating just one penny. Unfortunately, she arrived at the veterinary clinic in the final throes of zinc toxicosis. They couldn’t save her. At this point you might be confused, thinking, “What do zinc and pennies have to do with each other?”…

by Dr. Jennifer Coates, DVM

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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