Articles with dog health advocacy

Canine Wax And Wane Arthritis: Molly’s Arthritis Acting Up? What Would You Do if It Was Your Dog?

If your dog has arthritis, they can have good days and bad days. The amount and type of activity, even the weather can influence how your dog feels. However, things are not always what they seem. What should you make of it when your dog has some dramatically bad days when they have a hard time getting up? Molly was…

by Jana Rade

Symptoms to Watch for in Your Dog: The Big Picture

Any changes in your dog’s appearance, behavior, activity, eating, drinking, and elimination habits are a reflection of your dog’s state of health–physical or emotional. Some things stand out–such as vomiting or diarrhea–and some things are not as straightforward. You are not expected to diagnose your dog, nor should you try. You should, however, be able to tell when and how…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Do Dogs Get a Bouncy Bladder? A New Theory for Cookie’s Leaks

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leaking of urine. The most common cause of urinary leaks in female dogs is spay incontinence. To me, however, the theory isn’t adding up. Cookie’s urinary leaks started when she was about two years old. There seemed to have been little rhyme and reason to them. We’ve gone through several theories and treatments–what we got…

by Jana Rade

Dog Adrenal Hormones: What is the Difference between Adrenaline and Cortisol?

Adrenaline and cortisol are produced by your dog’s adrenal glands. Both of these hormones play a role during stress but their functions are different. Recently I read a veterinary article about elevated liver enzymes in [senior] dogs. The author wrote it from the perspective of clinical experience. Among other things, the article explained how liver enzyme elevation can be a…

by Jana Rade edited by Dr. Joanna Paul BSc BVSc

Veterinary Infrared Thermography: Thermal Imaging Diagnoses Early IVDD: Jack’s Story

When it comes to infrared thermography, I have only one question. Why doesn’t every clinic have this yet? Perhaps it’s not the miracle diagnose-all method, but I think it’s pretty close to it. As well as it is 100% non-invasive and very affordable. And I find the insights it can provide amazing. What is veterinary infrared thermography? Infrared thermography detects…

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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