Articles with emergencies

Is Limping an Emergency?

Limping is usually not an emergency unless … A limping dog should get veterinary help immediately if there were a significant trauma fracture or dislocation bleeding severe swelling hot limbs or dragging of limbs Limping is an emergency when accompanied by severe pain. What causes limping Limping always indicates pain or dysfunction of some kind. Whether or not it is…

by Jana Rade

Is Severe Pain an Emergency?

Ugh, doh. Severe pain for any reason is an emergency. Injuries aside, pain is one of the top reasons for visits to human ER. Severe pain is the body’s way of alerting to a serious problem. The main motivation for rushing to the ER is both the pain itself as well as the fear that comes with it. Does pain hurt…

by Jana Rade

Is Difficulty Breathing an Emergency?

If your dog having difficulty breathing doesn’t send you to the emergency vet, what would? Dr. Coates put difficulty breathing as the first one on the list! Dr. Barchas on Dogster puts it first on the list. Dr. Justine Lee, in her article on Pet Health Network, puts it first on the list. If you had difficulty breathing, would you seek…

by Jana Rade

Is Panting an Emergency?

Most of the time, panting is not an emergency. Most of the time, panting is not a medical problem at all. But it can be. A panting dog who becomes quiet, recumbent, and lethargic, is, in some cases, a dying dog. How can you tell the difference? How can you know whether your dog’s panting is normal, a medical issue or…

by Jana Rade

Is Unproductive Retching an Emergency?

A dog who is trying to vomit but nothing is coming out is a major emergency. This is a telltale sign of GDV/bloat! Most problems come with a combination of symptoms. Rarely will your dog exhibit a sole symptom or a sign. With some issues, it is important to consider them in context. Some, however, are reason enough to seek…

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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