Articles with intestinal obstructions

Vomiting in Dogs: What Would You Do If It Was Your Dog? Flossy’s Mysterious Vomiting

What would you do if your dog kept vomiting and couldn’t hold down water? Flossy was an intact, young, energetic Border Collie with no health issues to speak of. She would always get the odd people food treat and was handling them fine. That morning, however, when she got a small piece of her dad’s toast, it immediately came back…

by Jana Rade

When Your Dog Stops Eating: Julie’s Story

When a Labrador stops eating and when a Border Collie becomes lethargic, even just a little bit, you know you ought to worry. Julie is a two-year-old Border Collie, and she did both. Stopped eating and had less energy than usual. Julie is a typical girl for her breed. Happy, active, spending a lot of time outdoors, living the perfect…

by Jana Rade

Intestinal Blockage in Dogs: RIP Johny

Gastrointestinal obstructions are a common but potentially life-threatening problem in dogs. Johny passed away yesterday. His mum wanted other pup parents to learn from their experience so you don’t go through what they went through. Johny’s story I was an avid chewer. His mum thought he was really good at spitting pieces out. But Johny died because he had pieces…

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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