Articles with poisoning

Xylitol Can Kill Your Dog: Know Where It Can Be Hiding

Xylitol is way deadlier than chocolate, yet awareness of this dog toxin is much lower. Do you know what xylitol is and how dangerous it is for your dog? The lack of awareness makes this poison even more dangerous. At the same time, more and more products contain this [invisible] artificial sweetener. Does your dog like peanut butter? Do you know…

by Jana Rade

Death Cap Mushroom Poisoning: A Life-Saving Procedure?

The death cap is one of the most toxic mushrooms. If your dog ingests even the tiniest bit, it is a life-threatening situation. Symptoms of mushroom poisoning range from mild to severe and include: vomiting diarrhea weakness excessive drooling lethargy jaundice loss of coordination seizures coma Further information: Mushroom Poisoning in Dogs Mushroom poisoning is an emergency. The standard treatment…

by Jana Rade

Veterinary Prescribing Mistakes: Bubbles’ Medication Overdose

Even the best veterinarian can make a mistake. Some, however, can put your dog’s life in danger. Because nobody is infallible, it is important to have in place enough checks to catch mistakes before they can harm your dog. Thank you, Judy Nelson, for sharing Bubbles’ story. Bubbles’ story Our ideas have really been interrupting Mom’s thoughts lately…or could it…

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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