Articles with Syringomyelia

What is Chiari Malformation in Dogs: Syringomyelia Awareness

My friend at Two Little Cavaliers blogs about Syringomyelia Awareness. She has a lot of important information about the condition and real-life stories. The first time I heard about syringomyelia was during conversations with Annie, Ella’s mom. Ella had syringomyelia. As I learned about it, I was horrified at how much potential suffering this could mean. I include some of…

by Jana Rade

What Is Syringomyelia in Dogs: Teddy’s Story

Syringomyelia is a terrible condition that affects mainly Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. However, dogs of other breeds can also be affected, particularly miniaturized breeds and breeds with pushed-in noses. The only answer to preventing this horrible suffering is responsible breeding. Breeders should follow the SM Breeding Protocol. The aim of the breeding protocol is to reduce the incidence of symptomatic…

by Jana Rade

Syringomyelia in Dogs: The Dark Cloud Of Syringomyelia⁠—Fight For Ella

Syringomyelia is one of mankind’s “great gifts” to dogs–Cavalier King Charles Spaniels to be specific, although it can affect other breeds as well. Thank you, Annie Mac, for sharing Ella’s story. As we selectively breed for our own specific purposes, it is our dogs that end up on the short end of the stick. I believe that we should, for…

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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