Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino

As more pet parents turn to natural, holistic care, access to these options is becoming increasingly uncertain. In this episode of Your Natural Dog, Angela Ardolino sits down with holistic veterinarian Dr. Michael Dym to discuss why homeopathy, hemp, and other natural therapies are under growing pressure—and what that means for the future of pet health. With over 35 years of experience, Dr. Dym shares insights on chronic disease, the limitations of conventional care, and how supporting the body—not suppressing it—can change outcomes for our pets.
Episode Recap:
Angela introduces Dr. Michael Dym and they discuss the growing concern around threats to natural therapies like hemp and homeopathy, especially coinciding with a rise in chronic illness, immune dysfunction, and cancer in pets compared to decades ago. (00:08)
Why natural remedies are often targeted—lack of patentability and low cost compared to pharmaceuticals, Angela and Dr. Dym discuss the control, fear-based messaging, and the difficulty pet parents face accessing honest information about naturally supporting their pet’s health. (04:31)
The current regulatory pressure on hemp and homeopathy, and comparing whole-plant medicine vs isolated pharmaceutical compounds. (09:28)
Discussion of pharmaceutical products with reported side effects and the role of awareness in challenging them, like the case of the suit against Librela for dogs. (12:16)
Why some veterinarians resist new information—even when presented with real-world outcomes. (14:50)
The concept that there is no “quick fix” for chronic conditions and why healing takes time, explaining Hering’s Law of Cure and how symptoms may shift or appear during true healing. (16:38)
The role of diet, toxins, over-vaccination, and environmental stressors in long-term health decline, plus Angela highlights the importance of ingredient quality—even within “natural” or “holistic” products. (19:20)
Discussion on how overuse or misuse of natural remedies can still cause harm, and the importance of working with knowledgeable, experienced holistic practitioners. (23:11)
Explanation of “suppression” in conventional medicine, the connection between suppressed symptoms and deeper chronic conditions like organ disease or cancer, and why the body should be viewed as a whole system rather than isolated parts. (26:17)
Instead of focusing on one symptom, Dr. Dym treats the whole animal—addressing root causes rather than just the issue at hand. While drugs like Apoquel and Cytopoint can offer quick relief, long-term health comes from supporting the body’s natural ability to heal. (34:50)
Angela and Dr. Dym share real-life case stories of rapid improvements using homeopathy and full spectrum hemp extract. (37:43)
Warning against the “poly-supplement” approach and overcomplicating pet care routines, “less is more” is the real holistic approach. (41:28)

Episode Resources:
Download Angela’s Resources, including her Pet Supplement Buying Checklist, and her guide to Synthetic Vitamins & Minerals to Avoid in Pet Foods & Supplements, plus more at AngelaArdolino.com/podcast-downloads 
Learn more about Dr. Michael Dym
Follow Dr. Dym on Facebook, and YouTube
Have a question about your pet that you want answered on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] 
Sign up for episode reminders and updates from Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino
Visit Angela Ardolino’s website for more holistic pet health education: www.AngelaArdolino.com

Follow Your Natural Dog on Facebook and Instagram and if you want to see what Angela is up to, follow her on Facebook or join our CBD & Holistic Pet Advice Facebook Group.

Ticks are more than just a nuisance—they can carry a range of diseases that impact both pets and people. In this episode of Your Natural Dog, Angela Ardolino sits down with Olivia Abrams, creator of TiCK MiTT, to talk about practical, non-toxic ways to protect your dog from ticks and reduce exposure to tick-borne illness. After being diagnosed with Lyme disease, Olivia’s personal experience led her to develop a simple, chemical-free option for tick prevention, to help families remove ticks before they embed. Together, Angela and Olivia explore the realities of tick exposure, the risks of conventional prevention methods, and why daily tick checks are one of the most important habits for pet parents. From understanding how ticks spread disease to building a safer, more natural prevention routine, this episode gives pet parents actionable tools to help protect their dogs—without relying on pesticides.
Episode Recap:
Angela shares her love for the Tick Mitt, especially after moving to California and discovering how common they are in her area. (00:45)
Olivia explains how she was diagnosed with Lyme disease as a child and how that as well as growing up around the woods with big dogs led to creating the Tick Mitt. (02:24)
Olivia outlines the most common tick-borne diseases affecting humans and dogs, including Lyme disease and other emerging concerns. (04:50)
Angela and Olivia share practical prevention strategies, including natural sprays, protective clothing, yard protection, and routine tick checks. (6:40)
Olivia explains how Lyme disease is transmitted, lyme disease treatment options, and why working with a Lyme-literate practitioner is important. (11:00)
Angela and Olivia discuss the challenges of Lyme disease diagnosis and how often it can be missed or misdiagnosed, and the importance of testing ticks directly to better understand potential exposure risks. (15:34)
The episode wraps with a discussion on choosing safer, non-toxic alternatives to conventional tick prevention products (17:26)

Episode Resources:
Download Angela’s Resources, including her Parasite Detox Chart, and more at AngelaArdolino.com/podcast-downloads 
Learn more about Tick Mitt
Follow Tick Mitt on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube
Have a question about your pet that you want answered on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] 
Sign up for episode reminders and updates from Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino
Visit Angela Ardolino’s website for more holistic pet health education: www.AngelaArdolino.com

Follow Your Natural Dog on Facebook and Instagram and if you want to see what Angela is up to, follow her on Facebook or join our CBD & Holistic Pet Advice Facebook Group.

As pharmaceutical companies begin rolling out anti-aging drugs for dogs, many pet parents are being told these medications can extend lifespan and prevent cognitive decline. But what are these drugs actually doing inside the body, and at what cost?
In this episode, Angela sits down with Carter Easler, Director of Research and Education for CBD Dog Health and MycoDog, to break down the science behind emerging longevity drugs like rapamycin and Loyal. Carter also shares insights from coordinating the Senior Dog Study on cognitive decline, as they explore how pharmaceutical interventions compare to natural strategies that work with the body’s own repair systems, including fasting, adaptogens, medicinal mushrooms, and support for the endocannabinoid system.
If you have a senior dog, or want to learn about supporting your aging dog before their golden years, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.
Episode Recap:
Angela and Carter talk about the rise of anti-aging drugs for dogs on the market, and why aging is at its core, a loss of homeostasis. (00:00)
Rapamycin for dogs, what it does and why it was originally developed. (04:41)
Do anti-aging drugs support longevity, or interfere with the body’s natural repair processes like autophagy and cellular balance? (07:48)
How fasting and restricted feeding windows naturally activate autophagy, support cellular cleanup, and may help extend lifespan in dogs. (11:10)
Telomeres, “zombie cells,” and mTOR: how adaptogens, medicinal mushrooms, and hemp modulate aging pathways to support cellular balance instead of blocking the body’s natural repair systems. (16:41)
Why pharmaceutical “one-target” drugs can create a narrow therapeutic window and unintended side effects, while adaptogens and medicinal mushrooms support all 12 hallmarks of aging. (20:59)
The 12 hallmarks of aging explained, from telomere shortening and mitochondrial dysfunction to microbiome imbalance, and how these anti aging drugs are targeting just one of these. (26:06)
Why supporting the endocannabinoid system becomes increasingly important as pets grow older. (31:09)
Loyal, the upcoming “anti-aging” injection for dogs, undisclosed mechanisms of action, and the importance of informed consent before new veterinary drugs reach the market. (35:20)
Why proactive pet wellness should prioritize food, lifestyle, and adaptogenic plant support first, and where pharmaceuticals truly belong in veterinary care. (41:20)
They dive into the science behind specific adaptogens and plant compounds, from mitochondrial support and telomere health to metabolic balance and autophagy, and why full-spectrum, whole-plant synergy matters more than isolated compounds. (44:28)

Episode Resources:
Download Angela’s Resources including her Senior Dog Protocol and more at AngelaArdolino.com/podcast-downloads 
Prospective Evaluation of a Mushroom Derived Nutraceutical in Dogs with Cognitive Decline
What We Learned from the Senior Dog Study
Mushrooms and Adaptogens for Canine Cognitive Dysfunction
Have a question about your pet that you want answered on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] 
Sign up for episode reminders and updates from Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino
Visit Angela Ardolino’s website for more holistic pet health education: www.AngelaArdolino.com

Follow Your Natural Dog on Facebook and Instagram and if you want to see what Angela is up to, follow her on Facebook or join our CBD & Holistic Pet Advice Facebook Group.

In this episode of Your Natural Dog, Angela Ardolino is joined by attorney Kirk Pope, who is overseeing multi-plaintiff lawsuits against Zoetis over the veterinary drug Librela. Kirk shares his personal story of losing his own dog after a Librela injection and explains why he believes pet parents were not given the information needed to make an informed decision. Together, Angela and Kirk unpack how veterinary pharmaceuticals are approved, marketed, and incentivized, why animals are treated as property under the law, and what limited legal recourse pet parents actually have when a drug harms or kills their dog.
Episode Recap:
Angela introduces the episode and explains why Librela has become a major concern, citing FDA warning letters, reported adverse events, and the lack of meaningful repercussions when animal drugs cause harm to our pets, because they are seen as merely property. (00:00)
Kirk Pope introduces himself as an attorney now overseeing litigation against Zoetis, after losing his dog to Librela, discussing the problem with financial incentives being attached to vets prescribing pharmaceuticals. (02:16)
Angela asks what led Kirk to take legal action, he shares how at the time of his dog’s injection, U.S. warnings for Librela listed only UTIs and injection-site reactions, with no mention of neurological or fatal risks (05:06)
Kirk shares how Zoetis know that adverse event data had emerged internationally before U.S. disclosure, Librela had more extensive warnings in other countries, and why failing to warn pet parents in the U.S. constitutes a fraudulent omission by Zoetis. (10:35)
Kirk explains why recalls are almost always voluntary and why the FDA cannot easily force a drug like Librela off the market, and the aim of his multi-plaintiff lawsuits against Zoetis, when damages are so limited because of pets being considered property. (14:39)
Angela and Kirk examine the ethical conflict between profit, prescribing behavior, and the veterinary oath to do no harm. (22:16)
The conversation shifts to pain management, emphasizing that Librela is a pain-blocking drug, not a treatment for arthritis or inflammation. Angela explains the five pain signaling pathways and contrasts single-target pharmaceuticals with whole-plant therapies that interact with multiple systems. (29:04)
Kirk explains that once the FDA approves a prescription drug, pet parents can’t legally claim the drug itself is defective; the only legal accountability lies in whether manufacturers failed to properly warn veterinarians and pet owners about known risks and adverse effects. (34:03)
Angela emphasizes the importance of education, advocacy, and refusing blind trust when it comes to pet health, and Kirk explains how affected pet parents can contact him and share their own adverse experiences with Librela. (41:07)

Episode Resources:
Download Angela’s Resources including her Safe, Natural Options for Arthritis Pain Relief in Pets and more at AngelaArdolino.com/podcast-downloads 
Join Donna Pope’s Librela group on Facebook
Pope McGlamry Attorneys at Law
Have a question about your pet that you want answered on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] 
Sign up for episode reminders and updates from Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino
Visit Angela Ardolino’s website for more holistic pet health education: www.AngelaArdolino.com

Follow Your Natural Dog on Facebook and Instagram and if you want to see what Angela is up to, follow her on Facebook or join our CBD & Holistic Pet Advice Facebook Group.

In this episode of Your Natural Dog, Angela Ardolino is joined by Dr. Judy Jasek, a holistic veterinarian with decades of clinical experience, for a candid conversation about why our pets are sicker than ever. Together, they unpack how modern pet care, from highly processed supplements and foods to so-called “inactive” ingredients like fillers, binders, gums, starches, and spray-dried additives, can quietly disrupt detox pathways, burden the liver and kidneys, and undermine gut health, especially in older pets. Angela and Dr. Jasek also explore how the pet industry has changed over time, why marketing buzzwords can be misleading, and what pet parents can do instead to support the body’s natural ability to restore balance and resilience.
Episode Recap:
Angela introduces Dr. Judy Jasek, who explains why she identifies as holistic rather than “integrative,” and they discuss how the terms ‘holistic’ and ‘natural’ can be overused, both in pet care and supplements. (00:00)
Why supplements can be a trap for well-meaning pet parents who want “natural” alternatives, and how health is the body’s natural state, we just need to support the body, not “create health” with products. (04:32)
Angela and Dr. Judy call out “natural” supplement labels that hide harmful inactive ingredients, including common fillers like microcrystalline cellulose (wood pulp), and how many additives exist primarily to make manufacturing cheaper or easier (binders, bulking agents, flow agents). (07:02)
They break down how big companies use buzzwords and emotional marketing to sell inferior pet foods and pet supplements, and why understanding where ingredients truly come from matters more than the label claims. (10:45)
They talk about the common “senior dog spiral,” where joint pain leads to drugs and stacking interventions that overload detox systems. (16:00)
The rise of cancer in younger pets and how much the landscape has changed across Dr. Judy’s career. They also talk about immune-suppressing allergy drugs and how turning off symptoms can create bigger downstream problems. (23:03)
Angela talks about the rise of countless pet joint supplements, and the most popular pet joint supplements, like Cosequin, the problems with these isolates, and how hard it can be to even find full ingredient lists for many of these popular supplements. (28:05)
The conversation highlights how corporate-owned veterinary systems often treat lab numbers and symptoms rather than treating the whole animal, leading to more drugs, more tests, and fewer answers for pet parents. (32:13)
They dive into why inactive ingredients matter just as much as active ones, exposing how common fillers, sugars, and gums can fuel inflammation and gut imbalance in pets. (35:50)
Angela and Dr. Judy highlight how foods like mushrooms, ferments, and small amounts of veggie fiber can support gut health by working with a pet’s natural instincts. (45:25)

Episode Resources:
Download Angela’s Resources including her Additives to Avoid, her Cosequin Ingredient Breakdown, and more at AngelaArdolino.com/podcast-downloads 
Dr. Judy Jasek’s Animal Healing Arts
Follow Dr. Judy Jasek & AHA on Facebook, Instagram and SubStack
Have a question about your pet that you want answered on the podcast? Email us at [email protected] 
Sign up for episode reminders and updates from Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino
Visit Angela Ardolino’s website for more holistic pet health education: www.AngelaArdolino.com

Follow Your Natural Dog on Facebook and Instagram and if you want to see what Angela is up to, follow her on Facebook or join our CBD & Holistic Pet Advice Facebook Group.