Does your dog have chronic yeast outbreaks, ear infections, or tummy problems that go away after a round of antibiotics, only to come right back after you stop using them? Have you spent hundreds, if not thousands of dollars at the vets, on supplements, and trying every diet imaginable, but you still can’t get on top of your dog’s symptoms? 

Then you NEED to listen to this conversation I had with veterinarian Dr Neal Loh. Dr Neal is a holistic and integrative vet based in Perth, Western Australia, who uses Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine approaches to support his clients and get to the root cause of health imbalances.

Honestly, Dr Neal gives us a TCM 101 course in this episode, it is so chock full of helpful information!

* He shares his journey into both conventional veterinary medicine, and why he switched to a Traditional Chinese Medicine approach. 

* He also talks about how stress - ours and our dogs’ - is at the heart of so many health challenges our dogs face

* And we do a deep dive into one of the most common and pervasive pathogens in TCVM: dampness.

* You’ll learn what dampness is, where it comes from, and how it contributes to some of the most common conditions, including yeast, chronic ear infections, as well as chronic and sporadic gut problems. And you’ll also learn how food therapy approaches can be really helpful in supporting your dog if they suffer from dampness.

To learn more about Dr Neal, to book a telehealth session with him, as well as order his Healing with Real Food Guide Book, visit his website ⁠https://www.holitreats.com.au⁠ and follow him on Instagram https://instagram.com/neal.holisticpetvet.

If this holistic approach to caring for your dog resonates with you, and you are interested in becoming a part of a new community dedicated to helping you become your dog’s health advocate, Stacey Renphrey of Hozho Hounds and I are launching our F.E.T.C.H. membership which is designed to teach you the same holistic framework that we use in our canine nutrition and wellbeing practices, so that you, too, can confidently take control of your dog’s health journey. Comment F.E.T.C.H., or DM me on Instagram https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama, or send me a message on my website ⁠https://mysticdogmama.com⁠ for more information.

Finally, If you are enjoying the podcast, I would be so grateful if you would consider liking, following, subscribing, and leaving a comment or review! Not only does it mean the world to me to connect with you and hear what you are enjoying, it also helps the algorithm to put the podcast in front of more people so that we can continue helping other pet parents who are looking for some support, and growing this beautiful community!

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery ,which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram ⁠https://instagram.com/aspirationery⁠

OK, on that note, let’s go!

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

You are in for a treat, because in this episode, I am speaking with one of my favourite people to chat all things dog with - canine herbalist, Rita Hogan!

This is the second episode that Rita and I have recorded together, and if you haven’t listened to our first one, I highly recommend you take a listen to it (link below). In that first episode, Rita spoke at length about the warm-cool spectrum, which is perhaps the primary concept that is helpful to understanding your dog’s energetics and how to support their health by balancing it.

Today, Rita talks about dryness and dampness, and why moisture is perhaps the most important thing we need to consider when we are looking at health, and what we can do from a food and herbal therapy perspective to ensure our dogs maintain a moisture balance. Rita shares with us how moisture - which is not just water - impacts everything, including nutrient absorption, toxin elimination, hormones, and even behaviour and emotions like anxiety.

Here are just a few things we cover:

* Symptoms of dryness and symptoms of dampness, and how to identify where your dog falls on the spectrum

* Helpful tips on handling moisture in your dog’s food - whether you are feeding fresh, kibble, or freeze-dried

* How the nervous system plays a role in every chronic health condition - including how YOUR nervous system impacts your dog

* Why an imbalance in fats can create problems with the nervous system, and why the sourcing of your dog’s food is so important for this

* How to keep fluids circulating in your dog’s body* How herbs can add or remove moisture to the body, and some of the common ones you can find

* How herbs can be used to support our dogs who struggle with fear, anxiety, reactivity, and aggression, and how our dogs’ issues often mirror our own

AND Rita introduces her brand new book The Herbal Book, which comes out in the US on the 4th of February (but you can pre-order it)!

You are going to take so much away from this episode, and I can’t wait to hear what your personal takeaways are!

Connect with Rita and learn about her offerings:

https://canineherbalist.com

https://canineherbalism.com

Rita’s Book: The Herbal DogAmazon affiliate link: I do earn a small commission at no cost to you, and this helps keep the podcast up and running: https://amzn.to/4eXf5f5

Here is the link to my conversation with Rita about cool-warm energetics:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mystic-dog-mama/id1718816917?i=1000660619471

If this holistic approach to caring for your dog resonates with you, and you are interested in becoming a part of a new community dedicated to helping you become your dog’s health advocate, Stacey Renphrey of Hozho Hounds and I are launching our F.E.T.C.H. membership which is designed to teach you the same holistic framework that we use in our canine nutrition and wellbeing practices, so that you, too, can confidently take control of your dog’s health journey. Comment F.E.T.C.H., or DM me on Instagram, or send me a message on my website for more information.

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery ,which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

Connect with me:

https://mysticdogmama.com

https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

Happy New Year!

Thank you for joining us for our second FETCH First Friday episode, where Stacey Renphrey of Hozho Hounds and I are talking about a health condition that we feed doesn’t get enough attention, and that is CCD, or Canine Cognitive Dysfunction. Also referred to as Doggy Dementia, CCD is a health challenge that affects a large proportion of senior dogs - up to 60% of dogs over 11 years of age are said to develop it - and it’s a condition that really requires a multi-pronged approach to nutrition and wellness. So, Stacey and I wanted to talk about it and look at how our F.E.T.C.H. framework might provide some useful ways for you to approach it.

If you are new here, F.E.T.C.H. stands for Fresh food, Energetics, Targeted approaches, Curiosity, and Holistic health. and it is the same framework that Stacey and I both use in our own canine nutrition and wellbeing practices to help get to the root of a health challenge, and to help clients identify other veterinary and complementary supports that might be needed. In addition to our membership community where we teach you how to apply this framework to your own dog, we are hosting this special F.E.T.C.H. First Friday series on the Mystic Dog Mama podcast where we will take a health condition of your choice, and show you how you can apply the F.E.T.C.H. framework to it. It’s our hope that in sharing this with you, we can help you confidently make informed decisions for your dog.

Today we look at:

*What CCD is, and what symptoms you might notice

*How CCD is diagnosed, and conventional approaches to managing it with diet and supplements

*Fresh food approaches to managing, and potentially preventing, CCD

*How MCT and other healthy fats may benefit dogs with CCD

*How a 2000 yr old TCM document highlights how supporting the kidney, heart, and gut may be helpful to managing the progression of CCD

*How to building a support team around you

And loads more!

Our hope is that you come away from this episode with some practical things to look at to best support your dog with CCD, or to give your dog the best shot possible to prevent it.

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery ,which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

It you have a health challenge you would like us to cover in this series, please get in touch!

To reach Alexia: 

https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama

https://mysticdogmama.com

To reach Stacey:

https://instagram.com/hozho_hounds

https://hozhohounds.com

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

Hello and thank you for being here for the final episode of 2024! Can you believe how quickly this year has flown by?? I’m not a new years resolutions kind of person, but I do like to take opportunities to stop and reflect, and to pivot where I need to. So, I wanted to invite you to join me as I look back on 2024 and look forward to 2025. And if you choose to do a similar reflection exercise for yourself, I’d love to hear what comes up for you!

There are lots of exciting new developments unfolding over here at Mystic Dog Mama, and I’m really looking forward to sharing them with you! Our first First FETCH Friday episode of 2025 comes out on January 3rd where Stacey Renphrey of Hozho Hounds and I chat about Canine Cognitive Dysfunction and how to support that through Fresh foods, Energetics, a Targeted approach, Curiosity, and Holistic health. You won’t want to miss it!

We are also opening our FETCH membership up for founding members, so if you are looking for a supportive community that helps you to take a whole dog, whole person approach to health, then reach out to me on Instagram @mysticdogmama, or get in touch on my website https:// mysticdogmama.com and I’ll send you more information. Founding members will benefit from getting in at the lowest ever price, and helping to shape this community in the ways that you need most.

Speaking of what you most need, if there are any topics you want me to address on the podcast, or guests you’d like me to invite, please let me know! Reach out to me on Instagram https://instagram.com/mysticdogmama, leave a comment, or reach out on my website, https://mysticdogmama.com.

Thank you again for all your love and support in 2024. I wish you and your family, including your fur family, a happy and healthy 2025, full of many reasons to celebrate!

Until next time!

Listen to GG Silverman's episode here:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dIs5ox7IcLDj97YTK5CBp?si=M2vePUm4Q92X1wh1Zzkqow

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/mystic-dog-mama/id1718816917?i=1000640074969

If you love dogs, you need to hear this conversation with Dr Lise Hansen, who joins me on the podcast today to talk about the very important subject of spaying and neutering dogs. We are in the midst of a paradigm shift in how we care for dogs, and this subject sits at the centre of it.

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA ) recently issued revised, groundbreaking veterinary guidelines that unequivocally recommend NOT neutering dogs as a routine procedure. Although this flies in the face of the standard recommendations that many of us have operated by, leaving dogs intact is quite common in many countries, including several Scandinavian countries.

In this episode, Dr Hansen discusses the research that directly links neutering with some of the most common health conditions our dogs face, including: cancer, arthritis, ligament disease, diabetes, hypothyroidism, and many more. She also addresses the common concerns around the risks of testicular cancer and pyometra, and talks about potential hormone-saving alternatives that we can take to address the concerns around population control. We also talk about how we can better support our dogs’ health if they have been neutered.

Like Dr Hansen says in this conversation, spaying and neutering is THE topic we need to be talking about because of our new understanding of the long-term ramifications it has for our dogs health, and the new guidelines recognise this.

Dr Hansen is so knowledgeable, and she presents this topic in such a useful and accessible way - I know you will gain so much from this conversation.

If this holistic approach to caring for your dog resonates with you, and you are interested in becoming a part of a new community dedicated to helping you become your dog’s health advocate, Stacey Renphrey of Hozho Hounds and I are launching our F.E.T.C.H. membership which is designed to teach you the same holistic framework that we use in our canine nutrition and wellbeing practices, so that you, too, can confidently take control of your dog’s health journey. Comment F.E.T.C.H., or DM me on Instagram @mysticdogmama, or send me a message on my website https://mysticdogmama.com for more information.

Finally, If you are enjoying the podcast, I would be so grateful if you would consider liking, following, subscribing, and leaving a comment or review! Not only does it mean the world to me to connect with you and hear what you are enjoying, it also helps the algorithm to put the podcast in front of more people so that we can continue helping other pet parents who are looking for some support, and growing this beautiful community!

To learn more about Dr Lise Hansen, please visit her website: https://alternative-vet.co.uk

Instagram: https://instagram.com/alternativevet

Book: The Complete Book of Cat and Dog Health

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3B7faPD

(This is an affiliate link, and I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you)

World Small Animal Veterinary Association Guidelines

https://wsava.org/global-guidelines/reproduction-guidelines/

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery ,which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

Today, I am joined by the wonderful, Jill Breitner!

Jill is a dog trainer, an author, and the creator of the incredibly helpful and popular Dog Decoder App. The Dog Decoder App helps pet parents and pet professionals better understand canine body language, and thereby, better understand what dogs are trying to communicate to us. And ultimately, this helps us to create better bonds with our furry companions with relationships based on trust and understanding. 

Although Jill has been professionally training dogs for over 40 years, her work in this field really began in her childhood when she became keenly aware of the profound relationship that exists between humans and animals. During Jill’s time working as a veterinary technician,  her natural empathy and sensitivity allowed her to support dogs who were so fearful and aggressive that they wouldn’t let anyone else handle them. When you listen to Jill speak, you’ll understand exactly why she was the perfect person to help support these dogs, and why they trusted her. She truly has a gift.

In this episode, we cover a range of topics, including:

* Jill’s journey into working with dogs, which started with learning about Jane Goodall’s work with chimpanzees, and then through her personal relationship with her childhood dog, Shotsy

* Shifting the paradigm in dog training

* Jill’s own health journey with a cancer diagnosis, and navigating her own path through it with a food as medicine approach - for her, and then for her dogs

* Connecting the dots to find your own voice, your own agency, and becoming an advocate for your dog - and yourself

* Behaviour is a function of an emotion, and how you can start understanding what their behaviours are showing you

* Jill shares some ways to better understand your dog’s behaviour and how to truly listen to your dog

To connect with Jill and learn more about her app, please visit her website: https://dogdecoder.com, or her Instagram https://instagram.com/dogdecoder

This is a beautiful conversation, and I know you’re going to love Jill as much as I do.

That this episode is sponsored by Aspirationery ,which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

If you are enjoying the podcast, I would be so grateful if you would consider liking, following, subscribing, and leaving a comment or review! Not only does it mean the world to me to connect with you and hear what you are enjoying, it also helps the algorithm to put the podcast in front of more people so that we can continue helping other pet parents who are looking for some support, and growing this beautiful community!

And if you are interested in becoming a part of a new community dedicated to helping you become your dog’s health advocate, Stacey Renphrey of Hozho Hounds and I are launching our F.E.T.C.H. membership which is designed to teach you the same holistic framework that we use in our canine nutrition and wellbeing practices, so that you, too, can confidently take control of your dog’s health journey. Comment F.E.T.C.H., or DM me on Instagram, or send me a message on my website for more information.

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

Today, I am joined by Canine First Aid Guru, Rachel Bean! Rachel is a registered veterinary nurse who delivers workshops and the iPET Network’s Ofqual Level 3 course in canine first aid. 

First aid training is one of those things that we don’t necessarily think about or prioritise when we are looking at how to best nourish our dogs, but it’s incredibly important, and it’s incredibly empowering when you know you can help your dog if something happens.

Rachel shares with us some REALLY helpful tips on how to handle common issues she sees in veterinary practice like bleeding, choking, how to perform CPR, how to treat paw pad burns, and really importantly, she dispels some common myths when it comes to treating your dog of suspected heatstroke.

Rachel also shares some basic things to have in your dog’s first aid kit so that you are prepared in the event of an emergency.

Get your notepad and pen out, because you will want to take some notes!

To contact Rachel:

[email protected]

https://www.facebook.com/RachelBeanVetNurse

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery ,which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

OK, on that note, let’s go!

https://mysticdogmama.com

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

Got a yeasty beasty? Then this episode is for you!

Today is a special day, because this is our very first FETCH First Friday episode where I collaborate with fellow canine nutrition and holistic wellness consultant, Stacey Renphrey of Hozho Hounds to teach you how to use our FETCH framework as a way to start approaching some of the most common health conditions.

If you didn’t catch our episode where we introduced FETCH, FETCH is an acronym that stands for Fresh Food, Energetics, Targeted, Curiosity, and Holistic Health. Stacey and I developed this framework as a tool to help you, as the pet parent, gain more confidence in being your dog’s health advocate. It works by giving you some practical things to look at if your dog is experiencing a health challenge. It also helps you to keep track of your individual dog’s health journey, so that you can better collaborate with your vet and other health professionals. It’s the same framework that Stacey and I use in our canine nutrition and wellness practices to start understanding what might be at the root of a dog’s health challenge, how nutrition might better support the health journey, and how other complementary therapeutic approaches might also be beneficial.

We are kickstarting FETCH First Friday with an all-too-common condition that Stacey and I see in our client dogs: yeast.

We’ll talk about what yeast actually is, the different ways it can show up, what causes it, and different ways to consider supporting your dog if they are in a yeast flare-up. We’ll also answer some of your questions about whether or not use probiotics, we’ll talk about what a yeast die-off is and how to support the detox process, and we’ll also address the hotly-debated topic of whether or not carbs feed yeast. We share our opinions on how to think about raw vs gently cooked diet options, and how food energetics may play a role in your decision of what to feed your yeasty dog.

Stacey and I talk about energetics and how we’ve seen a pattern of cool dogs with yeast. If you have a warm dog with yeast, we’d love to know! Send us a DM or get in touch at mysticdogmama.com. And let us know what other topics you’d like us to cover on FETCH First Fridays! We’re all ears :) 

Our January episode is all about Canine Cognitive Disorder (CCD), so if you have a senior pup, you’re going to want to check that out.

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a founding member of our FETCH membership where we’ll learn in community how to become our dogs’ (and our own!) empowered health advocates, then send me a message on Instagram @mysticdogmama, or get in touch on my website https://mysticdogmama.com

Before we dive in, just a quick note that this episode is sponsored by Aspirationery ,which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

OK, on that note, let’s go!

You can reach Stacey on Instagram at https://instagram.com/hozho_hounds, or on her website https://hozhohounds.com

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

Are you feeling overwhelmed and confused by all the conflicting information on how to feed your dog and support them to have a long, happy healthy life? Are you struggling to get on top of health challenges like yeast?

Yes? Well, then, this episode is for you!

Today, I am joined by my dear friend and fellow canine nutrition and wellness consultant, Stacey Renphrey, of Hozho Hounds! Stacey and I both got into canine nutrition because of the health challenges that our dogs presented, and because of the difficulties we had trying to navigate those journeys alone. You’ll get to meet Stacey and learn about her dog, Shadow, who presented with a rare auto-immune disease, and caused Stacey to ask a lot of questions about how we can better support our dogs’ health.

We’ll share with you the very same 5-part F.E.T.C.H. framework that we developed to help our own dogs, and that we use with our clients so that they can make the best choices and changes to support their dogs’ optimal health, and to identify other potential factors contributing to health challenges that may have been overlooked. This framework is at the core of what we have found to be key to promoting health, and it is such an invaluable tool for helping you as the pet parent feel more confident in being your dog’s health advocate. So, we wanted to share it with you!

As we introduce our F.E.T.C.H. framework, You’ll take away some helpful suggestions for how you can better support your own dog’s individual path to optimal health today! AND, we’ll share with you some exciting news you won’t want to miss!

To connect with Stacey, visit her website ⁠https://hozhohounds.com⁠, or her Instagram ⁠@hozhohounds⁠

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram ⁠https://instagram.com/aspirationery⁠

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.

Before you give your dog that piece of cooked turkey skin this holiday season, listen to this conversation with canine nutritionist and pet health coach, Cat Jepson, all about pancreatitis!

Pancreatitis is a serious condition that requires immediate attention from your vet, but there are some things that you can do to help prevent and manage it with the appropriate diet!

Cat and I cover:

* What the pancreas is, and what is happening when pancreatitis hits

* Common symptoms of pancreatitis to keep an eye out for

* Potential causes of pancreatitis, whether you are feeding kibble or fresh food 

* How to think about Essential Fatty Acids for a dog with pancreatitis

* And why a DIY approach to your dog’s diet may be the most helpful approach to manage a pancreatitis flare-up, and to prevent it

To connect with Cat about her courses and all of her other offerings, please visit her Instagram https://instagram.com/bemoredog.nutrition

Cat also has her own podcast, My Dog Made Me Do It…Naturally! She talks with pet parents and professionals about navigating their journeys with their pets into the world of natural health. So, be sure to check that out wherever you listen to podcasts!

I hope this was helpful for you! If you want to know more about pancreatitis and how you might be able to support it through diet, Dr Conor Brady’s book Feeding Dogs, as well as his website https://dogsfirst.ie  are really informative. He raises interesting questions around whether or not high carbs in the diet might actually be just as problematic as fats when it comes to pancreatitis, so check out his work for some other perspectives. There are also helpful resources on the Dogs Naturally Magazine website https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/

The following is my Amazon Affiliate link, which means if you choose to purchase Dr Conor Brady's book with this link, I will earn a small commission at no cost to you. This is one way you can help support the podcast, and I would be grateful if you choose to do this!

Amazon USA: https://amzn.to/3O75Aix

This episode is sponsored by Aspirationery, which in full transparency, is another project of mine where we create books, notebooks, and stationery to support you in becoming all you aspire to be. I’m really excited to announce that we have released a Spanish language version of our popular My First Period Tracker for Young Girls and Tweens in order to increase menstrual literacy and empower young people to become advocates for their menstrual health. You can learn more about our books on our Instagram https://instagram.com/aspirationery

OK, let’s go!

*Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the advice of your own veterinarian or doctor.