Why Our Pets Are Sicker Than Ever: Additives, Toxic Load & the Limits of Conventional Care with Dr. Judy Jasek

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 Carter@yournaturaldog.com 
• Sign up for episode reminders and updates from Your Natural Dog with Angela Ardolino

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.

 

 

About Angela Ardolino

Angela Ardolino, a certified cannabis and fungi clinician, brings over 20 years of expertise to the field of holistic pet wellness. As a graduate of the inaugural Medical Cannabis for Therapeutic Use program at the University of Vermont School of Medicine, she is a passionate advocate for safe, natural, and ethically-grown whole plant and fungi medicine tailored for pets.

Committed to the highest standards, Angela continues to educate and inspire pet parents through her popular podcast, Your Natural Dog, where she hosts experts to discuss holistic pet care, natural remedies, nutrition, and training. Follow Angela Ardolino on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube to stay updated on her mission to educate and empower pet parents everywhere. 

About Dr. Judy Jasek

Using the knowledge gained in her 35+ years of practicing, Dr. Judy has developed a unique approach to pet health that utilizes the innate healing ability of the body. She begins by supporting the body with a species appropriate diet and detoxification. She then uses tools such as ozone, Chinese herbal medicine, CBD, mistletoe, essential oils, and whole food additions to optimize the health of the body.

She does not believe in a magic-bullet approach, whether an herb or a pharmaceutical. The body is a biological system that needs support in many different areas to achieve optimal health. She believes that health is the body’s natural state, and her goal is to help her patients regain optimal health and live long and vibrant lives.

Through her interest in specific treatment modalities, such as ozone and mistletoe, Dr Judy began attracting cancer patients looking for alternatives to conventional treatments. This is now one of her specialties, and she continues searching for new ways to treat and prevent cancer in pets.