In this episode, Jenn Payeur sits down with Rita Hogan — bestselling author of The Herbal Dog and renowned Canine Herbalist — for a wide-ranging conversation about why our animals (and we) are getting sicker, and what we can do about it naturally.
Rita breaks down the real root causes behind the explosion of canine cancer, anxiety, and chronic illness — from over-vaccination and early spay/neuter to toxic household products, processed food, and the hidden dangers of citric acid and folic acid in our diets. She also dives deep into the powerful human-animal stress connection — and why your dog may literally be absorbing your anxiety.
If you have a pet, this conversation will change how you see their health — and yours.
In this episode:
- Why 1 in 2 dogs over age 10 will die of cancer
- How spay & neuter impacts your dog’s hormones and lifespan
- The nervous system, liver & gut: where all disease starts
- How dogs absorb your stress (and what to do about it)
- Herbal remedies, plant stem cells & adaptogens for pets and people
- Why we need to stop fearing nature — and get back into it
- The Italy lifestyle secret for longevity (yes, really)
🌿 Find Rita:
canineherbalismm.com
Instagram: @canine.herbalism
Podcast: Dogs Are Individuals
📖 The Herbal Dog — available now | The Herbal Cat — coming soon!
Timestamps
0:00 – Welcome & Introducing Rita Hogan, the Canine Herbalist
1:13 – Our Dogs Aren’t Broken — They’re Responding to Us
1:45 – Why We’ve Become Afraid of Nature
2:36 – The Tick Scare: Fear Over Facts (A Real Story)
4:12 – Sedentary Dogs, Stagnant Lymphatics & Organ Health
11:15 – Spay & Neuter: The Hidden Health Crisis Nobody Talks About
13:18 – Over-Vaccination: The Yearly Shot Problem
14:42 – Flea & Tick Meds, Kibble & Toxic Food Labels
17:21 – Citric Acid & Folic Acid: Hidden Toxins in Everything
22:40 – The Human-Animal Stress Connection
23:40 – Your Dog Feels Your Cortisol: The Science Behind It
26:24 – Herbal Remedies & Plant Stem Cells for Anxiety Relief
31:21 – We’re Not Wired to Hold the World’s Stress
36:47 – Unplugging for the Weekend: What Rita’s Pets Taught Her
38:20 – Get Off Your Phone — Be Present with Your Animals
#RitaHogan #JennPayeur #DogsAreIndividuals #WellnessPodcast #HolisticPodcast #HealthTalk #PodcastEpisode #YouTubePodcast
