Harlow's Hounds

07/31/2026

DOES SPAYING OR NEUTERING REALLY MAKE DOGS CALMER?

For decades, many people have been told that spaying or neutering helps reduce unwanted behaviors. But a new 2026 peer-reviewed review published in Animal Reproduction suggests the science is more complicated.

After reviewing decades of research, the authors concluded there’s not enough consistent evidence to recommend spaying or neutering solely to change behavior. In fact, several studies included in the review found some dogs showed more fear, anxiety, or certain forms of aggression after being spayed or neutered.

Why? The review explains that reproductive hormones don’t just influence reproduction. They also play important roles in brain function, learning, memory, stress responses, and emotional regulation. Removing those hormones may affect dogs differently depending on their genetics, age, s*x, breed, and individual temperament.

One of the most interesting parts of the review is that the authors discuss hormone-preserving alternatives that prevent breeding while allowing the body to continue producing its natural hormones. These include:

🐕 Vasectomy – prevents male dogs from reproducing while leaving the testicles in place, so testosterone production continues.

🐕 Ovary-sparing spay – removes the uterus but leaves one or both ovaries intact, preventing pregnancy while preserving ovarian hormone production.

The authors suggest they deserve more attention because they can help preserve some of the health and behavioral benefits associated with natural hormones while still preventing unwanted litters.

The review doesn’t argue that dogs should or shouldn’t be spayed or neutered. Instead, it encourages veterinarians and pet owners to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach and make decisions based on each dog’s individual health, lifestyle, behavior, and risk of reproduction.

07/18/2026

🚨 HEMANGIOSARCOMA SUPPORT: HERE'S WHAT I’D CONSIDER FIRST

Hemangiosarcoma is one of the most heartbreaking cancers in dogs because it can grow quietly with no obvious warning.

It often affects the spleen or heart. A dog may eat, walk, and act normal, then suddenly become weak, pale, lethargic, or collapse from internal bleeding.

That is what happened to my dog, Hoochie.

He came with me to the clinic every day, yet I saw no clear warning. Then he became unusually tired and could not keep up running. Bloodwork showed severe anemia. Imaging found a large splenic mass. It was hemangiosarcoma.

I removed his spleen and the tumor, but the cancer had already spread. Twenty-one days later, he collapsed from a massive internal bleed.

Please watch for:

• Sudden lethargy
• Weakness
• Pale gums
• Collapse
• Not keeping up on walks
• Sudden exercise intolerance
• Anemia
• Distended belly
• Sudden decline after seeming normal

If your dog collapses, has pale gums, becomes suddenly weak, or you suspect internal bleeding, go to emergency care. Do not wait.

Golden Retrievers are especially high-risk. Estimates suggest up to 1 in 5 Goldens may die from hemangiosarcoma. Be aware, not terrified.

Early detection is the big challenge. Research is looking at trained dogs that may smell cancer compounds and biomarkers that may one day help screen high-risk dogs earlier.

If a splenic mass is found, surgery may be considered if your dog is stable.

But if my dog were diagnosed with hemangiosarcoma, these are the supportive options I would discuss right away:

1. Yunnan Baiyao
This is one I would strongly consider for internal bleeding support.
Dose: 1 capsule per 50 lbs, once daily minimum. Twice daily if possible.

2. Ketogenic-style diet
The goal is to reduce glucose availability, since many cancer cells use glucose as fuel.
Example for a 50 lb dog:
• 1 lb regular ground beef daily
• MCT oil, start with 1 tsp daily
• Broccoli, 1/2 cup daily
• Ground flax, 1 tbsp daily

For broccoli: chop or crush it, let it sit 5 minutes, then lightly steam. Do not turn it into green mush. We are feeding nutrients, not sadness.

3. Krill oil / Omega-3s
For inflammation and cancer support.
Dose: 500 mg krill oil per 25 lbs daily.

4. CBD / Cannabinoids
For pain, inflammation, appetite, comfort, and possible cancer support.
CBD dose: 3 mg per 10 lbs, twice daily minimum.
This can be increased up to 5x if needed.
THC, where legal and with caution: start at 0.05 mg per lb.

5. Turkey Tail Mushroom Extract
Look for a quality extract from the fruiting body, not just mycelium grown on grain.
Dose: 100 mg per 10 lbs, twice daily.
Can be increased up to 5x because it has a wide safety margin.

6. 95% Curcumin
For anti-inflammatory and cancer-supportive effects.
Dose: 50 to 100 mg per 10 lbs daily. Give with fat.

7. Artemisinin
May be especially interesting because hemangiosarcoma is tied to blood vessel tissue and iron.
Dose: 5 mg per 10 lbs daily.

8. Fenbendazole / Panacur
This is a trial option I would consider.
Dose: 50 mg/kg daily, 3 days on, 4 days off. Repeat for 1 month, then reassess.

These are not cures. They are support.

The goal is comfort, less inflammation, bleeding support, and more good days.

If this were your dog, wouldn’t you want to know every supportive option before the crisis happens?

07/14/2026

06/26/2026

My pups love their broccoli 🥦

🥦 RESEARCH SUGGESTS BROCCOLI MAY BE ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL LONGEVITY FOODS YOU CAN ADD TO YOUR DOG’S BOWL.🐾

Broccoli is one of nature’s richest sources of sulforaphane, a remarkable plant compound that doesn’t just work as an antioxidant. It helps switch on your dog’s own built-in protective systems, supporting detoxification, cellular repair, healthy inflammation, and defense against oxidative stress.

In a peer-reviewed dog study, a single dose of sulforaphane activated natural anti-cancer defenses within just 24 hours. In longevity research, sulforaphane has also extended lifespan by more than 50% in animal models, making it one of the most exciting plant compounds being studied for healthy aging.

Broccoli is also rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and prebiotics that nourish the gut microbiome and support long-term health.

🥦 One simple trick: finely chop broccoli and let it sit for up to 90 minutes before serving it raw. This gives broccoli’s natural enzyme time to produce more sulforaphane, helping maximize one of its most valuable protective compounds.

Sometimes the most powerful longevity foods aren’t expensive supplements. They’re already sitting in your refrigerator.

04/03/2026

03/10/2026

Spring is just around the corner, and with it comes blooming landscapes, longer walks, and the return of fleas and ticks. Many pet parents rely on convenient monthly medications to keep these parasites away, but new research is raising important questions about what those products may be doing inside our pets’ bodies and in the environment.
Before you give your pet the next dose, I encourage you to review this important new research on parasite prevention and the practical strategies I use to reduce parasite exposure naturally, support detox pathways, and make smarter decisions about when chemical preventives may or may not be necessary.
If you want to protect your pet while minimizing toxic burden this spring, check out my latest blog, link in comments 🐾

03/02/2026

Join Dr. Andrew Jones, DVM, live with Dr. Robert J. Silver, DVM, MS (40+ years in integrative veterinary medicine) as we discuss how he supports dogs with 8 ...

02/07/2026

Come support an amazing local business!!

01/09/2026

Well, this is new. And long overdue. And a bipartisan post; this post is about the US government recommending Americans eat more real food 🙌🏼. And why some doctors still diagree 🙀.

The USDA just flipped the food pyramid upside down. Literally. Lean meats, fresh vegetables, and fruits are now at the top. Grains and refined carbohydrates are at the very bottom. After decades of telling people to base their diets on high-glycemic, highly refined carbs, our government is officially prioritizing protein, roughage and antioxidants over starch. Real, minimally processed, nutrient dense food. And yes, this is an actual government meme.

It matters because the old guidance helped fuel an epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and cancer in humans. This mirrors what we see in dogs and cats fed ultra-processed diets every day, which raises an uncomfortable question:

When are veterinary organizations going to acknowledge this?

Veterinary medicine is now the last medical field still aggressively promoting ultra-processed diets as the foundation of health. The average bag of kibble contains roughly 30–60 percent refined carbohydrates. Dogs and cats do not require any starch, dyes, emulsifiers, flavorings, additives or preservatives, yet vets continue to defend these rendered, feed-grade industrialized food pellets as the holy grail of optimal nutrition 🤯.

Meanwhile, the human grade, fresh pet food segment is one of the fastest-growing categories in the pet food industry because modern pet parents are connecting dots; they are making healthier food choices for themselves and their families. They are recognizing that extreme heat processing of ultraprocessed fast food does not create health, it damages tissues, metabolism and immune resilience over time.

Human nutrition policy has finally started to admit what biology has always told us; eat fresher, lower glycemic, less refined foods. Reduce the amount of highly refined, high carb foods going into your body, and into your pet’s body.

Medical doctors, for the two and four legged, should be leading this conversation, not lagging behind it. At least human doctors aren’t recommending consuming only ultra processed foods (which still happens routinely in vet med).

The longer the animal medical community resists acknowledging the role of real, fresh, minimally processed food in the long-term health equation for all of us, the more out of step it becomes with emerging science, with pet parents and patient outcomes, and with common sense. At this point, it’s not just frustrating, it’s starting to feel embarrassing.😶













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