DEAR READERS: On April 27, it was reported that a pug dog belonging to a pediatrician participating in a COVID-19 study at Duke University in North Carolina tested positive for infection with SARS-CoV-2, and displayed mild signs of illness for several days. The pediatrician, her husband and their son also tested positive for coronavirus infection, while the couple’s daughter, their other dog and a pet cat did not.

It was not until April 29 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention called for social distancing to be applied to pets: dogs being kept on the leash when outdoors and not petted by people outside the family, and cats being kept indoors. For details about how one can help cats who are used to going outdoors adapt quickly and enjoy life indoors, go to the American Bird Conservancy’s page on the topic: abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors.

I have always deplored the keeping of indoor-outdoor cats, knowing how many cats get killed and injured by traffic, fights and infections. In addition, cats are super-predators, decimating songbird and other wildlife populations. The notion of “working cats” around homes, barns and warehouses comes from previous eras that were more ignorant about zoonotic diseases and sanitation. Cats, especially indoor-outdoor cats with close contact with family members, can transmit more diseases to us than human-avoiding wild rodents.

In early April, both the American Veterinary Medical Association and the British Veterinary Association urged people who are self-isolating or have COVID-19 symptoms to keep their cats indoors because it is possible that outdoor cats may carry the virus on their fur, just as the virus can live on other surfaces.

DEAR DR. FOX: I read your comment about finding a reticulated python while walking in D.C., and wanted to mention an unlikely find of my own from some years back.

Living in Maryland in a neighborhood of large, one- to two-acre lots, I was surprised to catch sight of a gerbil near our front porch. I managed to catch the poor little guy, probably because it was cold and he was moving more slowly, and then found him an aquarium and shavings as a temporary home. A few days later, I mentioned the gerbil to my neighbor. She smiled and said she had gotten tired of taking care of it, and had put it outside. She wondered how on earth it ever found its way to my home. Talk about cold-hearted! I could never look at her the same after that.

The gerbil moved on to a good home. We have no pets, but I religiously read and enjoy your column. -- L.R., Bethany Beach, Delaware

DEAR L.R.: Your good Samaritan act -- saving this little creature from certain death from a predator, starvation or cold exposure -- puts you on the side of those who care for all creatures, great and small. It has disturbed me since early childhood that there are people on the other side who have such little regard for fellow creatures that they will simply abandon them when they lose interest in them or find them “too much trouble” to care for. Some will even kill them.

Releasing any creature to fend for itself is an inhumane and irresponsible act. In some instances, it can lead to such animals spreading disease to indigenous species.

FUNGAL DISEASE COULD ARRIVE IN U.S.

A newly described fungal disease is killing salamanders and newts in Europe, and could soon land on U.S. shores from pet-trade-imported amphibians. The disease, chytridiomycosis, invades the skin of salamanders and newts, and is related to another fungus that has been wiping out frog and other amphibian populations around the world. In sum, all international trade in exotic species should be prohibited in order to prevent so-called panzootic diseases from harming wildlife and biodiversity.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: We have noticed a change in our pets’ behavior during this “stay at home” period, and have talked to others who say the same. Our cat is more vocal and always wants to be near us, whereas prior to this time, he tended to be more independent.

Are there any studies being done, or explanations for this change in behavior? -- P.K., Danbury, Connecticut

DEAR P.K.: Yes indeed, some readers like you have noted changes in their cats’ and dogs’ behavior during the pandemic lockdown. I would like to hear from other readers about how their animal companions are responding to people being at home all day -- especially the children who would normally be at school. Some cats may miss their solitude and go find a quiet space in the home, while others, like yours, become more sociable. Many dogs are enjoying longer and more frequent walks and jogs.

But I have two fears: first, that pets are being given more treats during this time -- just as some people are eating more snacks and watching more TV. All things in moderation! My second concern is that when people get back to working out of the home, and children are back at school, many animals will miss the stimulation and may develop separation anxiety. Hiring a pet sitter or dog walker once people get out again may help animals adjust to being alone most of the day. Check out Pet Sitters International (petsit.com) to find such help in your area.

There are also many dogs and cats who were adopted from shelters at the beginning of the pandemic shutdown. Some of these new pet owners are well-intentioned but ill-prepared -- in terms of knowing how to care for their animals properly, and also in terms of finances -- so many animals may be returned to shelters or abandoned.

Dr. John Howe, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, has stated that pets might be overwhelmed by the extra attention as people stay home during the pandemic, and that they need a place where they can be left alone -- particularly in homes with small children. “It can be overwhelming for pets when kids are home all the time, especially infants and toddlers. Which is why they should never be left alone with the pet, not even for 30 seconds,” Dr. Howe said, adding that “even the nicest dog in the world can bite.”

And in some homes, the close proximity and confinement of family members can become emotionally stressful, leading to verbal abuse and physical violence -- which can make animals, as well as children, fearful and insecure.

Crises can bring out the best and the worst of human nature. Getting out and walking the dog or reading some good poetry aloud -- which my wife, Deanna, does every evening, and which our dog Kota seems to enjoy -- can be the best medicine for all concerned!

SARS-COV-2 DETECTED IN MINK ON DUTCH FARMS

Two farms in the Netherlands were quarantined in April after mink that were having trouble breathing tested positive for infection with the coronavirus. The animals were thought to have been infected by an employee who had COVID-19. Although experts said it was unlikely the animals themselves could spread the virus, movement of the animals and their manure has been halted, and people must stay away from the properties.

DEAR DR. FOX: I’m writing to you regarding the recent letter from B.T. in New Carlisle, Indiana, who outlined the symptoms their 19-year-old cat was experiencing: loss of vision and crying through the night. My cat had the same symptoms at age 15 (she has since passed at age 18). My vet suggested several Chinese herbal remedies, which had no effect.

A vet student interning in the office suggested taking the cat’s blood pressure, which they did in the tail, using a pediatric cuff. It turned out that my cat had extremely high blood pressure, for which they prescribed a medication. The nightly crying ceased, but she never regained her eyesight. She adapted to the loss of vision remarkably well. We bought a pet stair, which she learned to use, resuming her nightly snuggle on the bed with us. -- C.C., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR C.C.: Many thanks for sharing. This underscores the importance of annual wellness examinations, which some veterinarians will conduct in-home with an assistant. This costs more, but can be worth every penny. We owe our animal companions and family members no less!

As cats get older, they often have dental problems that can lead to damage to the kidneys, pancreas and other organs. Dental problems are very often due to the wrong kind of foods, notably a dry-kibble-only diet that leads to tartar buildup and subsequent infection and inflammation.

Blood pressure checks are becoming part of the wellness examination protocol, since this problem can lead to blindness and strokes in cats if not diagnosed and treated.

I was shocked to learn from one reader recently that an incomplete wellness exam was given to her dog, who had been taken in for loss of appetite and was treated for pancreatitis. The examination was incomplete because a routine fecal sample was not taken to check for internal parasites. This was later found to be the issue, when the dog did not respond to the prescribed treatment for misdiagnosed pancreatitis.

Mistakes become more frequent when basic clinical diagnostic protocols are not strictly adhered to.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I breed German shepherd dogs, and in the last year, I have taken back three dogs I had placed years prior. All three were loving, loyal and properly socialized -- no history of any aggression, toward humans or animals -- but were returned to me after sudden, tragic incidents. They were each 2 or 3 years old at the time.

One of them, Helmut, spent his first 18 months with his miniature pinscher companion. They were BFFs. The owner relates that she gave Helmut Nexgard early one morning, and at midnight, he attacked and killed the min-pin. I got similar stories about the other two: great dogs one day; the next, confused, aggressive nightmares.

I have to confess, I am no fan of drugs like Nexgard and Bravecto, having lost five of my dogs in a “Bravecto nightmare.” Here’s the progression: I gave all five dogs the chew on the same day. Three hours later, I found Shadow in a grand mal seizure; she died as I was carrying her to the car for an emergency run to the vet. I couldn’t save her. Thirty days later, Max’s liver failed. He was euthanized, followed by Cujo 12 days later. Satan developed rear-leg paralysis, and several months later, I had to make that decision to do the humane thing again. Daisy developed cancers of the liver and spleen. I treated her by putting her on a no-carb diet with immune system-boosting mushrooms and veggies, along with a 1,100-mg therapeutic CBD oil. She passed two years after her Bravecto chew and one year after her cancer diagnosis.

I filed reports with the FDA. My vet said Bravecto had nothing to do with what happened to my dogs. A Merck representative contacted my (ex-)vet, and the dogs’ health records were manipulated to show that they had underlying issues, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, they were seniors between the ages of 12 and 14, but they were healthy, active dogs up to the day they received Bravecto. -- D.M., Collinsville, Oklahoma

DEAR D.M.: I appreciate the details of your experiences using the widely marketed Bravecto on your dogs. With the human-created COVID-19 pandemic taking all our attention right now, the important issue that you raise will hardly get any notice. But it is all part of the Big Problem. More and more veterinarians are blowing the whistle on the government-sanctioned use of these insecticides on companion animals. And a few are making noise over treating livestock with these drugs, with consequential harm to beneficial insects and other organisms in our soils and waters -- and all other wildlife that depend upon such nontarget organisms for food.

Veterinarian Dr. W. Jean Dodds, in this spring’s Animal Wellness journal, advises cat and dog owners to avoid isoxazoline-containing flea and tick meds, including Bravecto, Nexgard, Simparica, Credelio and the recently FDA-approved Revolution Plus.

Other products used to control companion animal parasites include neonicotinoids and avermectins, which get into the environment from animals’ coats and feces. Doctors C.J. Little and A.B. Boxall attest that “the indiscriminate prophylactic use of antiparasitic drugs in companion animals is irrational, wanton, unnecessary, irresponsible and ecologically dangerous. It should not be considered good practice” (statement from their letter, “Environmental Pollution From Pet Parasiticides,” published in the U.K.’s Veterinary Record on Jan. 25).

I consider the marketing of these and other pesticides as criminally negligent behavior, but it is an accepted -- and highly profitable -- norm for all involved, including the mainstream veterinary profession.

Of course, no one wants fleas and ticks harming their companion animals. These pests can set off pandemics and epidemics: Fleas transmitted the Black Death, and ticks infect thousands of people each year with Lyme and other diseases. And these pests are on the rise today thanks to climate change, wildlife mismanagement and the killing of natural pest-controlling birds, bats and other species.

But there are less harmful and more effective approaches. On my website, you will find a series of steps we should all take to minimize the health risks of fleas and ticks to our animals and ourselves. Go to drfoxonehealth.com and look under the title “Preventing Fleas, Ticks and Mosquitoes.”

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106. The volume of mail received prohibits personal replies, but questions and comments of general interest will be discussed in future columns.

Visit Dr. Fox’s website at DrFoxOneHealth.com.)