The Animal Doctor

DEAR READERS: One Health is a collaborative strategy, supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, for achieving optimal health outcomes in light of the interconnectedness of domestic animals, wildlife, the environment and people. Keeping domestic cats indoors is one example of how a simple practice can have far-reaching beneficial consequences across the One Health spectrum.

A good overview of this concept was recently published online by Grant Sizemore of the American Bird Conservancy. In his post entitled "One Health, Domestic Cats, and Zoonotic Diseases," Sizemore covered the relationship of One Health to ABC's Cats Indoors program.

"Our Cats Indoors program educates the public and policymakers about the many benefits to birds, cats and people when cats are maintained indoors or under an owner's direct control," he wrote. "In addition to advocating for responsible pet ownership solutions, we also oppose Trap, Neuter, Release (TNR) for feral cats because of the persistent and severe threats posed by these cats on the landscape." (To read the full post, visit abcbirds.org/blog21/cats-zoonotic-diseases.)

On the topic of zoonotic diseases, cats are the primary host for toxoplasmosis, which they can transmit to other species -- including us. They can even reinfect themselves by eating infected mice and other prey, which pick up the pathogen from environments contaminated by cat feces.

Apart from disease, there are ethical reasons to keep cats inside, as reported by Kwame Anthony Appiah, writer of The New York Times' "The Ethicist" column. Appiah recently wrote that "responsible animal-rights groups now agree that our feline companions should not be left to roam free."

DEAR DR. FOX: Regarding the Seresto/cancer link, I thank you for your article where you shared the New York couple's experience. Their story sounds a lot like the nightmare we just experienced with our dog.

We, too, were on our second Seresto collar on our boy Beringer, and five months into his wearing it, I noticed a bump on him. It was a tumor. He passed away two months later, after the surgeon was unable to remove the full tumor.

I'm wondering if you are receiving many letters like these. -- L.F., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR L.F.: I have had letters in the past from dog owners who reported that their animal companions developed tumors/cancer soon after using these kinds of insecticide-diffusing collars. But I do not have a formal, collated registry of such instances, and I doubt that the FDA or USDA has one, either.

The reporting and recording of adverse reactions to these collar-loaded and/or orally administered insecticides in cats and dogs is spotty at best. But a meta-analysis, as has been done to expose the seizure risks of such products, is needed to prove or disprove their role in the genesis of various cancers, especially lymphatic.

So I err on the side of caution and advise that these insecticides should not be used on companion animals, especially on a routine, "preventive" basis. I recommend that pet owners follow the safe and integrated steps I offer on my website (DrFoxOneHealth.com) to keep fleas and ticks off our animals.

DEAR DR. FOX: I read your recent column (about the practices at some Blue Pearl locations). I have practiced general dentistry for over 50 years. Corporate dentistry is practicing the exact same way -- profits over ethics! Public beware! Well written, Dr. Fox! -- M.C., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR M.C.: I am sure most readers of my column will appreciate your statement. It seems as though mammon rules in these times, with the quest for profits overriding ethics and common human decency. Indeed, the Golden Rule has been morally inverted -- those with the gold rule!

Time for an ethical awakening and a call to conscience and accountability -- all aspects of a long-overdue revolution and evolution in human values, consciousness and behavior.

GUIDANCE ON MANAGING FREE-RANGING DOMESTIC CATS

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA), in collaboration with the American Bird Conservancy and other partners, has published a comprehensive domestic cat management guide. The document, entitled "Toolkit to Address Free-ranging Domestic Cats (Felis catus) on Agency Lands Managed for Native Wildlife and Ecosystem Health," covers a range of topics including predation, disease, legal and policy issues, along with management solutions. The toolkit is the result of work by AFWA's Feral and Free-ranging Cat Working Group, which will soon release more detailed guidance on model policies and an updated AFWA resolution on the control of free-ranging domestic cats.

(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 recently lost my dog. She was 16 years old. I really miss her. I have another dog who is 7, and he misses her, too. Both Chihuahua mixes. I've been looking around for a similar dog to adopt -- nothing fancy, just a small mixed-breed adult.

I've been looking on Petfinder, and all the dogs are in "rescue organizations" that seem to keep the dogs in foster homes and charge anywhere from $450 to $600 to adopt one. A "choice" dog like a purebred or puppy is sometimes more.

What is going on? All my dogs have been rescued from Humane Society shelters. The fee was usually $50 to $150, depending on the dog's age.

I have no problem paying an adoption fee: It is actually a bargain, since the dog is neutered, vet-checked and has his shots. But $450 to $600 seems a bit exorbitant. Am I right in thinking that these organizations are "adopting" highly desirable dogs from shelters and then readopting them for a profit?

In one way, these high fees could protect the dogs from being adopted by just anyone. But in another way, they are discouraging legitimate adopters who can't afford the fee.

I've also noticed that if I do see a dog I am interested in at a shelter, it is gone immediately. I think they may be getting snapped up by these rescue organizations. Small dogs, especially, since they are highly adoptable.

I'm just curious if you have noticed this trend. -- L.D.R., Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

DEAR L.D.R.: Many people are surprised at the fees involved in adopting a dog or cat from legitimate, nonprofit shelters and rescue organizations today. But their costs are significant, including operational overhead, heating/air-conditioning, staff salaries, animal food, medications, vaccinations, spaying/neutering, etc.

In many communities, as you have noticed, there are animal rescue networks whose volunteers foster animals in their homes (after the animals' veterinary needs have been provided). Again, there are obvious costs involved, but fostering is certainly a humane alternative to keeping stressed animals in cages or kennels at shelters until they are either adopted or euthanized. Additional costs can be incurred when animals must be transported from overcrowded shelters in some states to others.

That said, I do consider it unethical for organizations to visit animal shelters, take the most adoptable animals and then charge outrageous fees for the "cream of the crop," as you describe. Such unscrupulous groups often give little or no money to help the shelter operations from where these selected animals originated.

DOG BITE PREVENTION

Dogs bite about 4.5 million people in the U.S. every year, with about 800,000 bites serious enough to require medical attention, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Even the friendliest dog can bite if startled or in pain. The best way to avoid being bitten is to learn dog body language, says veterinarian Cristal Carey. Avoid startling dogs or approaching them when they are eating or playing with a favorite toy. (Full story: KOIN-TV, Portland, Oregon)

HELP PROTECT THE WOLVES

A statement from Howlingforwolves.org:

"Wolves in Wisconsin have been slaughtered, and are scheduled for another horrific trapping and hounding season this fall. And (in September), the killing began in Montana. Idaho allows year-round wolf hunting of adults and pups, and permits the use of snares. Wyoming continues its brutality with year-round wolf killing in 85% of the state's land, and scheduled wolf-hunting "seasons" in the other 15%.

"We are asking everyone to contact their members of Congress and federal officials through ReListWolves.org to tell them to relist wolves on the federal Endangered Species List. The wolf has no time and must have an emergency relisting. We need to restore protections for our nation's gray wolves."

(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 have studied Earth processes for over 40 years as a geologist, both in R&D and commercial capacities. Most of my career, ironically, was spent as an explorationist in the fossil fuel industry.

What we know is that the Earth has undergone five major extinctions in the last 500 million years. With the possible exception of the Cretaceous extinction event, these were primarily caused by dramatic changes in the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, in the case of past extinctions). Too little, and the Earth freezes; too much, and it overheats, acidifying the oceans in the process. A dramatic reduction in species accompanied all five extinctions, with the Permian event being the worst: The planet lost 90% of all its life and came perilously close to sterilization.

We are currently experiencing a sixth major extinction. Like the others, the cause is an imbalance of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Unlike the others, the trigger is a single species: humans. It is why many scientists have unofficially dubbed the current epoch the Anthropocene.

Past extinctions occurred over tens of thousands to millions of years -- an eternity, by human standards. But the current extinction is happening over decades to hundreds of years. Estimates suggest that humankind is injecting greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at 10 times the rate it was being added naturally during the Permian extinction. In my opinion, any curtailing of it at this point, although admirable, is unlikely to be sufficient to prevent catastrophic and lasting climate events. The damage that is already done (e.g., to the coral reefs) will certainly not be repaired naturally for many human generations.

You might enjoy the following books if you haven't read them already: "What We Know About Climate Science" by Kerry Emanuel, professor of atmospheric science at MIT; "The Ends of the World" by Peter Brannen, science journalist; and "The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History" by Elizabeth Kolbert, staff writer at The New Yorker. -- D.H., Ph.D., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR D.H.: Many readers will appreciate your synopsis of our planet's geo-history and where we are now. Others may experience intensified environmental anxiety -- or absolute despair. But much can be saved, including our sanity!

The Anthropocene Epoch began with our ability to make fire, which led to pyro-technology and the wanton waste and pollution from burning fossil fuels. This was followed by other technologies, including chemical, atomic/thermonuclear and genetic engineering. Some of these technologies were weaponized to fight adversaries, human and non-human, with little regard for their adverse consequences to the biosphere.

All of these technologies have had their own consequences, interacting in ways we still may not understand. And we certainly do not know the long-term consequences of all this unbridled, unexamined "progress." Since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, we have increased the metabolism of the planet to unsustainable levels of extraction and consumption, which now calls for sound, science-based, public policy corrective action and international cooperation.

The expanding human population, along with our food crops and livestock, have decimated natural ecosystems and healthy plant and wildlife biodiversity -- contributing, in large measure, to epizootic and pandemic diseases: the blights, plagues and pestilences of biblical record. The increasing burden of these adverse consequences may prevent future generations from ever evolving into the ecocentrism needed for effective planetary CPR: conservation, protection and restoration. My friend the late Father Thomas Berry called this the "ecozoic" era of human evolution. I hope and pray for this empathic and informed transformation in human consciousness and action to come without delay!

When we forget our history, we relive it. According to the United Nations report Groundswell, by 2050, 200 million people may be climate-change migrants seeking refuge from uninhabitable homelands. Even if we did not have this existential crisis of climate change, we would still face the issues of overpopulation, overconsumption, economic and political refugees and the violence and inhumanity toward each other and other species. And none of these issues are helped by political and public paralysis of will and action -- nor by denial.

Denial was especially evident in the U.S. at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even in the face of this crisis, which some see as the latest of nature's "bioweapons" to control the human population, many people saw mask mandates as a violation of their personal freedoms. Clearly, the educational system has been deficient in teaching civics, ethics and critical thinking. An even worse revelation is that even while facing the common enemy of this virus, we seem incapable of effective international cooperation.

Political scientist William Ophuls writes, in his essay "What Can Give Us Hope?": "But the prophetic madness attending the death throes of industrial civilization will also contain a small but significant ray of hope: Out of the welter of false prophets there may arise one whose message will effect the metanoia that is the only real way out of the impasse. For only by transcending our obsession with material power and progress, and recovering a deep empathic connection to the planet and the life it bears, can we hope to reconstruct civilization to be sane, humane and ecological."

(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.)