The Animal Doctor

DEAR DR. FOX: Have the guidelines for spaying changed? Our vet advises us to wait until our pup is 1 year old, saying that hormones have beneficial effects for her bones. Any thoughts on this? -- L.A., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR L.A.: You have raised a timely question: Veterinarians are discussing this issue in their professional journals, and some dog owners are wondering what is best for dogs they do not intend to breed.

Health issues involving skeletal structure and integrity and endocrine disorders can result as a consequence of early neutering (spaying/castrating). I have long advocated for male dogs not to be neutered until they are relatively mature, and females not until after their first heat.

Giant breeds such as Great Danes and Irish wolfhounds may be more prone to bone cancer after neutering, and all dogs may be more susceptible to hip dysplasia and torn knee ligaments, often associated with reduced activity and obesity.

On the other hand, neutering eliminates the possibility of testicular cancer, prostate issues and related perineal hernias in males, as well as ovarian cancer and pyometra (infection of the uterus) in females. It may also reduce the incidence of mammary cancer.

Many veterinarians are now offering partial spay surgery, retaining the dog's ovaries but removing the entire uterus down to the cervical stump, for health reasons. Be advised that these dogs will still cycle into heat and may have false pregnancies and attract male dogs.

Un-neutered male dogs may need special handling and vigilance around other dogs, whom they may challenge and seek to mount -- especially some neutered male dogs, who may be giving off pheromones that confuse intact males. This can also happen when a dog has an undescended testicle that develops a Sertoli cell tumor, which produces female sex hormones.

On occasion, male dogs may become more aggressive after neutering. This is indicative of hormonal stimulation from the pituitary gland, which is reacting to the sudden absence of the hormonal feedback of testosterone. Some veterinarians are now advocating hormone-replacement therapy for dogs with behavioral and health problems (including cognitive decline, hypothyroidism, various cancers and anxiety) and as a preventive measure after neutering. For an excellent review of the pros and cons of canine sterilization, see Dr. Sara Fox Chapman's article in the fall 2021 Integrative Veterinary Care journal.

Animal shelters have established early neutering as a protocol and prerequisite for adoptions, mainly because of the concern that irresponsible owners would allow their dogs to breed. Indeed, overpopulation has been a major reason why so many dogs and puppies end up in shelters, many having to be euthanized. But this protocol now needs to be reexamined, especially in communities where dogs are being brought in from other states because local shelters have too few dogs and puppies available for adoption.

Informed veterinarians, considering their clients' needs, ages and lifestyles, as well as the breeds and sizes of the dogs and puppies, can best advise on this issue of spaying and neutering. No single protocol fits all.

DEAR DR. FOX: My 14-year-old cat Tinky is eating well, but she is bloated and seems constipated. She is a very healthy cat overall. She only eats holistic wet and dry food, and she is not an outdoor cat. For the bloating, what would you recommend? I'm not really comfortable with the vets in my area. -- K.L.R., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR K.L.R.: Bloating in cats can be due to several factors. Often, simply eliminating any cat food containing soy or corn works well to relieve the bloating. In other instances, there may be chronic constipation, especially in older, less active cats who may be slowed down by arthritis and/or obesity. Some develop a "megacolon," which is a dilated lower intestine that does not contract well to facilitate evacuation. Acute bloating with pain is also seen in cases of irritable or inflammatory bowel disease, and in cats who have bowel cancer.

So you need to do some detective work, and the cat needs to be examined by a veterinarian. I am sorry that you are not comfortable with those in your area; perhaps a cat-owning neighbor can recommend one for you.

For a start, I would cut out all dry cat kibble and give your cat a deep abdominal massage, as per my book "The Healing Touch for Cats," morning and evening. Increase her activity with interactive games, especially early in the evening. Also, the book "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat and Dog Food," which I co-authored with two other veterinarians, may give you some insights. Keep me posted!

LIST OF THE BEST CAT AND DOG FOODS, SUPPLEMENTS

Longtime pet food quality and safety advocate Susan Thixton has put together her latest list of the cat and dog food manufacturers who meet her rigorous ingredient quality standards. This list is available for purchase, with the proceeds helping support her independent research and advocacy for companion animals. For more details, visit truthaboutpetfood.com/the-list.

(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'm a retired communications specialist formerly associated with a major U.S. carrier. I read with some dismay the letter from your peer regarding nonionizing radiation risks from low-power personal devices.

I strongly suggest researching this subject. NIOSH (the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health) and the CDC have excellent materials on this subject, and on ionizing radiation as well. It has been the bane of power companies and telephone carriers that misinformed opinions often find their way into the dialogue. -- K.R., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR K.R.: If you were a dairy farmer, you would have no issue with these concerns, since stray voltage and EMFs (electromagnetic fields) have been widely documented to lower cows' productivity, health and welfare. Users of cellphones and laptop computers are advised by manufacturers to take precautions using such devices: For instance, laptops should not be put directly on one's lap, nor cellphones directly against one's ear.

I am sending you my article on the issue of electropollution, which cites many peer-reviewed scientific studies (also posted on my website, drfoxonehealth.com). I am especially concerned about the chronic exposure of dogs who wear collars that deliver "invisible fence" shocks if they get too close -- but who are nonetheless in a nonionizing electrical field for the system to work.

Many people suffer from electromagnetic hypersensitivity, a condition at present not widely accepted by the mainstream medical profession. Much like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome were dismissed as psychogenic until relatively recently, many EHS patients encounter similar skepticism and dismissal.

In addition to radiation, the noise from various electronic devices can upset animals, some of whom are more sensitive than others, just like some people are. See below for more.

PEOPLE LIKELY UNDERESTIMATE DOGS' ANXIETY

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that people may not recognize their dogs are distressed when exposed to common household noises. A new study finds even common noises, such as a vacuum or microwave, can be triggers. The study was published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science. Intermittent high-frequency noises, such as the battery warning of a smoke detector, are more likely to cause a dog anxiety than continuous low-frequency noises. The study authors say some owners were amused rather than concerned over their dog's subtle signs of anxiety, which include turning the head away, flattening the ears, licking the lips and panting.

DEAR DR. FOX: My gentle, cuddly French bulldog has had a drastic change in temperament, which started one day after taking NexGard. He is always on edge. He seems to want to cuddle, only to react with growling and snapping if my husband or I try to pet him. He seems very saddened by his own behavior, but cannot control it. We are devastated by this.

I am a nurse, and understand the drug needs to be broken down and eliminated by his body, but how long will this take? It has been two weeks since the oral administration of NexGard. When he was a pup, we tried Frontline topical, which resulted in him refusing to eat for many days and a frantic, monthlong search for food he would eat.

Any advice or reassurance would be hugely appreciated. I'm trying to be patient, but second-guessing myself. Maybe he needs a full physical? -- J.E., Washington, D.C.

DEAR J.E.: I have consulted with dog owners as far away as Belgium on the adverse effects of this product. Give your dog 1 teaspoon of coconut oil twice daily in food, plus 250 mg of milk thistle to help him detox. In the evening, give him 6 mg of melatonin and another 3 mg of melatonin around noon. Continue this for 10 to 14 days.

A massage therapy routine (as described in my book "The Healing Touch for Dogs") may also help calm your poor dog. He is not alone in suffering the side-effects of this product and other widely marketed insecticides given to companion animals. These products should not be on the market, in my opinion. As per my website (drfoxonehealth.com), there are safer ways to prevent fleas and ticks in companion animals.

(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 READERS: The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the world -- already facing climate, population, refugee and political crises -- into turmoil. I have a detailed review of the pandemic and its effects posted on my website: Visit drfoxonehealth.com and search for "Pandemics: Past, Present and Future Prevention."

Here are some of the references from that article, and additional reports we must all consider as we move toward a better understanding of disease prevention.

-- Wildlife species sold in "wet markets" in China carry an array of potentially zoonotic viruses, at least 18 of which pose a serious threat to humans and domesticated animals, according to a manuscript released on bioRxiv, an "open-access preprint repository," prior to peer review. Researchers identified 71 mammalian viruses across 16 species of game animals commonly consumed as food in China, and found hepatitis E virus and the H9N2 strain of influenza in badgers and civets; noro- and influenza B viruses in pangolins, civets and bamboo rats; a bat-associated coronavirus in a civet; a swine pneumovirus in pangolins and a bird-associated coronavirus in porcupines. (Full story: BNN Bloomberg, Nov. 12)

-- Scientists suspect SARS-CoV-2 originated in an animal, but humans are now the primary reservoir and have probably transmitted the virus to pets, zoo animals, farmed mink and farmed and wild deer. Mice, raccoons, skunks and other animals near a mink farm were found to carry various other coronaviruses, raising concerns that deer will transmit SARS-CoV-2 to other wild species and give rise to recombinant coronaviruses. (Full story: CNN, Nov. 17)

-- Amid the surge in COVID-19 cases late last year, veterinarians in the U.K. saw a higher-than-usual number of dogs and cats with depression, lethargy, poor appetite, abnormal heart rhythm and fluid in the lungs, all of which are signs of myocarditis. The owners of many pets with confirmed myocarditis seen at The Ralph Veterinary Referral Centre had confirmed or suspected COVID-19, and six of 11 animals tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 alpha variant or antibodies to the virus, researchers reported in Veterinary Record. (Full story: NBC News, Nov. 5)

-- Veterinary vaccine maker Zoetis is donating hundreds of doses of an experimental SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, made specifically for animals, to zoos across the country, enabling the facilities to vaccinate big cats, bears, ferrets, mink, primates and other vulnerable animals. Zoo staff and visitors can transmit the virus to animals. Scientists will be gauging the efficacy of the vaccine, which is based on synthetic spike proteins, against emerging variants at more than 80 institutions in 27 states. (Full story: National Geographic, Aug. 20)

-- I do not see the need to vaccinate cats and dogs against COVID-19, since the documented incidence of them dying from it is extremely low. Most have a mild infection or no symptoms at all. Those with comorbidity factors similar to those seen in humans may have more severe infections, but eventually recover. (See relevant study summary at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34647475.) Since it is humans who are now infecting animals, getting vaccinated and wearing masks in public places to avoid bringing the virus home are the best ways to protect our animal companions.

-- What people eat, and what they feed their animals, can certainly affect their immune systems. Obesity, in particular, can reduce the protective effectiveness of vaccinations. According to Dr. L. Bailey, "among 134,209 inpatients with COVID-19, mortality was more frequent among patients with obesity and diabetes." (See study summary at pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34537362.) And health care workers surveyed by Dr. H. Kim in several countries had a lower incidence and severity of COVID-19 infection if they were vegetarians. (See study summary at nutrition.bmj.com/content/4/1/257.)

Changing our diets to mainly plant-based, organically certified whole foods is the obvious way to go -- for health's sake and for the sake of animals wild and domesticated.

I will end on these sage words: "Each of us can have a positive impact upon these fundamentals by demonstrating and inspiring an enhanced mindfulness, beginning most basically with what we eat and how all of our daily choices and actions may be affecting animals and natural habitats. Ultimately, the survival, not only of other life forms on this planet, but also of our own, will depend upon humanity's ability to recognize the oneness of all that exists and the importance and deeper significance of compassion for all life." -- excerpted from "What the COVID-19 Crisis Is Telling Humanity" by David O. Wiebers and Valery L. Feigin, appearing in the July 2020 volume of Neuroepidemiology

'ONE HEALTH CENTER OF EXCELLENCE' PROPOSED

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein has submitted an amendment, listed as SA 4087, to the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2022. The amendment would help strengthen the security of our nation's public health by:

-- Establishing a One Health Center of Excellence at the FDA to develop programs and enhance strategies to research, monitor, prevent and respond to emerging public health threats, such as zoonotic disease outbreaks;

-- Encouraging the new office to conduct and support research to better understand emerging public health threats, such as zoonotic disease outbreaks, as well as other biological, chemical and radiological threats to public health;

-- Supporting recruitment and training for personnel engaged in such research, monitoring, prevention and response efforts; and

-- Facilitating collaborative relationships with relevant federal and state agencies.

The One Health Commission and the One Health Initiative Autonomous Pro Bono Team support adequate funding for and enactment of legislation aimed at protecting the nation's public health.

(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.)