DEAR READERS: Think twice before ordering lobster for dinner. According to Seafood Watch, ropes used to fish for lobsters and other seafoods often entangle critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, as well as other aquatic mammals. Ropeless fishing gear with a remote-controlled float, which is now used in Australia, should be adopted posthaste worldwide.

The New York Times reports that, having depleted its own coastal waters, China has built the world's largest fleet of deep-water fishing ships. The vessels travel to waters around the world, from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. The Chinese fleet uses a system of "motherships" in which one vast ship services many smaller ones, allowing them to transfer tons of cargo without returning to port.

International conservation group Oceana tallied nearly 300 Chinese ships working near the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador in 2020. "Our sea can't handle this pressure anymore," says Alberto Andrade, a fisher from the Galapagos, in the Times story. "The industrial fleets are razing the stocks."

Mary Finelli, founder and director of advocacy group FishFeel.org, told me that people shouldn't lay all the blame for China's abhorrent fishing practices on China itself. Much of China's catch, as well as the fish it imports, are used as feed for farmed fish, shrimp and other animals. Many of those animals are then exported as food to the U.S., Europe and Japan.

"In Asia," according to a writeup on maritime-executive.com, "particularly in China and Vietnam, aquaculture has expanded rapidly and the region now accounts for almost 90% of global output. In China, output tripled between 1998 and 2020 to represent 60% of the global total. According to a 2017 study by the University of British Columbia, many countries, including the U.S. and Norway, use feed-grade fish directly as feed. But the practice increased significantly in Asia between the 1990s and 2010, with feed-grade fish coming to account for a high percentage of landed catches." (Read the article at maritime-executive.com/editorials/china-works-to-get-wild-caught-fish-out-of-its-aquaculture-feed.)

And newsecuritybeat.org reports that "annually, about 19 million tons of wild fish are processed globally into fishmeal and fish oil. Aquaculture currently uses 75% of global fish oil supplies." (Read the article at newsecuritybeat.org/2021/07/aquaculture-fish-feed-china-u-s-break-ocean-connection.)

Industrial shrimp farming in Southeast Asia has had a devastating ecological impact, decimating coastal mangrove ecosystems, depleting and polluting sea life dependent on these marine forests and disenfranchising and impoverishing local fishing communities in the process. Shrimp are fed high-protein seafoods, contributing to the global overfishing crisis. The wholesale use of antibiotics to boost productivity and prevent disease has resulted in bacterial antibiotic resistance. Most shrimp is profitably exported to Europe and the U.S., with discarded parts going into pet foods. Another driver of this ecocidal industry is the medical, surgical and cosmetic value of chitosan -- which has antioxidant, antifungal, pesticidal and anti-inflammatory properties -- extracted from shrimp shells. Chitosan had a market value of $6.8 billion in 2019.

The octopus is one of the most intelligent invertebrates on our planet, and should not be farmed for food for a number of reasons. Per deeperblue.com, "A coalition of 97 animal welfare organizations and scientists is opposing the establishment of farms to raise octopus and other cephalopods for food," which would cause stress and extreme environmental deprivation. (Read the article at deeperblue.com/activists-oppose-octopus-farms.)

Farmed salmon in Scotland, a major producer, are overcrowded, stressed and teeming with sea lice, for which they are given hazardous insecticidal treatments, which in turn harm the wild fish in surrounding waters. For some excellent information, go to ecowatch.com/marine-life-ocean-threats.

My advice to all concerned consumers: Salmon and other seafoods may have health benefits, but a better way to get those fatty-acid nutrients is from the original source -- marine algae, on sale in health stores. Avoid "luxury" seafoods such as lobsters, octopus and farmed shrimp.

The less we take and consume from the oceans, the better it will be for this vital ecosystem and for the planet's health at large.

THOUSANDS OF PET CATS INFECTED WITH COVID-19

Researchers found that 3.2% of samples taken from cats at routine checkups in the U.K. between April 2020 and February 2022 were positive for SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The study, still awaiting peer review, suggests that at least 352,000 cats in the U.K. have been infected with the virus, which "could have implications for feline health," says co-author Grace Tyson. (Full story: The Telegraph, Nov. 21)

This is additional clear evidence that keeping owned cats indoors is of critical importance to prevent the spread of this and other diseases to animals outdoors.

(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: Bumblebees play, according to new research led by Queen Mary University of London and recently published in the journal Animal Behaviour. Per a summary on the university's website (qmul.ac.uk), "It is the first time that object play behaviour has been shown in an insect, adding to mounting evidence that bees may experience positive 'feelings.'"

Further summary from the university:

"Professor Lars Chittka, Professor of Sensory and Behavioural Ecology at Queen Mary University of London, head of the lab and author of the recent book 'The Mind of a Bee,' said: 'This research provides a strong indication that insect minds are far more sophisticated than we might imagine. There are lots of animals who play just for the purposes of enjoyment, but most examples come from young mammals and birds. We are producing ever-increasing amounts of evidence backing up the need to do all we can to protect insects that are a million miles from the mindless, unfeeling creatures they are traditionally believed to be.'"

In other apian news, researchers have found that the fuzz that covers bees' bodies helps them sense flowers' natural electric fields, allowing them to locate their favorite plants. Bees leave an electric trace on pollinated flowers, telling other bees the flower is "tapped out." A study found that fertilizers change that electric field and put bumblebees off from fertilizing. (Ellard R. Hunting et al, "Synthetic fertilizers alter floral biophysical cues and bumblebee foraging behavior," doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac230)

The whiskers (vibrissae) on many mammals and some birds, like the antennae on insects, may also be functional bioelectrical sensors. Many environmentalists are concerned about the documented harm from electropollution to bees and other creatures that play such vital roles in the world's ecosystems, especially as pollinators. For details, see my post at drfoxonehealth.com/post/electropollution-existential-threat-to-public-health-and-life-on-earth.

NEW COMMISSION FORMED TO MONITOR EMF ISSUES

The International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF), launched on Oct. 18. The ICBE-EMF was commissioned by the advisers to the International EMF Scientist Appeal, a petition signed by more than 240 scientists who have published more than 2,000 papers on EMF, biology and health. It was organized under the umbrella of the Electromagnetic Safety Alliance, a U.S. nonprofit organization.

To read more about the commission, visit icbe-emf.org.

DEAR DR. FOX: My son's cat has been on hyperthyroid medicine, and was recently put on meds for high blood pressure. He has had two bouts of constipation since starting the new medication. Is it possible that the blood pressure medicine is the cause? -- G.R., Jupiter, Florida

DEAR G.R.: Blood pressure medications do have various side effects, which veterinarians are careful to monitor. Calcium channel blockers, such as diltiazem (brand name Cardizem), relax the smooth muscles in blood vessels to lower blood pressure. But they also relax the muscles in the gut and may cause constipation.

The cat's condition should be reevaluated by the veterinarian, and I would advise not feeding him dry kibble as his main food. Rather, give him canned cat food plus a few drops of olive or flaxseed oil. Giving him a twice-daily abdominal massage, as per my book "The Healing Touch for Cats," may help alleviate this condition, along with encouraging the cat to play and be active.

Left unattended, chronic constipation in any animal can cause problems. One condition called megacolon is common in less-active cats, and requires immediate veterinary attention. Retention of feces means increasing discomfort, nausea and compromised health due to absorption of fecal bacterial endotoxins.

(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 like dog shows, but I wonder why so many breeds have their whiskers snipped off before they go into the ring. Don't they need them? -- B.K., Washington, D.C.

DEAR B.K.: Dogs' whiskers serve many important functions. Veterinarian Leslie Gillette, DVM, wrote an excellent article for PetMD.com on the subject, a part of which I will share here:

"Dog whisker follicles contain clusters of tactile receptor cells (Merkel cells) that are essential for sending signals to the brain. If a whisker is touched by another object, or air currents move a whisker, that vibration transmits nerve impulses from a dog's whisker follicles to their brain. Whiskers can detect the size, shape and speed of nearby objects based on the movement of air currents.

"Whiskers in different areas give a dog specific information about their environment:

-- "Muzzle whiskers: Mystacial whiskers along the muzzle extend toward an approaching object to help determine the shape, proximity and texture of nearby surfaces as a dog moves their head back and forth. These whiskers help dogs detect food and water and measure distances.

-- "Eye whiskers: Superciliary/supraorbital whiskers detect potential threats to the eyes by responding to tactile stimuli or air currents. When the whiskers are moved, they send signals to a dog's brain that trigger the blink reflex to close their eyelids.

-- "Cheek whiskers: Genal whiskers help with peripheral perception of the environment, such as navigating through tight spaces and keeping a dog's head upright while swimming.

-- "Chin whiskers: Interramal whiskers grow from a mole under a dog's chin. These moles contain clusters of cells that provide sensory and tactile information to the brain. They are incredibly useful in detecting food, water and other objects that are out of the normal field of vision."

Dr. Fox here: I also theorize that some of these vibrissae may act like dowsing rods or bio-sensors, enabling animals to detect bioelectrical and geomagnetic fields so they can better navigate their territories.

There is no reason for show dogs to have their whiskers trimmed, and this practice may border on being an inhumane mutilation. As Dr. Gillette asserts:

"Removing whiskers by any means may cause significant stress to a dog. It affects their sensory function and can cause disorientation and a temporary disruption in normal activities like hunting, swimming and play. In some dogs, trimming whiskers may cause aggression as a stress response. From an animal welfare perspective, trimming or plucking whiskers is considered an amputation of a functional sensory organ rather than a cosmetic improvement, and it has been banned in several European countries."

The American Kennel Club might improve its reputation from being more than a registry for pedigree dogs by prohibiting whisker trimming in local and national dog shows.

DEALING WITH CANINE DEMENTIA

DEAR DR. FOX: During the last couple of months, our 12-year-old terrier mix's nighttime behavior has changed. After 7:30 or 8 p.m., he begins to pace, pant and keeps going to the door to be let out. We stopped letting him out until the last "out" of the night since it doesn't appear he has to relieve himself. He will sometimes settle down, only to get up and start all over again.

About twice a week, he gets up in the middle of the night and paces, pants and paws the bed. We let him out briefly, then he seems to settle down. A few times, he has woken us up three times in one night.

His weekday routine is: one 15-minute walk in the morning, outside in the backyard around 3 or 4 p.m., dinner around 4:30 p.m., a 40-minute walk around 5 p.m. and another 15-minute walk around 9:30 p.m. On the weekends, he spends more time in the backyard, but this doesn't seem to alter his night behavior.

Until recently, he has always been able to sleep at night for 10 hours without trouble. His last blood work was six months ago, and everything was normal.

About six months ago we switched him to Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula for seniors, which he eats with cooked chicken mixed in. He has never been interested in eating in the morning, though we have always left dry food for him in his bowl in case he gets hungry.

We have read about this behavior in dogs with dementia, but are not sure if this is the issue. I have not seen an article about this on your site. What steps do you suggest? -- D.S., Ann Arbor, Michigan

DEAR D.S.: From what you describe, it seems quite apparent that your dog is showing clear signs of dementia. It is encouraging that his blood readings show he is in relatively good physical health. I have advised many owners whose dogs have begun to behave like yours to try giving 3 mg to 6 mg of melatonin 30 minutes before bedtime; this can help all get a good night's sleep. Melatonin is also an excellent antioxidant. I would add additional antioxidants to your dog's daily diet, such as a teaspoon each of raw grated carrot and crushed blueberries plus a few drops of fish oil and 100 mg magnesium. The latter can benefit both the brain and heart.

Two supplements that also benefit people and have a calming effect are L-theanine (from green tea) and tryptophan (from turkey meat). So I would substitute turkey for the cooked chicken you give your dog, and also give him 50 mg to 100 mg of L-theanine and tryptophan daily with food.

If these measures do not result in significant improvements within 10 to 14 days, discuss with your veterinarian putting your dog on anti-anxiety medication. Begin with a low dose while continuing with the treatment I have suggested.

Also, giving your dog a slow, relaxing massage before bedtime, as per my book "The Healing Touch for Dogs," may prove beneficial. Human patients spending extended time in the hospital can develop a disorienting "hospitalization dementia," which daily massage therapy has been shown to significantly ameliorate.

(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.)