DEAR DR. FOX: I wish you would write about something I find shocking: the way some people jerk on their dogs’ leashes when they are out walking them. This must cause some harm to the dogs.

I just wonder how many pets are wrongly disciplined by such people, who probably do not even know how to raise their children. I am a retired grade school teacher, and never forgot to spare the rod and save the child. Same for pets, too! -- J.T., Alexandria, Minnesota

DEAR J.T.: I see this kind of abuse of dogs very rarely, and when I do, I take note of the body language of the owners. We must all control our anger and frustration and not redirect our feelings toward others, hurting them in the process.

Between humans, our feelings can be communicated verbally. Between humans and other animals, it can be done with tone of voice, body language, gestures and facial expressions. Horses respond positively to friendly human faces, and cats and dogs respond to higher-pitched human voices, especially female ones. My wife, Deanna, could control 30 dogs at feeding time at her refuge in India, getting them to stop stealing and fighting over food, with nothing more than a loudly resounding “YO!”

There is never any need to strike or kick or half-strangle any dog to stop some undesired behavior, such as pulling too hard on the leash or jumping up on people. Such dogs simply need to be taught self-control, and that comes with maturity. This calls for owner patience and understanding, plus a dog behavior consultation or two.

Canine handling and education classes of any worth promote positive reinforcement: rewards with treats, petting and/or words of praise. This brings out the best in dogs, while negative reinforcement -- punishing discipline -- can create an anxious biter or a depressed, dispirited canine companion.

Rubbing pups’ noses on spots where they have house-soiled is one such traditional disciplinary action, one that is both cruel and ineffective. Some dogs respond well to aversive clicker-training since it can divert them from doing whatever they should not. But clickers can terrify and confuse sensitive dogs, for whom a loud “NO!” should suffice.

I would like to see the sale of electronic “dog-training” collars, which are used to deliver electric shocks to deter various unacceptable dog behaviors, prohibited. Too many fall into the wrong hands.

When a dog suddenly exhibits some undesired behavior -- such as rubbing the anus on the carpet, snapping/growling when petted in a certain area or failing to respond or come when called -- the animal should not be punished. Rather, they need immediate veterinary attention, without question.

ANIMAL SHELTERS IN CRISIS

Animal shelters across the U.S. are trying to manage a growing number of surrenders amid a staffing shortage without having to resort to euthanasia. Denver Animal Shelter provides spaying and neutering services, as well as free vaccinations, microchips and pet food, and has brought a social worker on board to help pet owners find low-cost care. (Full story: CBS News, Nov. 4)

This is indeed a tragic situation, where we are going back to a “disposable pet” era. Shelter staff are having to euthanize unadopted animals who were surrendered due to lack of finances and people not realizing responsible pet care is not cheap. Find out what the situation is at your local animal shelter and see what you can do to help as a donor, volunteer or foster care provider for surrendered animals.

DEAR DR. FOX: I found this on YouTube: a brief clip of you playing your flute at your wife's (Deanna Krantz’s) refuge in India, and how your rescued dogs responded! Link: youtu.be/Bczu8EjONxY.

I thought your readers might enjoy it. -- B.K., Washington, D.C.

DEAR B.K.: I was not aware that this had been posted on YouTube. It was filmed by volunteer Frank Kaesser and shows me playing my flute, which I did every morning at the request of the lead dog of our rescued pack of village dogs in the beautiful Nilgiris area. The dog's name was Dean, and he would whine at me at the breakfast table to come out and play my flute. His pack would howl/sing as I played, and soon, in the distance, other dogs would join in from surrounding villages. I felt this wave of togetherness sweeping across the entire country.

Whatever truth we live by determines the kind of light we give. Dean, his pack, and some 300 other animals at my wife's refuge were all shining because they were free to live in accordance with their natures -- to be true to themselves and express the light of their spirits where they were safe and loved. For more details about her refuge and wildlife conservation, see our book “India’s Animals: Helping the Sacred and the Suffering.”

Our work continues there, and we welcome hearing from would-be donors as we garner funds to support two dedicated veterinarians. These doctors are continuing what we started in 1996: helping care for village and tribal community animals, the health of which is critical for the surrounding endangered wildlife population, including elephants, tigers, panthers and wild dogs/dholes.

(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: Please read this news release from the Center for Food Safety (CFS) about a recent victory for organic standards and animal welfare.

The full release is available at centerforfoodsafety.org.

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Today (Oct. 25), the USDA released the final Organic Livestock and Poultry Standards (OLPS) rule, delivering an important victory for farmers, consumers and animal welfare advocates. OLPS is a vital step in providing strong animal welfare protections under the USDA Organic label. (This) decision is a direct result of Center for Food Safety (CFS) litigation, which six years ago challenged the Trump administration’s decision that organic standards could not cover animal welfare. Following court order, the Biden administration has now reversed that determination and reaffirmed that organic includes protecting animal welfare.

“We are gratified that the new rule confirms what we have long argued in court: Organic farming means farming with integrity, and that must include animal welfare,” said Amy van Saun, CFS senior attorney and counsel in the case. “While there are more steps to go, this rule should once and for all put to bed misguided and unlawful views to the contrary that we have successfully fought to prevent from becoming law the last six years.”

The finalized rule comes almost a year after USDA’s proposed changes to the original Organic Livestock and Poultry Practices rule, which was first implemented in 2017 and then rescinded by the Trump administration in 2018. CFS, representing organic farmers, certifiers, retailers and animal welfare groups, sued the Trump administration to reverse its unlawful withdrawal of the original OLPP. After years of litigation, the Biden administration reconsidered the withdrawal, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California allowed USDA to revise and update its rulemaking. The Court stayed the case awaiting USDA’s new decision but kept jurisdiction. (This) final rule is the result of that process.

Once implemented, this set of rules will immediately improve the lives of millions of animals raised organically, especially chickens. Thanks in part to CFS’s litigation, the OLPS will make several significant improvements, including:

-- Confirming in detail the USDA’s authority under the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) to protect the health and welfare of organic animals.

-- Confirming the economic benefits to farmers from improving animal welfare and the benefits to consumers, who can more fully rely on the USDA Organic seal to ensure good animal welfare.

-- Setting indoor and outdoor spacing requirements for chickens and eliminating the “porch” loophole that some factory farms exploited to avoid providing birds with meaningful outdoor access.

-- Prohibiting cruel, painful and unnecessary physical alterations, such as de-beaking and tail docking.

-- Setting new standards to ensure animal welfare during transport and slaughter.

SALMON FARMING, SALMON SUFFERING

In their overcrowded floating enclosures, farmed salmon are stressed and in constant contact with each other -- creating ideal conditions for the spread of sea lice. Pesticides have been used against sea lice, but these poison wild fish, other sea life and birds where they are in operation. So alternative controls for this parasite, which must drive the fish crazy, are being evaluated.

Thermal de-licing methods, as well as brushing or rinsing live salmon to remove lice, can make the fish substantially more susceptible to a disease known as pasteurellosis. Thermal de-licing was associated with a 177% increased risk for pasteurellosis the following month, while brushing and rinsing were associated with a 164% increase. However, freshwater de-licing raised the risk by only 17%, according to researchers at the Norwegian Veterinary Institute. (Full story: Fish Farmer Magazine, Oct. 31)

A massive outbreak of sea lice struck a fish farm in Iceland recently. The problem only got worse after the farm operators used an insecticide, suggesting that pesticide resistance has evolved in the lice, says fish disease specialist Berglind Helga Bergsdottir. (Full story: The Guardian, Nov. 3)

This industry should be closed for humane and environmental reasons, as well as for public health reasons, since the oceans connect us all. Salmon are fed fish “bycatch” -- all the sea life caught by the fishing industry that does not go into the public market or pet foods. Dioxins and other contaminants in farmed salmon, which they accumulate as apex predators, call for reconsideration by all advocates of salmon as a “health food.”

(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: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” is the famous and timely statement of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. The human death and injury tolls we are witnessing in Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, Sudan and Yemen are spreading this blindness and its tragic consequences to all sides, including all the millions of animals in their communities.

While reflecting on Gandhi’s words, I came across a relevant article by Indian physicians Dr. Harish Gupta and Dr. Satish Kumar in the British Medical Journal. Entitled “Acknowledge, in the curriculum, those who suffered for the advancement of medical science,” it is about the ethics of gaining medical information from wartime atrocities. They conclude: “To aspire for an everlasting peace in our world, we need to realize that the human race is one and all the perpetrators of violence need to be equated -- regardless of their religion, nationality, allegiance or ideology. On the other side, we believe that all the sufferers deserve our equal sympathy, care, moral support, and a feeling of belonging; regardless of their demographic characteristics.” (See the story at BMJ.com, posted March 4, 2020.)

With both eyes open, we can surely make peace with each other, evolve, see the future and even make it better. We and other social animals have mirror neurons in our brains that enable feeling for others and allow the interpretation of their behavior in self-referential terms. Some emotions in social animals are highly contagious and generally have survival value -- except in humans, when manipulated for harmful ideological and political ends.

If we do not control our emotional reactions and utilize our mirror neurons -- that is, if we let wars continue instead of collectively addressing the rapidly deteriorating condition of the planet -- this era will become a global dystopia.

We are already witnessing more extreme climatic events; pandemic diseases, which also decimate wildlife populations; strife over dwindling natural resources; community violence; child and animal abuse; deaths from drug overdoses; and suicides now increasing in younger age groups, along with cancer. It is self-evident from a One Health perspective that harming the environment is a crime against humanity and should be prosecuted since we and all life are connected.

All nations must now make peace and cooperate in restoring the environment, natural biodiversity, wildlife habitat and agricultural sustainability for the health and security of generations to come. And all of us need to see each other with eyes wide open and put an end to sexism, racism and speciesism.

DEAR DR. FOX: I am writing you because my dog just had a seizure and we think it’s from neosporosis. Just wondering if you had any advice. Do you think antibiotics will buy us some time? -- C.J., Witzenhausen, Germany

DEAR C.J.: So sorry to hear about your dog’s health issue. Has the diagnosis been confirmed, and if so, how do you think he got it? Feeding raw meat to dogs can be one significant source.

Below is more information on the disease, pulled from this article: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30050838.

"The domestic and wild canids are the definitive host of the parasite. They shed oocysts after ingestion of tissue cysts from infected intermediate hosts (ovine, equine, bovine, canine, and many other species), containing bradyzoites, or oocyst-contaminated water and food. The presence of dogs in farms is considered a risk factor for production animals. A wide range of diagnostic methods are currently available, but the most used is serology, i.e., indirect fluorescent antibody test specific to the antibody detection in blood serum samples. No vaccine is available, but control strategies should be focused on the vertical and horizontal transmission of the parasite, i.e., avoid feeding dogs with raw or undercooked meat, and taking care with water for human and animal consumption."

Clindamycin is the first line of treatment adopted by some veterinarians, and courses of over eight weeks are sometimes required. The prognosis for puppies, once contracture has occurred, is poor. Clinical neosporosis in puppies has been treated with some success by prolonged administration of clindamycin or potentiated sulfa drugs.

The possibility of dogs contracting neosporosis is one of the reasons why I advise against them being fed raw and undercooked meats. It is fortunate that people are relatively immune to this organism and rarely become infected.

(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.)