DEAR READERS: There are principles and values from native and Indigenous peoples all over the world that we would all do well to embody and emulate. For instance, the Hopi term Lomakatsi, or "life in balance," refers to the harmony of nature when all species, human and nonhuman, are in balance with each other. This harmony was the basic foundation of their civilization, and many others.

But now, the human species -- due to the development of agriculture, the domestication of selected plants and animals, the burning of fossil fuels and the creation of ever-more lethal chemicals and weapons -- has been able to multiply and override nature's biological controls. As a result, we now face Koyaanisqatsi: "life out of balance."

It is an imperative for us, physically, mentally and spiritually, to strive toward Lomakatsi through how we live, eat, travel and vote.

In another example, the Ojibwe have revered the wolf as an exemplar of family integrity, empathy, cooperation and taking only what is needed for survival. In contrast are those who see wolves as hunting trophies, valuable furs or killers of livestock. Such people have yet to realize the wisdom of Lomakatsi and find the inner peace that comes with living in harmony with nature.

The Ojibwe also live by seven values (sometimes called the Seven Grandfather Teachings) that we all need to embrace and make part of our lives: Humility, Truth, Courage, Honesty, Respect, Love and Wisdom. These are the empathic, ethical tools that enable our species to survive its own destructive actions.

Another piece of Indigenous wisdom is the Seventh Generation Principle. This is based on an old Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy that, when making a decision today, we should consider how it will affect people seven generations in the future.

We should also reflect on Matthew 5:39, part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus of Nazareth rejects revenge and retaliation and tells his followers to turn the other cheek. This call for nonviolence -- the antithesis of the vengeful “eye for an eye” philosophy -- resonates with the Hindu and Jain principle of ahimsa, avoiding harm, and with the physician’s Hippocratic oath.

Cast in contemporary terms, we should all pause and consider the harmful consequences of violent retaliation, be it with weapons of mass destruction against our own kind, or the wholesale misuse of antibiotics and pesticides that harm nontarget organisms -- and ultimately ourselves.

THE UNREPORTED WAR

According to Global Witness, a U.K.-based watchdog group, at least 196 "environmental defenders"/activists were killed in 2023 while fighting to protect their communities and the planet. This brings the total number of defenders killed since 2012 to 2,106. For details, go to: globalwitness.org/en/campaigns/environmental-activists/standing-firm.

OPPOSITION TO BREEDING GROTESQUE 'BULLYCATS'

Varieties of cats bred for their extreme physical features -- including sphynx, dwelf, Scottish fold and Munchkin -- have well-documented health problems. Now we also have Bullycats: hairless cats with short, deformed legs and pushed-in faces. Sadly, they are gaining in popularity in the U.S. and the U.K.

I urge all readers to resist the urge to own any creature with extreme, abnormal physical features. These genetic defects mean the animals are likely to endure lives of chronic suffering and various illnesses.

According to a report in the British Veterinary Association’s journal, Naturewatch Foundation is mounting a campaign in the U.K. to establish national regulations against the breeding of cats with extreme body shapes like the Bullycat. Bully for this effort! I hope this kind of initiative will also take root here in the U.S.

CARING FOR HORSES HELPS VETERANS WITH PTSD

According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, combat veterans who groomed and led horses once a week for eight weeks reported fewer post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms than their peers in a control group, and their stress hormone levels decreased. The horses showed no signs of stress after interacting with the veterans, suggesting that interacting with horses may be a valuable component of PTSD therapy that does not harm animal welfare. (Full story: HealthDay.com, Sept. 20)

This is further confirmation that animals can be our healers and teachers, be they horses used in therapy, dogs helping children relax while learning to read, or bald eagles providing inspiration and hope -- like the one I saw soaring above me the other day.

(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: In a new study, glyphosate -- the main ingredient in Roundup -- caused severe damage to rats' gut function. Per the study's abstract, this gut damage was "characterized by gut microbial dysbiosis, oxidative stress damage, intestinal inflammation, and histopathological injury, particularly in female rats."

See the study "Roundup-Induced Gut Dysbiosis, Irrelevant to Aromatic Amino Acid Deficiency, Impairs the Gut Function in Rats" by Tianchi Duan et al., published in the Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry, September 2024.

While we are not rats, this study confirms the concerns that I raised several years ago -- namely, that residues of this herbicide, found in both human and pet foods, could be a contributing factor in the genesis of inflammatory bowel disease and other health issues following disruption of the gut microbiome. See my post: drfoxonehealth.com/post/genetically-modified-gmo-pet-food-ingredients-put-dogs-cats-and-other-consumers-at-risk.

STOMATITIS IN CATS: TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

DEAR DR. FOX: Thank you for providing information about keeping pets’ teeth and gums healthy in a recent column. You mentioned using CORE oral care products for dogs, but can they be used for cats? -- D.G., Minneapolis

DEAR D.G.: CORE Pet has excellent dental products for cats, as well as for dogs, to keep gums and teeth healthy. It is especially important to monitor the oral health of cats, as they are prone to a condition called feline stomatitis -- a painful form of gum disease.

Stomatitis is estimated to affect around 10% of all cats in the U.S., and many cats are subjected to so-called full-mouth extractions in order to treat it. This disease is now attributed to an allergic/autoimmune reaction between the teeth, gums and saliva, which the CORE oral care products can help prevent and treat.

For cats who do require some teeth to be extracted, I advise treatment with these products prior to dental surgery to help speed recovery. The ingredients are antibacterial, anti-allergen, anti-inflammatory, antifungal and antiparasitic. For details, go to core-pet.com.

For more information about feline stomatitis, see my post here: drfoxonehealth.com/post/feline-stomatitis-complex.

PIGS AT FAIR PASS ON INFLUENZA VIRUS INFECTION

The CDC and state health officials confirmed that two young people who were exposed to pigs at an agricultural fair in Minnesota tested positive for infection with the H3N2v flu virus. The patients, who did not know each other, sought care during the week of Sept. 7, and both recovered without needing hospitalization. (Full story: Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, Sept. 21)

I would say this was a close call and a warning. I have voiced my opposition, on animal welfare and public health grounds, to all exhibits featuring live animals, especially with large crowds. This is but one step away from the “wet” markets where some believe the COVID-19 pandemic started.

FORCED SEPARATION FROM PETS A SERIOUS ISSUE

A scoping review in the journal Anthrozoos found that people who are forced to abandon their companion animals may experience psychological distress that compounds the trauma of domestic violence, unstable housing or natural disasters. To avoid separation, some may take actions that pose risks to their health, well-being and safety. Policymakers and shelters should consider the value people place on their pets and take steps to “prevent unacceptable outcomes such as animal maltreatment or death,” said lead author Jasmine Montgomery.

For more, see the study "A Scoping Review of Forced Separation Between People and Their Companion Animals" by Jasmine Montgomery, Zhanming Liang and Janice Lloyd, published in Anthrozoos, January 2024.

(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: Below is part of an interview with Hao Yu, a postdoctoral student at the University of Bern, that appeared on Science.org in September. It contains fascinating information about emerging research into how plants communicate.

Hao Yu, to Science.org: "It's well known that plants can release volatile organic compounds when damaged by herbivores, and these compounds can mediate plant-plant interactions. In a way, they 'tell' other plants that there's danger, and the plants that receive them harden their defenses against herbivores. However, after they're released, these compounds can undergo oxidative chemical reactions while they're in the air, forming secondary organic aerosol particles. Our research question was whether the ecological functions of volatiles persist after they become aerosol particles. ...

"Intriguingly, the plant sensing systems appear to recognize the different types of chemical cues. They activate different defense strategies when they perceive volatiles and aerosols. Plants exposed to volatile compounds produce more of their own, which have a direct toxic effect on pests in high concentrations. Meanwhile, aerosols trigger more photosynthesis and the preparation for releasing volatiles, but not their immediate release. Ultimately, the outcome is the same: The plants exhibit similar levels of herbivore resistance.

"It seems that in this way, the plant can determine the distance between itself and danger: Volatiles mean the danger is near, while aerosols mean distant danger. Either way, they initiate a defense strategy. It’s amazing."

Amazing, indeed! To read more about this research, see the study "Biogenic secondary organic aerosol participates in plant interactions and herbivory defense" by Hao Yu et al., published in Science, September 2024.

JOHN MUIR: AN ANIMAL RIGHTS ADVOCATE BACK IN 1913

Famed Scottish-born American naturalist John Muir was certainly one of the first advocates of animal rights, as well as being one of America’s most famed conservationists. Muir wrote that "'only Uncle Sam' could save our country’s land for future generations to enjoy -- an idea that led to the creation of the National Park Service in 1916," per a post on the service's website (nps.gov).

In his 1913 book “The Story of My Boyhood and Youth,” Muir wrote: “Of the many advantages of farm life for boys, one of the greatest is the gaining of real knowledge of animals as fellow-mortals, learning to respect them and love them, and even to win their love. This godlike sympathy grows and thrives and spreads far beyond the teachings of churches and schools, where too often the mean, binding, loveless doctrine is taught that animals have neither mind nor soul, have no rights that we are bound to respect and were made only for man, to be petted, spoiled, slaughtered or enslaved.”

ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE: GORILLAS’ SELF-MEDICATING WISDOM

Analysis of bark crude extracts (BCEs) from plants that lowland gorillas were observed consuming led researchers to conclude: “The plant BCEs showed antioxidant activities with free radical scavenging and antimicrobial activities ... and could be a promising novel source for new drug discovery.”

See the study "Antibacterial and antioxidant activities of plants consumed by western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in Gabon" by Leresche E.D.O. Yinda et al., published in PLoS ONE, September 2024.

It is worth remembering that our ancestors relied on those in their communities who had an aptitude, even a spiritual calling, to closely observe the animals around them and find safe and nutritious foods and medicinal and psychotropic plants. The animals taught their offspring and taught us.

(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.)