DEAR READERS: Along with people and their companion animals, farmed animals also suffer during extreme weather events. In the national media coverage of the recent catastrophic storms and floods that decimated communities from Florida to Tennessee and the Carolinas, there has been virtually no news about the plight of the millions of poultry, pigs and dairy cows incarcerated and helpless on CAFOs (concentrated animal feeding operations) in these areas.

When the power goes out in these facilities, animals suffocate and die from hyperthermia and lack of air. Or if confinement buildings collapse, the animals are crushed, injured and often killed. They can also drown in flood waters that burst manure-containment lagoons, contaminating freshwater ecosystems with fecal bacteria, antibiotic residues and other drugs fed to these animals.

Few, if any, CAFO owners have contingency plans for such disasters, but they do receive significant taxpayer subsidies. According to the Environmental Working Group, payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to support livestock operators peaked at $11 billion in 2020, while the USDA has allocated a mere $124 million since 2001 to support plant-based proteins and other meal alternatives. (For details, see ewg.org/news-insights/news/2023/08/usda-livestock-subsidies-top-59-billion.)

Consumers who care are increasing the demand for plant-based proteins. Conservationists, environmentalists and all right-minded public health experts -- those not influenced by the powerful livestock and poultry industries -- are advocating the same beneficial dietary change.

VEGETATION IS TAKING OVER IN ANTARCTICA

Climate-change deniers should note this research finding: Per an article on Nature.com, a key region of Antarctica is "getting greener with alarming speed," which will in turn "spur rapid change of Antarctic ecosystems." Researchers looked at satellite imagery of one of the continent’s fastest-warming regions: the Antarctic Peninsula, which juts north toward South America. They found that the area covered by plants was nearly 14 times larger in 2021 than it had been in 1986. “It’s the beginning of dramatic transformation,” said study co-author Olly Bartlett. (Full story: Nature, Oct. 4)

DEAR DR. FOX: I enjoy reading your columns, but I wonder about your authority, since you also write about human health and environmental issues. There is so much disinformation that I wonder who to believe. -- H.P.S., Trenton, New Jersey

DEAR H.P.S.: I agree that there is much disinformation and denial being spread concerning the climate crisis and public health issues. Since you have asked about my "authority," some of my credentials are below. Plus, for many of the articles I reference in my column, I provide peer-reviewed reference citations to give assurance that the information is from a reliable source.

I am a veterinarian, but I also have a Ph.D. in medicine and a doctor of science degree in ethology/animal behavior from the University of London. I am a member of the British Veterinary Association, an Honor Roll Member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, a long-term member of the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association and a founding member of an international nonprofit for animal ethology. I have authored over 40 books, including the upcoming “One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives.”

It is an erroneous assumption that veterinarians only treat animals and can have no opinion about human health and disease prevention. Veterinarians receive the same core-discipline education in veterinary college as do medical students in medical schools. Many veterinarians play a key role in public health and zoonotic diseases (those that spread from animal to human, and vice versa).

Besides, humans are animals, too!

(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: Researchers estimate that more than 2,000 different species of animals are killed and eaten by free-roaming domestic cats around the world, posing a serious risk to biodiversity. Cats have been documented eating wildlife on every continent, even Antarctica.

The study's abstract states:

“Free-ranging cats (Felis catus) are globally distributed invasive carnivores that markedly impact biodiversity. Here, to evaluate the potential threat of cats, we develop a comprehensive global assessment of species consumed by cats. We identify 2,084 species eaten by cats, of which 347 (16.65%) are of conservation concern. Islands contain threefold more species of conservation concern eaten by cats than continents do. Birds, reptiles, and mammals constitute (about) 90% of species consumed, with insects and amphibians being less frequent. Approximately 9% of known birds, 6% of known mammals, and 4% of known reptile species are identified in cat diets. ... Our results demonstrate that cats are extreme generalist predators, which is critical for understanding their impact on ecological systems and developing management solutions.”

For the full study, see "A global synthesis and assessment of free-ranging domestic cat diet" by Christopher Lepczyk et al., published in Nature Communications in 2023.

DEAR DR. FOX: My husband and I keep our cat indoors for her safety and to protect the birds. Our question is, how often should we feed her? We used to have dogs we fed twice a day, and my husband thinks that is fine for our cat, too.

When we feed her, she gobbles up her food (moist-canned) and often throws up right after. I think it is because she is so hungry and then eats too fast. What is your opinion? -- R.M., St. Louis, Missouri

DEAR R.M.: You are probably correct: Cats who eat too quickly often throw up afterwards.

This can also be complicated by fur in the stomach, which accumulates when cats groom themselves and swallow their fur. Just this morning, my cat started to eat, then stopped and vomited a long furball. (She is a rescue with anxiety issues, and tends to groom excessively and pull out her fur when I am out of the house too long.) Grooming cats daily can help prevent this fur-in-the-stomach issue, which can become a serious obstruction.

Cats do best being fed several small meals a day, about 1 tablespoon per serving. Think mouse-sized portions, which is the biologically appropriate amount for a domestic cat. My cat gets small servings of food at 8 a.m., 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., plus snacks of dry kibble mid-morning and mid-afternoon. She knows the time, and comes like clockwork to be fed.

Keeping to a regular feeding schedule is important for all animals, since not wanting to eat is often the first sign of a health problem.

CROSSBREED DOGS NO HEALTHIER THAN PUREBREDS

A new study by the U.K.'s Royal Veterinary College debunks the common belief that designer crossbreed dogs are healthier than their parental purebreds.

Researchers examined health data from three popular crossbreeds -- the cockapoo (cocker spaniel/poodle), Labradoodle (Labrador/poodle) and Cavapoo (Cavalier King Charles spaniel/poodle) -- and their respective parent breeds, calculating the risks for each of the 57 most common disorders found in dogs. In 86.6% of the disorder comparisons, the risks did not differ between the crossbreeds and their parent breeds.

In the remaining 13.4% of comparisons, risks were roughly split: higher for crossbreeds for about half of the remaining disorders, higher for purebreds for the rest. Notably, all three crossbreeds had a higher chance of ear infections than their non-poodle parent breeds.

Would-be purchasers of these kinds of dogs should take note and find a breeder who will give some guarantee of health. Do not simply assume that crossbreeds are healthier than purebreds.

(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: 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.)