DEAR READERS: Physicians, nutritionists and chefs need to wise up and stop promoting salmon as a “health food.” The "mass suffering" on Scottish salmon farms, as reported by Josh Loeb in the British Veterinary Association’s journal in September -- wherein sick salmon are removed from their floating cages and put on land to suffocate to death -- is further evidence that this sector of aquaculture has not rectified the issues I detailed almost 30 years ago in my book "Eating With Conscience: The Bioethics of Food."

Since then, intensive salmon farming has flourished along the coastlines of several countries with limited regulations and fewer discussions on the adoption of humane slaughter methods.

Emamectin, a pesticide, is fed to caged salmon -- already stressed with overcrowded confinement -- to kill the lice that often plague them. But this insecticide is then excreted, polluting local lakes and killing crustaceans such as crabs and prawns. The addition of discarded salmon parts to pet foods and salmon oil supplements needs to be questioned.

PFAS (“forever” chemicals) and microplastics in salmon and other seafoods are another consumer issue. Plastic pollution is creating a "plastisphere" -- a widespread habitat that includes pathogenic viruses and antimicrobial-resistant bacteria that affect the health of plants, animals and humans. Vibrio bacteria, for example, which are normally rare in the open ocean, are widely distributed in plastispheres throughout the mid-North Atlantic, where they can cause diseases in marine life as well as in humans. (See the study "Oceanic Hitchhikers: Assessing Pathogen Risks from Marine Microplastic" by Jake Bowley et al., published in Trends in Microbiology in 2021.)

Perhaps it is time for this sector of aquaculture to close or transition to sustainable, carbon-sequestering kelp farming. Leave wild salmon to the hungry bears, wolves, eagles and other wildlife whose lives we imperil in so many ways.

If you must purchase salmon, choose only wild salmon caught by members of the Lummi tribe and other Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. I have visited with Lummi elders and can attest to their reverence for this fish, and for their ecological stewardship and conservation.

SALMON SHORTAGE MIGHT NOT BE CAUSING ORCAS’ DECLINE

A shortage of Chinook salmon in the Salish Sea (off the Pacific Northwest coast) might not be behind the decline of southern resident orca pods in the area, according to a study in PLOS One. Instead, food shortages may be occurring elsewhere in the whales’ range. Additionally, noise from large ships in the area may be masking communication between orcas, impeding their ability to hunt, researchers wrote. (Full story: The Guardian, Oct. 16)

DEAR DR. FOX: Our indoor cats were found to have ear mites. Our vet insisted we put Revolution on all three of them, as well as give them an eardrop medication for a full month to get rid of the mites. Then we're supposed to dose them with the Revolution again for a couple of months.

But if the stuff is so poisonous that we need to wear gloves to apply it, how can it be safe for the cats? As for the eardrops, they have to be kept in the fridge, so they are horribly cold. The cats hate all this, and so do we. And all because one kitten got outside for about 10 seconds one day!

Decades ago, I had cats who got ear mites, but we had a miticide that we applied with cotton balls. Those cats grew to like that treatment. What are your thoughts on using these new products? -- D.K., New Haven, Connecticut

DEAR D.K.: This is ridiculous. Stop using the Revolution, and instead use what I have advocated for decades: olive oil. Put a few drops of cold-pressed virgin olive oil, at room temperature, on a cotton ball; squeeze some oil into each ear; then rub each ear to work it in, cleaning out any brown, gummy debris. Do this every other day for 10 days, then repeat a month later. This treatment will not harm your cats, but will smother the mites.

This parasite, which can be passed to dogs in the same home, driving them crazy, is common in outdoor cats. Ear mites are just one of the many health and welfare reasons that I am opposed to trap-neuter-release community cat colonies.

(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: Why are captive hunting facilities or shooting preserves still allowed? In today’s paper, there was an article about a rancher who cloned giant sheep for shooting preserves. (He was fined and given six months' prison time.) I just don’t understand why, in this day and age, these "canned hunts" are still in operation and haven’t been eliminated via legislation.

Just how sick can one be to shoot a typically semi-tame animal in a fenced area with no escape, all for a trophy? You’ve probably touched on this topic before, but as it was in today’s paper, I’m fired up about it. -- C.D.G., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR C.D.G.: I appreciate your concern. The prosecution of this rancher has been widely publicized, primarily because he illegally imported an endangered species of sheep.

From BBC.com, Oct. 1: "Arthur 'Jack' Schubarth, 81, illegally imported body parts of Marco Polo argali sheep, the world’s largest, from Kyrgyzstan, and sent the genetic material to a lab to create cloned embryos, court documents say. The cloning resulted in a single male, which he named 'Montana Mountain King,' or MMK. MMK was then used to inseminate ewes to be sold to shooting preserves, also known as captive hunting operations."

This venture was certainly expensive, and the money would have been better spent on rewilding indigenous species on ranch-land rather than engaging in this biotechnology purely for hoped-for profit.

"Canned hunts," where animals are in a large fenced area for people to come and shoot with guns or bows and arrows, are an atavistic “sport” and a sad reflection of the mental state of so many trophy and recreational hunters.

In his book “The Art of Happiness,” the Dalai Lama wrote: “Ask a hunter to visualize his favorite hunting dog being shot or caught in a trap to awaken feelings of compassion. Then he may better imagine the suffering of his prey.” Such envisioning is the way to build the bridge of empathy, enabling us to feel for others and to exercise our moral freedom of choice to act responsibly.

To take pleasure in the hunt and the kill, and to enjoy wearing furs from animals that were snared and trapped, are antithetical to the ethics of a subsistence way of life that was sustainable for millennia in our gatherer-hunter past. Now our children are corrupted by the values of consumerism and of treating other sentient beings as objects and commodities rather than as subjects of community.

CATS CAN PROVIDE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS

Pet ownership does not guarantee mental health benefits, of course, but studies have shown that spending time with cats can relieve anxiety for people who have chronic mental health conditions, says Howard Liu, chair of the American Psychiatric Association’s Council on Communications. “Having a cat can help people feel connected and gives them a daily routine that can be helpful for both the person and their pet,” Liu said. (Full story: Good Housekeeping, Oct. 12)

(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: With the precipitous global decline in wildlife and biodiversity, the hearts of some are hardening with indifference, while others are breaking. The plights of political, economic and environmental refugees grow more dire each day. Many of these peoples are victims of past colonial exploitation, combined with current wars and oppression -- all compounded by the ravages of climate change-driven floods and droughts and consequential famine and disease.

In more affluent countries, rising infertility levels and declining birth rates make the acceptance of immigrants a socioeconomically enlightened decision, in addition to a compassionate one. A leader who understood this was labor organizer and civil rights activist Cesar Chavez, who helped many immigrant workers.

Many years ago, I had the honor of sharing a podium with Chavez at a public forum in San Francisco on animal and human rights, and was impressed by his humility, wisdom and passion. This world would be a better place with more leaders like him.

Chavez often spoke about the need to protect animals, and he lived a vegetarian lifestyle due to his deep compassion for them. In a famous statement on the subject, he said: “Kindness and compassion toward all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or against animals, is not the exclusive province of any one culture or community of people. Racism, economic deprival, dogfighting, cock-fighting, bullfighting and rodeos are cut from the same fabric: violence. Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well ourselves.”

Now, after decades of experts warning governments about the looming climate crisis, the more affluent countries are facing the devastating impact of an unsustainable, extractive, polluting, fossil-fuel-based economy. The estimated cost to people in the southeastern United States from damage caused by hurricanes Helene and Milton is more than $50 billion.

The only hope is in the implementation of alternative energy sources, such as solar and geothermal, and in forging a global, sustainable, circular economy. As John Donne declared, “Nature is the common law by which God governs us,” and our current path -- unbridled capitalism, corruption, and corporate and militaristic imperialism -- violates this common law. It is ultimately nihilistic.

Is it not ironic that rich nations and corporations are sending costly, polluting rockets into space to find evidence of life in our solar system, and for billionaires to enjoy brief spacewalk thrills, while not taking care of life on Earth? As Albert Schweitzer famously wrote: “Until he extends his circle of compassion to include all living things, man will not himself find peace.”

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 2-year-old dachshund who loves to sit up and beg constantly. I’ve been told that this posture is detrimental to her back and that she should never do it. She is also not supposed to jump on or off the couch.

Is there a supplement to give her to strengthen her back, or an exercise that might help, like going up and down steps? Maybe a particular food that could help her? -- D.H., Cleveland, Ohio

DEAR D.H.: This is a lamentable habit in this spirited but deformed breed, many of which end up in a sling/walker or having costly spinal surgery. Selectively breeding dachshunds with shorter backs is long overdue.

It is imperative to not let dachshunds become overweight, and to prevent them from negotiating steep stairs and high jumps off of beds and furniture. Regular exercise, including swimming, to build up strong muscles when young is essential. Short bursts of running and playing should be preceded by a brisk walk or a slow jog on-leash.

My massage therapy book “The Healing Touch for Dogs” has helped dogs with a variety of such conditions. Supplements, such as Cosequin for dogs and Nordic Naturals’ marine algae, can also help. Shockwave therapy (also known as extracorporeal shockwave therapy) is a noninvasive treatment that can help with back pain in dogs; other veterinarians use laser therapy or acupuncture. Consult with your regular veterinarian regarding the best approach for your dog.

In the interim, get a chest harness with a handle so you can give your dog some support while walking. Some mild physical activity is important to help maintain muscle tone.

(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.)