The Animal Doctor

DEAR READERS: Please see the following from Dogs Naturally magazine:

"Thousands of pet owners experienced devastating and deadly effects (from) Seresto flea collars. Since 2012, they trusted the company’s safety claims. Now Elanco, the company selling these dangerous products, has agreed to a $15 million court settlement.

"Two pet owners filed this class-action lawsuit in California. They allege the company misled consumers about the safety of Seresto collars. The suit states Elanco 'misrepresented the product through affirmative statements, half-truths, and omissions regarding the safety of the product.'" (Full story: dogsnaturallymagazine.com, Oct. 24)

It is notable that no warnings are given to refrain from petting any animal wearing these insecticidal collars, with children being especially at risk. Nor is there any instruction not to allow treated dogs to enter freshwater ecosystems, even though these insecticides are documented as detrimental to aquatic life.

All externally applied and orally administered anti-flea and tick products containing imidacloprid and fipronil should be prohibited. Two alarming studies on the subject are "Distribution of fipronil in humans, and adverse health outcomes of in utero fipronil sulfone exposure in newborns"

(by Young Ah Kim et al., published in the International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health, 2019) and "Multiple neonicotinoids in children’s cerebro-spinal fluid, plasma and urine" (by Bernard Laubscher et al., published in Environmental Health, 2022).

Below are some additional issues of concern regarding Elanco and animal health.

-- In 2020, Elanco Animal Health completed its acquisition of Bayer's animal health division. Bayer probably needed to focus on other branches of its business -- namely, on dealing with thousands of lawsuits over its glyphosate herbicide, Roundup (which Bayer took over from Monsanto).

According to law firm Miller and Zois, "As of October 2024, Monsanto has reached settlement agreements in nearly 100,000 Roundup lawsuits. Monsanto (has) paid approximately $11 billion. ... Although these settlements account for nearly two-thirds of all Roundup claims, Monsanto estimates that 54,000 active Roundup lawsuits remain." (For details, see lawsuit-information-center.com/roundup-lawsuit.html.)

-- Another Elanco product is a feed additive called Paylean, which is marketed as a way to make pigs, turkeys and cattle put on more muscle and less fat. Paylean contains ractopamine hydrochloride, which can be regarded pharmaceutically as a psychoactive drug -- making animals feel tense, anxious and potentially more aggressive. This is an added stressor on these sentient creatures in the already-crowded conditions of factory farms. Additionally, animals given this drug often suffer from severe lameness.

Cooking does not eliminate ractopamine from meat, and some studies have raised concerns about its indirect impact on cancer development. It has not been allowed in the European Union, nor in almost 160 other countries, based on the 2009 European Food Safety Authority’s opinion on its safety. (For details, see drfoxonehealth.com/post/pharmaceutical-cruelty-in-animal-farms-consumer-beware.)

-- Elanco also sells Posilac, a bovine growth hormone product. Specifically, Posilac contains recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST), a synthetic version of a hormone that increases milk production in dairy cows. RBST has been banned in Canada and in the EU for animal health concerns, including the risk of severe pain and distress for cows. (I testified against the FDA's approval of rBST when the product was first brought out by Monsanto, but approval was a "done deal" with the U.S. government.) Note that this product is not used in organically certified dairy products.

-- Elanco has posted an advisory for its widely used immunosuppressant drug, Apoquel, for dogs with skin problems. The notice (elanco.us/products-services/dogs/atopica-cyclosporine-capsules-usp-modified) includes several warnings. These include: "Atopica is a systemic immunosuppressant that may increase susceptibility to infection and development of neoplasia. Wear gloves during administration and wash hands after administration. ... Use with caution in dogs with diabetes mellitus or renal insufficiency."

The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine, Division of Surveillance reviewed the Apoquel website and determined that it "makes false or misleading representations about the risks associated with Apoquel." For more details, and safer alternatives, see my post here: drfoxonehealth.com/post/apoquel-risks-and-alternatives-for-dogs-with-atopic-dermatitis.

-- Elanco is one of the Big Pharma companies lobbying against restrictions on antibiotic use in farm animals. For details, see the article "Narratives of Delay" by Michaela Herrmann for Sentient Media: sentientmedia.org/animal-pharma-industry-overuse-of-antibiotics.

(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 want to thank you for your stance on animal welfare -- both for individual dogs and cats and for animals across the planet.

I live in Sonoma County, California, and we recently had a ballot measure here that would have required CAFOs (animal factory farms) in the county to downsize their operations. Before that, I didn’t realize how many Big Ag operations we had here disguised as friendly little family farms (which they might have been at one time). Sadly, the measure was soundly defeated; big money came in from all over the country to fight it. I realized that no matter how eco-conscious our local folks seem to be, very few of them have the empathy or understanding to really make a change on their plates.

Keep doing your good work. You give me hope for a better world. -- L.B., Sonoma County, California

DEAR L.B.: You underscore how money rules, and that even if people care and are environmentally aware, they do not all make the connection between factory farms and what they put on their plates.

Is it any coincidence that the deteriorating condition of the environment mirrors the deteriorating condition of humanity? Extreme weather events due to climate change make home insurance unaffordable for many, and denied altogether in some vulnerable regions. In our consumptive society, medical and mental health costs are escalating, and health insurance and medications are becoming unaffordable while millions suffer hunger, poverty, violence and preventable diseases.

Acts of loving kindness toward all living beings can expand the consciousness and the conscience, bringing the kind of joy that can only come from empathy and from the refusal of anger and judgmental retribution. With an expanded consciousness, there is holistic thinking and awareness -- a more unified, creative sensibility that makes healers and caregivers of us all. We can see the connections between human, nonhuman and environmental care and well-being, as documented in my book "One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives." But we must first listen to nature and experience its sacredness.

I am saddened there are so many who are still ego-bound and causing harm in the world, as emphasized by Father Richard Rohr in his book "The Tears of Things: Prophetic Wisdom for an Age of Outrage." I grieve for all the millions of children surviving in war zones -- terrified -- while others starve, are enslaved or fall ill. I grieve for the billions of animals exploited and killed for food when plant-based diets are within the reach of most consumers.

We must transcend this immature stage of being anthropocentric and instead become Earth-centered. Going from egocentric to eco-centric is an evolutionary step we must all take, and it is a survival imperative. The climate crisis is putting us all on notice: We must either change our ways and evolve or continue to suffer the consequences.

BLUE RIDGE BEEF RECALLS KITTEN FOOD

Blue Ridge Beef has recalled one lot of its Kitten Mix food after tests revealed the presence of salmonella. The testing, conducted by the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture Resources, was prompted by a report of a sick animal. (Full story: FDA.gov, Jan. 3)

(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: Those of you who have read my book "The Soul of the Wolf" know how much I respect these long-persecuted fellow creatures. The gray wolf is currently listed as endangered in all or portions of 43 states, and is listed as threatened in Minnesota.

In a bit of good news, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has rejected two petitions to narrow Endangered Species Act protections for certain gray wolf populations.

“The petitioners failed to present substantial information for us to conclude that the petitions, considered together, provide a valid approach for revising the current gray wolf listed entities,” the agency stated.

The continued assault on the wolf is a sad reflection of the state of mind of many American citizens -- a state of mind that is anathema to humane and responsible planetary stewardship. Such stewardship would recognize and respect the rights and ecological services of wolves and other predators, as well as their high degree of sentience.

This planet cannot sustain a human population of 8 billion if a high percentage of those humans are meat-eaters. The production of meat involves ranchers killing wolves and other predators, to the detriment of biodiversity and ecosystem health.

As for those who want to shoot wolves for sport or trap them for their fur, their lack of empathy and education must be rectified.

DEAR DR. FOX: Sometimes my dog Ralphie likes to nibble on the moss on trees during our walks. Is that OK? -- D.M., Washington, D.C.

DEAR D.M.: So long as the moss is green (not yellow or reddish), and is like a furry mat on the tree, it is probably safe -- and potentially quite nutritious.

According to the resource HowToEatThis.com, “Moss provides dietary fiber, which aids digestion. It contains small amounts of protein and carbohydrates. Some moss species offer trace minerals like calcium, magnesium and potassium. Certain mosses contain vitamin C and beta-carotene. These antioxidants support immune function. Moss also has chlorophyll, which may have anti-inflammatory properties.”

You might consider what kind of dog food you are providing your dog, and his overall health. Your dog may be exhibiting nutritional wisdom in such supplemental self-medication. Many dogs who are fed just cheap kibble eat dirt and engage in coprophagia -- eating whatever poop they can find -- because their diets are nutrient-deficient.

BOOK REVIEW: 'THERE'S A MUSHROOM FOR THAT'

"There’s A Mushroom For That! Learn How Mushrooms, Cannabis, and Integrative Medicine Help Your Pets Live Long and Healthy Lives" by Dr. Robert Silver.

This is an outstanding contribution to companion animal health, providing information and treatments for a variety of conditions -- from anxiety and epilepsy to cancer and skin disorders -- with detailed case histories. Every veterinarian in companion animal practice, as well as veterinary students entering the field and owners of cats and dogs who want to learn more about integrative veterinary medicine, should read this book. The author is one of the pioneers of my profession and avocation.

(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.)