Current federal and state government initiatives, backed by diverse vested interests, are poised to reduce the nation's existing wolf population, which is contrary to the directives of sound science, reason and the public interest.

State wildlife management practices are directed to maximize deer numbers for recreational hunters. This has been accomplished by rural America's virtual extermination of the wolf over the past two centuries, coupled with forest management practices and agricultural expansion that indirectly provide feed for deer. The encroachment of housing developments with deer-attracting gardens and vegetation in municipal parks have had unforseen consequences associated with higher populations of white-tailed deer and elk numbers in western states. Two of these consequences concern public health and potential harm to the livestock industry, which a higher population of wolves would do much to recitify.

Hunters seek out the healthiest deer and trophy antler-bearers in particular. Seasonal hunts eliminating almost one-quarter of the deer population in states such as Minnesota means starvation for wolves in deer-hunted zones, increasing their predation on livestock. Increasing hunting quotas to better regulate deer numbers is not a biologically appropriate response, even though it is a multibillion dollar source of revenue for states and equipment suppliers, because killing the healthiest deer does not satisfy the same ecological need as predation by wolves.

Wolves prey on deer year-round, taking the slower ones weakened by injury and disease, and therefore play a significant role in controlling diseases carried by deer, notably the prion that causes chronic wasting disease (CWD). This disease also affects mule deer, elk and moose and is now spreading across the U.S. and Canada. Wolves are probably immune. But if these prions mutate and cross the species barrier to affect livestock, the consequences could have devastating economic consequences for the livestock industry. This could mirror the mad cow disease debacle in the U.K., which led to mass slaughter and export bans to protect consumers from cattle infected with this form of spongioform encephalopathy, which in humans causes the debilitating and fatal brain degeneration Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. Dr. Christopher Johnson of the U.S. Geological Survey, who found prions in crops and vegetation consumed by deer, concludes that its findings "suggest that prions are taken up by plants (from infected deer) and that contaminated plants may represent a previously unrecognized risk of human, domestic species and wildlife exposure to CWD and scrapie agents.

This October, cattle in Wisconsin contracted insect-borne deer epizootic hemorrhagic disease, a historical first and a warning to the livestock industry about the need to better monitor deer numbers and disease risks, especially CWD.

Organic farmers and environmentally conscious ranchers have long recognized the role of predators and other wildlife species in helping preserve healthy ecosystems around and within their lands. What is called for now is an ecological approach to states' wildife management and predator control policies and practices, an approach that moves away from the farming of wildlife for the recreational sport hunting of deer, elk and other selected species.

In the final analysis, the wolf, long reviled by cattle and sheep ranchers and seen by many deer hunters as a competitor to be exterminated, may be the ultimate savior of America's livestock industry by stemming CWD and other communicable diseases through the predation of infected deer. This means more wolves in deer and elk habitats.

The Centers for Disease Control documented more than 30,000 cases of tickborne Lyme disease in humans in 2012. This disease is harbored by rodents and deer, and wolves can play an indirect role in helping control it. These concerns underscore the need for a revolution in state and federal wildlife and natural resource management. The adoption of principles and practices that enhance biodiversity and healthy ecosystems is the core principle of the One Health movement now being embraced worldwide by medical, veterinary and other authorities and agencies. These policies should include greateer protection for wolves as an integral aspect of a more enlightened and scienced-based approach to a better environment for all.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 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 www.twobitdog.com/DrFox.)

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DEAR DR. FOX: Our home is surrounded by woods, so we are frequently visited by wild animals. Unfortunately, this includes skunks.

Our Lab has been sprayed three times. Of those three encounters, he has killed two of the skunks. Can you tell me if there is anything we can put around the yard to repel skunks? -- K.O., Suffolk, Va.

DEAR K.O: Depending on the size of your yard, the best solution would be to out-skunk the skunks with a 5-foot-high fence. Skunks are not climbers, but they are diggers, so have at least 1 foot of the wire barrier buried under the ground.

Alternatively, remove all brush and places where skunks might hide, including under your house or porch, where a decorative lattice fence may be needed. Before you let the dog out, turn on a hose and spray any areas where skunks might be hiding -- they do not like getting soaked. Or make a loud noise by banging kitchen utensils; such aversive auditory conditioning is a good wildlife repellant.

DEAR DR. FOX: I don't put anti-flea/tick medication on my Maltese, but I found a tick on her last week. That scared me, but I don't like to think of putting the medications on her.

I don't have Internet access, so I was wondering if you have any pamphlets or book concerning this? I would gladly purchase one. I am taking Buffy to get her yearly shots, and I will ask the vet about this.

Buffy had a serious skin problem 1 1/2 years ago. She is now on a grain-free diet that has definitely helped.

Any information you would share will be greatly appreciated. -- R.H., Pinckneyville, Ill.

A RELATED LETTER:

DEAR DR. FOX: I am writing to respond to your column where you expressed what I would describe as disdain for people who use "potentially hazardous insecticides ... to prevent flea infestation. That's like taking antibiotics to prevent infection."

I am appalled that you completely ignored the plague of disease-bearing ticks that many areas of the country are experiencing, not just seasonally, but year-round.

I live in Virginia, and my Shetland sheepdog has already contracted Lyme disease once. Fortunately, she was treated successfully with antibiotics. We now apply those spot-on anti-tick drugs 12 months of the year. It is not like taking antibiotics to prevent infection; it is using these products to prevent having to take antibiotics and possibly prevent chronic illness.

If you are aware of safer, less toxic products that will protect my dog from disease-bearing ticks as effectively as the product I am now using, I would like to know about them. -- A.C., Earlysville, Va.

DEAR R.H. and A.C.: Thanks in large part to climate change (milder winters and more rain), vegetative growth providing cover for ticks and lack of wildlife species that help control ticks, we have a nationwide public health problem.

Giving your pet a pill or spot-on chemical to kill ticks once they begin to feed is no guarantee that disease from the ticks will not get into the bloodstream. Harmful side effects for some dogs are well-documented.

Eucalyptus lemon oil in a water emulsion or PetzLife's Complete Coat Spray would be my safe alternative, coupled with a flea comb and thorough inspection of the dog after outdoor exposure. Also, keep yards clear of brush and debris where ticks can find cover -- they avoid open areas and direct sunlight.

LYME DISEASE EPIDEMIC

The Centers for Disease Control recently announced that there were many more Lyme disease infections in the U.S. than previously thought -- 300,000 reported cases -- and reminds people to protect themselves and their pets. Preventive measures include using insect repellant and protective clothing to deter ticks, which transmit Lyme disease via bites. Suspicious symptoms such as a rash near a tick bite, fever, chills and aches should be reported to a physician. For details about how wolves, foxes and other hunted wildlife help control this disease in the wild, and about how free-roaming guinea fowl and poultry (who are voracious tick eaters) can help on your property, visit DrFoxVet.com.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 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 DrFoxVet.com.)

DEAR DR. FOX: While reading one of your recent articles in which you stressed the importance of feeding our pets higher quality animal protein, I thought of the Law of Unintended Circumstances.

Consider if 10 million American dogs (only 14 percent of the global total) were switched to the diet you recommended. The increase in demand and consumption of quality meat would necessitate the slaughter of another million cattle or 500 million chickens every year. There is a price to pay for keeping carnivorous animals as companions.

I would appreciate your thoughts on this. -- L.B., Florissant, Mo.

DEAR L.B.: Your letter hits the nail on the head when it comes to addressing one of the many dilemmas of modern life, an aspect of what the Hopi Indians call koyaanisqatsi -- life out of balance.

While I advocate vegan and vegetarian diets for our own species for economic, environmental and health reasons, one fact remains: In optimal numbers, farmed animals play a vital role in organic, sustainable agriculture. This means that if we consume fewer of them, there will be adequate animal protein for our animal companions. Cats require more animal protein in their diets than most dogs, who can adapt to and thrive on properly formulated vegetarian diets.

As for seafood, wild stocks of fish are diminishing, and many aquaculture products -- shrimp in particular are red-flagged because of drug residues -- contain chemical pollutants and cause environmental harm.

DEAR DR. FOX: I am currently serving six months in jail. At home, I have a 4-year-old boxer mix. We got along really great, and he is my best friend.

My question is: Will he still remember me after being away for six months? -- J.W., Augusta, W.Va.

DEAR J.W.: Your boxer should remember you with no problem after six months of separation.

Can he not come visit you at the prison during family visits? Mail home a T-shirt you have slept in for a few nights every month if possible. This way he will remember your scent when he is allowed to sniff it. I'm glad you care.

More and more prisons are setting up dog socialization and training programs, employing selected inmates whose rehabilitation can be enhanced by the therapeutic value of such programs. Regrettably, a predominantly punitive approach in more than one such institution for male inmates prevails, and dog socialization and training programs are currently allowed only in women's prisons. After suitable training, inmates take great pride in rehabilitating shelter dogs from the community for adoption. Some programs include advanced training for dogs selected for search and rescue work.

Contaminated Dog Treats Infect People

Joey's Jerky brand chicken jerky is being voluntarily recalled due to a possible salmonella risk. According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, 21 people in the state have been identified with the same strain of the illness, but no deaths have occurred. Joey's Jerky is produced in New Hampshire, and the manufacturer, Kritter's Kitchen Kreations, has voluntarily recalled all of the product and is asking people to discard the treats.

For the safest dog treats on the planet, prepare your own, such as my buckwheat Good Dog Treats posted on my website, DrFoxVet.com. While you're there, check out some of the brands of dog food that I endorse for reasons of better quality and safety.

(Send all mail to animaldocfox@gmail.com or to Dr. Michael Fox in care of Universal Uclick, 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 DrFoxVet.com.)