DEAR DR. FOX: I recently read a letter sent to you by a reader who was extremely upset over learning of the treatment of dogs and cats in Asian countries. She didn’t mention the animal cruelty that also goes on in predominantly Muslim countries, but I’m very aware of that, as well.

The practice in Asian countries of eating dogs and cats is bad enough, in my opinion, but the way the animals are tortured prior to being eaten is barbaric to the extremes. No need to go into details; I implore people to research this for themselves, but warn that you’ll never be able to forget it. I also find the argument that always follows -- that people in the West eat animals, too -- to be ridiculous, in the sense that there’s no comparison to this practice I’m writing about. But for argument’s sake, I also find the way animals are treated in the West appalling, and would like to ask all the “smart” people why a better, humane method hasn’t been found yet in our own part of the world.

I’m not a vegan; I do eat meat. But over the years, it’s become less appealing to me due to my love of animals. I wish I could completely give meat up, and maybe one day I’ll be able to.

In the meantime, I encourage all your readers to investigate and see for themselves what goes on in other parts of the world in this modern day and age. -- M.W., Cumberland, Maryland

DEAR M.W.: Muslims do not eat dogs. And from what I have witnessed, I would not single out Muslim practices of slaughtering food animals as any worse than ritual Jewish slaughter -- or what I have seen in large industrial slaughtering facilities here in the U.S. In the latter, one must also have empathy for those working under such stressful conditions of animal terror.

If I may quote my 2013 article “Islam and Animals: A Veterinary Bioethical Perspective” (available in full at drfoxvet.net):

“The practice of Islam, as well as of the two other monotheistic traditions (Judaism and Christianity), has become severely corrupted over the centuries. ... If we take, for example, Jesus’ actual teachings, then what G.K. Chesterton once said about Christianity may hold a grain of truth for most other religious traditions: (paraphrasing) ‘There is nothing wrong with Christianity except that no one has ever tried it.’

“I have witnessed ritual slaughter in Canada, the U.S., Tanzania and India, often being executed with neither skill nor reverence, the absence or presence of which makes little or no fundamental difference to the helplessness and terror of the animal. Either way, the Golden Rule is broken. ...

“An indirect affirmation of the benefit of extending the Golden Rule to include other sentient beings is captured in the Qur’anic statement, ‘Whoever is kind to the creatures of God is kind to himself.’ The Holy Prophet Muhammad also said, ‘A good deed done to a beast is as good as doing good to a human being; while an act of cruelty to a beast is as bad as an act of cruelty to a human being.’”

Compassion in World Farming (in the U.K.) and the Humane Farming Association (here in the U.S.) are two of several organizations pressing for better treatment of farmed animals, especially in how they are raised, transported and slaughtered.

M.W. REPLIES: I’m in full agreement that ALL animal cruelty needs to be ended, and it amazes me in this day and age that there are still people who either practice this barbarism or turn a blind eye to it. I have to admit I’m not familiar with Jewish practices, so I’ll get informed. My reference to Muslim countries was in regard to the mass slaughter/torture of dogs -- I’ve had family members in Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries who’ve witnessed this firsthand. Regardless, I hope many voices will help to end animal cruelty in all areas of the world, including here.

DEAR M.W.: In many faiths, there are religious traditions concerning sanitation and animals. These are well-founded, since dog bites and saliva can transmit rabies, while pig meat can transmit trichinosis and other parasites. But they can manifest as irrational prejudice, such as the shunning and gross neglect of dogs, which rabies vaccinations efforts may or may not quell.

Another religious tradition (as documented in my book “India’s Animals: Helping the Sacred and the Suffering”) is Hindus and Jains applying vegetarianism to dogs, cats, captive lions and other zoo and temple carnivores, including eagles and other raptors. In China, there is no specific religious association, and animal cruelty is widespread, from bear bile farms to skinning stunned cats alive.

STEM CELL THERAPIES BEING TESTED IN FELINE DISEASES

Therapies based on stem cells derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue are yielding promising results in feline chronic gingivostomatitis, enteropathies and asthma, according to a review in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. However, stem cell therapies have not worked as well in feline chronic kidney disease, the researchers reported. (ScienceDaily, March 13)

(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 DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: Concerning animals seem to know when another is ill or going to die before we know: I had a similar experience with my two Boston terriers. The older one, Smedley, was always the alpha dog. When we walked, he always went first. But one day, the younger dog, Bud, took the lead during our walk. It was so unusual that my daughter and I both commented on it.

One week later, Smedley was diagnosed with terminal lymphoma. I think animals are a lot more in sync with the natural world than we give them credit for. -- L.D., St. Louis, Missouri

DEAR L.D.: Your younger dog seeming to know that his old canine companion was seriously ill, while neither you nor your daughter were aware of this health issue, does indeed underscore how perceptive dogs can be.

I do not regard this, unlike remote sensing, as some kind of psychic prescience. There are subtle physical cues that a sick animal may be unable to mask, as many species try to do to avoid detection of weakness and vulnerability by predators (especially deer and antelope). These include less stamina, less eye contact and social engagement, less playfulness and self-care (grooming, preening) and eventually less appetite and then death.

When I worked as a veterinary student in 1960 at England’s famed London Zoo, I spent a summer reviewing all case records of animal treatments, diagnoses and autopsies. During that work, I confirmed that many species are very adept at hiding/masking signs of disease that have been going on for weeks and months, undetected by observant keepers and curators who would find them suddenly dead in their enclosures!

But now with advanced monitoring technology, veterinarians and animal welfare and behavior specialists are beginning to improve animal well-being and husbandry practices, initiating veterinary attention that might otherwise have been delayed.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR BREAST CANCER STUDY

Humans have long leveraged dogs’ extraordinary scent-detection capabilities for tasks from hunting to the detection of explosives and narcotics. They have also proven themselves adept at sniffing out disease: Studies leveraging canines in detecting cancer have yielded accuracy rates of up to 99 percent. Research and development company BioScent DX is currently recruiting participants for a new study in this area, hoping to ultimately develop a noninvasive screening method for breast cancer and similar life-threatening diseases. Participants must either be in remission from breast cancer or belong to a high-risk group (having a family history of breast cancer or the presence of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutation).

Women who volunteer to participate in the study will receive a sample collection kit. Participants simply donate samples of their breath and saliva, which are sent to the BioScent laboratory for processing. Samples will be presented to specially trained dogs for screening. Participants can submit samples as often as they like and may elect to receive their test results. Collection kits can be requested at a BioScent event or via bioscentdx.com.

(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 DrFoxVet.net.)

DEAR DR. FOX: You asked if others have cats with creative play habits.

Our black and brown tabby has always played fetch. She often initiates the game by bringing my husband and me one of her mouse toys, which we call her “babies.” She has several in a small basket, and when she wants to play, she drops one near our feet and yowls -- in her youth, she merely chirped -- to let us know it’s time to play. Her favorite fetching activity is for us to throw it down the stairs. I used to call her “acro-cat” because she twisted and turned in the air as she chased her babies!

At almost 19, she is no longer acro-cat, but she still initiates play and chases her babies a few times down the stairs before lying down to rest. When she was younger, I think her record was a dozen trips up and down the stairs before stopping to rest!

Thanks for letting me sing the praises of Medora Grace. She’s been a wonderful gift to us. -- R.W., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR R.W.: Thanks for sharing the game your cat has taught you to play.

Over the years, I have found that when people let go of all expectations about what their animals might enjoy doing, and simply try one game or activity after another, the animals will tell them what sparks their interest. They may even invent their own games.

This can take on a ritualistic nature, as with our part-Australian red heeler dog, Kota, rescued from the local shelter. She flatly refuses to play ball or retrieve anything, but waits for her chewy treat to be thrown for her so she can make a big deal about repeatedly pouncing on it before she eventually chomps down.

As part of their personality, animals will sometimes develop unique games or playful ways of interacting. Kota does a rather disconcerting snap at your face when she is in a playful mood. A rescued dog from an earlier time in our lives, Lizzie, would desperately run around to find a toy whenever we had a visitor.

Years ago, my Siamese cat, Igor, who was a great retriever, elaborated his own ambush game with me at night. He would arch his back in a threatening way as he approached me, then I would bend down and he would leap on my back and go for a ride around the apartment! He would always touch my nose in bed to wake me up just before the alarm went off, and if I refused to get up, would knock off whatever was on my bedroom dresser to get my attention.

DEAR DR. FOX: My precious 10-year-old papillon dog died suddenly last Friday.

I took her to the 24-hour vet at 4 a.m. because she was in distress. They told me she had a heart murmur, and she died minutes later. The evening before was completely normal: She ate her dinner, was playful and went to bed as usual, but woke up later, unable to settle down.

As I looked back over the last couple of weeks, I remember a time when my alpha dog was lagging behind during our walk. I didn’t think anything about it at the time. Also, I had noticed a slight cough a few times, and thought I should mention it to the vet on her next visit. Then a couple of days before she died, I saw her panting when there was no reason.

I wish I had known these things were an indication she had a heart issue. Apparently a heart murmur can occur at any time. Her death was such a shock, both to me and to her vet. I was assured that nothing could have been done to help her, but I wish I would have been more prepared for her death. She will be in my heart forever!

Please let other pet owners know to be aware of the subtle changes to watch for. -- J.M.A., Ballwin, Missouri

DEAR J.M.A.: You have my deepest sympathy over this sudden and unexpected loss of your beloved canine companion.

Your veterinarian was as surprised as you, and this is the challenge dealing with animals who cannot speak to us; their symptoms may not be evident prior to an acute, sudden-onset instance of heart failure. No one is to blame, least of all you.

PET FOOD AND TREAT ISSUES

-- The J.M. Smucker Company announced a limited, voluntary recall of specific lots of two varieties of Milo’s Kitchen dog treats, distributed nationally, because the products potentially contain elevated levels of beef thyroid hormone. Dogs consuming high levels of beef thyroid hormone may exhibit symptoms such as increased thirst and urination, weight loss, increased heart rate and restlessness.

-- Consumers in Minnesota, California and Florida are suing Champion Pet Food (Acana and Orijen) for false advertising, violations of “feed law” and numerous other charges. The lawsuit includes results of heavy-metal testing and data that this dry dog food contains BPA: a chemical typically not associated with dry/kibble pet foods. (More info at truthaboutpetfood.com.)

-- After news broke that nine Australian police dogs became ill with a rare disease -- megaesophagus, possibly triggered by urea/carbamide in the food -- consumers began reporting pets were suffering the same illness, linked to the same dog food: Advance Dermocare manufactured by Mars Petcare AU. The Australian pet food has been recalled.

(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 DrFoxVet.net.)