DEAR READERS: President Trump’s touting his environmental leadership on July 8 with the head of the Department of the Interior, a former oil lobbyist, and the head of the Environmental Protection Agency, a former coal lobbyist, is yet another public display of the emperor’s new clothes. Harmful policies continue to be enacted on his watch.

For example, many readers have expressed concern about the health of honeybees. But on July 12, the EPA approved broad new crop applications of sulfoxaflor, an insecticide highly toxic to bees. And citing cost reductions, the USDA has stopped collecting data for its annual Honey Bee Colonies report, which was started in 2015 as part of its efforts to understand colony collapse disorder and loss of pollinators. The USDA said the move is temporary, but scientists said part of the value of continuous monitoring is the ability to detect trends.

In my opinion, this is the right decision, but for the wrong reasons. We do not need more monitoring and more data, but rather, immediate action to ban toxic pesticides to help save the bees and address other critical environmental issues. But this is a decision driven by Trump’s campaign promise to roll back environmental protection regulations to boost the economy. Even the humane codes on which I worked decades ago for farmed animals under organic certification have been blocked for implementation.

Such harmful and nonsustainable initiatives by the Trump administration, along with the continued denial of climate change and taking no steps to address this crisis, surely amount to what some are now calling crimes against humanity and the Earth community.

Civil society calls to “Make America Green Again” will fall on deaf ears so long as this kind of administration continues the outright insanity of putting vested monetary interests before the responsibility of environmental protection and related public and animal health and economic sustainability.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” -- Martin Luther King Jr. (paraphrase)

PIG EAR TREATS FOR DOGS LINKED TO HUMAN SALMONELLA INFECTIONS

At least 45 people have been sickened by multidrug-resistant salmonella in 13 states, and the CDC believes the cases may be linked to exposure to pig ear treats for dogs.

Investigators found 34 of the people who became ill had been in contact with a dog, 17 of whom reported contact with pig ear dog treats or animals that had been given the treats. Subsequent testing supported the connection. At least one retailer has issued a recall as a result. (CBS News, July 5, and Newsweek, July 4)

I have repeatedly advised readers about bringing these factory-farmed animal parts into their home environments as treats for their dogs. Instead, bake up some cookies like the recipe on my website: drfoxonehealth.com.

DEAR DR. FOX: I am concerned about asthma.

My two children are suffering this summer and are on medication, and our cat has been to the vet, as well. The vet says it is common in cats, and gave her a shot of long-acting cortisone, which has helped.

What preventive measures do you suggest? -- R.K., Arlington, Virginia

DEAR R.K.: Cats are much more susceptible to asthma than dogs, but small dogs are more vulnerable than larger breeds.

Allergens that can trigger an attack include smoke (from tobacco, fireplaces and wood stoves), household cleaners, air fresheners or deodorizers, perfumes, air pollution, airborne pollen, mold spores, pesticides, fertilizers and cat litter dust. Some animals are allergic to human dander and dust mites in the home.

Changing air filters in centrally heated and cooled homes regularly, and the use of air ionizers, can help reduce in-home allergens. Combine these with regular vacuuming with a machine equipped with a good filter that does not blow small particles back out into the room.

Our air quality is being greatly reduced by forest fires and industrial pollutants from miles away, as well as automobile exhaust. These have serious consequences on human and animal health. Government steps to gut the Clean Air act and automobile emission standards and fuel efficiency are deplorable.

In many communities prone to thermal inversions -- where cold air traps warmer air below, causing microparticle and chemical pollutants to accumulate -- many people and their animal companions prone to asthma and allergies really suffer. They are the canaries down the mineshaft in our dystopia, and are a warning to all who may eventually succumb to lung and other cancers and inflammatory and auto-immune diseases.

(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 have a 15-pound, 9-year-old mixed breed beagle/Chihuahua/terrier and a 20-pound, 2-year-old mixed breed beagle/Boston terrier/pom.

I have been feeding them both Fromm dry food. My older dog is now on Gold reduced-calorie (basically Fromm’s senior food) that is NOT grain-free. The other dog is on Fromm’s Surf and Turf, which is grain-free.

A study just came out that Fromm is one of 16 dog foods that can cause DCM (canine dilated cardiomyopathy) in dogs. I am at my wits' end!

My vet carries Science Diet, which I have not heard good things about either. I do not know what the best food for my beloved dogs is and do not have a lot of time to prepare homemade food for my dogs. I also need something that travels well and needs no refrigeration. Can you tell me the best solution? -- L.P., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR L.P.: I am surprised that a list of some of the pet food manufacturers whose dry dog food has been linked to heart disease in dogs has been publicized while experts still debate why, and other dry dog food brands from other manufacturers containing the same or similar ingredients are not listed (for details visit www.bit.ly/DCMFDA).

My theory is that some ingredients (high in lectins) may block the uptake of some essential nutrients like Taurine, which plays a role in heart health even though this nutrient is added by manufacturers. Many such additives, needed to make up for poor nutrient quality of basic ingredients, spoilage and loss during heat processing, especially with dry dog and cat foods, are manufactured and imported from China, where quality controls are questionable.

I strongly advise against feeding dogs an all-dry kibble dog food for many reasons, from obesity to inflammatory conditions like arthritis. Make the dry a part of the meal that includes canned, freeze-dried, raw frozen or homemade, plus a little cottage cheese, kefir or lightly boiled egg. As a backup, give your dogs a few drops of fish oil and 250 mg Taurine, available in drug stores.

DEAR DR. FOX: Our rescue cat, Cashmere, is eating, licking and chewing everything in sight -- paper, walls, tile, people, plastic, you name it. We can't keep these things from him. Of course, he vomits a lot. Is there a name and cure for this affliction? -- R.C., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR R.C.: Your cat's condition is called pica, for which there can be many reasons.

A full wellness evaluation is called for with a veterinarian. Your cat could have a chronic inflammatory bowel problem, internal parasites, early stage thyroid disease or lymphatic cancer. In some instances, boredom or anxiety is a factor, or nutritional deficiency as from lack of roughage in the diet or too much, or too little quality protein and fats.

Let me know what the veterinarian comes up with and how effective the treatment is. As a first step, I would feed five small meals daily of a good-quality, grain-free canned cat food. Also, incorporate lots of active playtime in the evening.

(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.)

Japan had been hunting whales in the waters off Antarctica for "research" purposes since 1987, killing between 200 and 1,200 whales a year, and conservationists accused the Japanese government of using the hunts as a cover for commercial whaling, since much of the meat was eventually sold. Following its decision to leave the International Whaling Commission in December 2018, Japan is ending the Antarctic hunts, but resuming commercial whaling in its own waters.

While such actions are deplorable along with whale killing by Iceland and Norway, yet claimed to be a cultural tradition, concerted efforts by cattle ranchers and trophy hunters to decimate the dwindling wolf population in the U.S. are no less egregious.

The precarious status of the wolf and other endangered species and their habitats in North America are indicative of a nation divided between exploiters and conservationists. The de-listing of the wolf from federal protection under the Endangered Species Act currently being pushed for by the exploiters will do to this indigenous species what the dominant culture did to indigenous peoples one or two generations ago. To make America great, the rights and interests of all must be upheld, without distinction as to species, race or religion.

Reverential respect for all life is the hallmark of a truly democratic, civilized society and the path to One Health and justice for all.

MORE ON EUTHANASIA

DEAR. DR. FOX: It's been my experience that determining if and when to end someone's life is fraught with uncertainty.

What gives me the greatest pause are the stats on suicide where it is allowed. It's been legal in the state of Oregon longer than anywhere else in the U.S. From that data, it appears to me that when given the option, most humans would rather put up with misery than choose death. I'm unfamiliar with statistics from other parts of the world; perhaps this is a cultural artifact.

But the Oregon data makes me wonder whether my decision to end an animal's life might be more about my discomfort and anguish than trying to do what they would say is best for them.

I appreciate your article on this difficult matter. I'm attaching a brief essay recounting one of my experiences in this realm. -- R.B., Madison, Wisconsin

DEAR R.B.: Your attached account of you euthanizing your cat brought on a flood of memories of beloved and suffering animals that I have killed.

You used a pistol to end the life of your terminally ill and suffering feline companion, reasoning that it was better that you ended your cat's life rather than some stranger. But this way is not for many people who lack the expertise, if not the courage, and opt for a veterinarian to do the job. Rather than take the animal to a strange place, the veterinary clinic, euthanasia by a licensed animal doctor is best done in-home. In most communities, it is illegal to discharge a firearm.

Without some medical understanding of the animal's condition, empathy for the animal could be compounded by one's own associated suffering for the animal and sense of helplessness and uncertainty. This could mean the animal is killed prematurely and might have recovered, so one is filled with self-doubt. Or euthanasia is delayed, and the animal suffers longer than she/he should have.

So a veterinarian should always be present, and for me, I prefer calling in one to our home rather than euthanizing one of our own animals.

Animals rarely lapse into the comatose state seen in people, some who suddenly regain consciousness. Keeping any living being alive at all costs when there can be no quality of life because of a persistent vegetative state is an aspect of the pro-life sentiment that is neither ethical nor compassionate.

R.B. REPLIES: I worked for a small animal vet through high school and assisted with numerous euthanasias; I was being obedient to authority at the time.

The data on assisted suicide in Oregon shows that when pain is successfully managed, humans are far less likely to choose suicide, and even with chronic severe pain, people more frequently choose life over death even when medical assistance is available to them for ending their lives. This causes me to second- and third-guess my actual motivation for deciding to kill someone like Minnie. It’s been my experience that I and others, probably you too, suffer greatly in the face of their suffering. Perhaps I am actually acting on my own behalf rather than theirs. For me, it's an unsolvable dilemma.

DEAR R.B.: I thought I had answered your question to some degree. I will add your response to my column and I hope it will generate more discussion concerning euthanasia.

(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.)