DEAR READERS: Osteoarthritis is on the rise in the pet population. The 2019 State of Pet Health Report from Banfield Pet Hospital documents a 66% increase in canine osteoarthritis prevalence in the past decade, and a 150% increase in feline cases. Carrying excess weight can aggravate the condition, and the report found that 52% of dogs with OA were also overweight or obese, along with 41% of cats. (Pet Product News, June 25)

Read on for more advice on osteoarthritis and joint pain.

DEAR DR. FOX: Some years ago, I heard you on public radio and I called in about my 7-year-old dog, Chip.

He had very bad hips and had difficulty getting around. He was in obvious discomfort. Not overweight. The vet wanted to do hip surgery that would have cost thousands of dollars. You suggested I give him turmeric.

Thank you! Chip is now 14 and has had no surgery, only a daily dose of turmeric. He is close to the end of his life now (heart problems), but enjoyed a wonderful, active life until now. He thanks you! -- M.S., Monticello, Minnesota

DEAR M.S.: I am glad that the turmeric helped your dog avoid surgery and enjoy a long life without further joint problems.

There are other beneficial supplements and various treatments for dogs and cats that can help reduce the problems of osteoarthritis and joint discomfort. Prevention is the best medicine, and can maintain our animal companions’ quality of life, which these maladies can greatly impair. Joint pain means less physical activity, which can lead to animals becoming overweight. And cats with joint issues often find it painful to get into a litter box with high sides, and also to squat, so they develop litter-box aversion and evacuate elsewhere in the home.

A few daily drops of fish oil in the pet’s food can help with joint issues, and holistic veterinarians are also prescribing yucca root, boswellia, alfalfa and CBD oil. Massage therapy, as per my books “The Healing Touch for Dogs” and “The Healing Touch for Cats,” can make a big difference, as can regular exercise and, if possible, swimming for dogs (in safe waters) and active games for cats.

Afflicted animals can also benefit from acupuncture, cold laser and acoustic compression therapy. There are some veterinarians who are certified in veterinary chiropractic, which can also be highly beneficial. Above all, keep cats and dogs lean, since obesity produces inflammatory substances and hormones from fat cells that may exacerbate arthritic problems.

DEAR DR. FOX: My husband and I are vegans and we do not, therefore, buy honey or bee pollen. You suggest these may help dogs with allergies. Is there an alternative? -- K.C., LaBelle, Florida

DEAR K.C.: I applaud your choice to be vegan, and I hope it is for more than health reasons, as the environmental, economic and humane reasons are paramount, in my opinion.

But in my opinion, vegans should include honey and bee pollen in their diets, and also give it to their non-diabetic dogs with allergies, so as to help support beekeepers staying in business. Their bees, and wild species also, are vital pollinators of many of the fruits and vegetables you consume -- all ideally organically certified! (Non-certified fruits and vegetables can mean that insects have been needlessly killed in the growing of such foods.) And many plants will soon be extinct, along with the birds and other wildlife that cannot live without a supply of healthy bugs.

FLAME RETARDANTS AND FELINE HYPERTHYROIDISM

Exposure to flame retardants in household products such as furniture and air fresheners might raise the risk for hyperthyroidism in domestic cats, according to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology. Researchers found links between exposure to a specific ester compound and high concentrations of a hormone associated with hyperthyroidism, as well as rates of diagnosed hyperthyroidism. (HealthDay News, July 10)

This is further confirmation of earlier studies drawing the same conclusions. The dust from chemically treated carpets and upholstery fabrics are inhaled or ingested when cats groom themselves after being in contact with these surfaces.

Regular vacuuming may not suffice. Putting cotton sheets over treated furniture, replacing old carpets with natural, untreated fibers -- cotton, hemp etc. -- and putting slipcovers on cat beds that have also been treated with flame retardants may help reduce exposure.

Additional contributing factors include the chemical linings of pet-food cans, which manufacturers have not yet addressed, to my knowledge. Another issue is the high level of fluoride in some cat foods from seafood products. Safer, more sustainable food sources for cats are chicken and turkey.

(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 would appreciate knowing your opinion about Purina’s new additive in cat food that can help make people less allergic to their cats. It sounds too good to be true! -- S.T., Boston

DEAR S.T.: This is what has been posted on this remarkable development in immunology research:

ANTIBODY ADDITION TO THE FELINE DIET MAY NEUTRALIZE POTENT ALLERGEN

Research from Purina reported in Immunity, Inflammation and Disease suggests it is possible to safely neutralize the “Fel d1” allergen in cat saliva by integrating an antibody to the substance into the feline diet. The company says the finding could enable control of allergies among humans who have contact with cats.

“Taking advantage of natural allergen-antibody interactions, Purina researchers discovered how to safely neutralize Fel d1 in hair and dander by incorporating an egg product containing anti-Fel d1 antibodies into a cat’s diet. Ultimately, this will reduce active Fel d1 levels in the environment. This approach maintains normal allergen production by the cat, without affecting the cat’s overall physiology,” Purina shared in a statement.

”These allergens have created a huge barrier to cat ownership and may limit the loving interactions between cat lovers and cats,” immunologist Dr. Ebenezer Satyaraj, Director of Molecular Nutrition at Purina and lead investigator on the research, said in a statement. “Our discovery has the potential to transform how people manage cat allergens.” (People, June 17)

I would say to all cat “dander” allergy-sufferers to first wipe their cats down morning and night with a moist sponge; vacuum all areas where the cat has been every 3-7 days and change your air filter regularly. Some exposure to these feline allergens can actually lead to desensitization.

Also, there are some cats whose dried saliva presumably does not contain this allergen because they do not affect people who are extremely allergic to cats. Purina’s research is groundbreaking, but sometimes the ground is best not broken. Some cats are allergic to eggs, and therefore might have negative reactions to the ”egg product” used in this research. I hope this new biologic product will cause no harm, and save many cats from having to be abandoned.

DEAR DR. FOX, I am concerned about my cats who get outdoors on occasion, picking up fleas. I hear that the fleas can cause an infection that leads to anemia.

What do you advise? -- R.E., Arlington, Virginia

DEAR R.E.: Feline hemotrophic mycoplasmosis (FHM) is the name of a relatively uncommon infection of cats. In the past, this disease was called feline infectious anemia, or hemobartonellosis.

This bacterial disease, transmitted by biting fleas, causes destruction of the infected red blood cells, resulting in anemia. Indoor-outdoor cats are more likely to be exposed and bring this and other infections home, which could infect other family members, human and non-human.

TICK-BORNE BOBCAT FEVER SPREADING AMONG DOMESTIC CATS IN OKLAHOMA

Bobcat fever, caused by a blood parasite carried by Lone Star ticks, is usually fatal to domestic cats and is spreading in Oklahoma, says veterinarian David Biles. Early signs include lethargy and lack of appetite, progressing to fever and rapid breathing. Treatment is most effective when the disease is at an early stage, Dr. Biles says. (KFOR-TV, Oklahoma City, June 3)

With the climate crisis in full swing, conditions are favorable for the spread of ticks and associated diseases across the states. Local public health authorities need to set laws prohibiting cat owners from allowing their cats to roam free in order to reduce the chances of such cats bringing ticks and diseases transmissible to humans into their homes.

A bite from the Lone Star tick can cause people to develop an allergy to certain types of meat, including beef and pork. The Lone Star tick has been implicated in initiating the red meat allergy in the U.S. This tick is found predominantly in the Southeast, from Texas, to Iowa, but has also been found as far north as New England. This tick does not transmit Lyme disease, but can cause southern tick-associated rash illness. The rash may sometimes be accompanied by fatigue, headache, fever and muscle pains.

(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: 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.)