DEAR READERS: The lives of many animals, wild and domestic, have been lost in the apocalyptic fires in California that residents are calling the “new norm.”

Other ecological disasters, such as hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and prolonged droughts, are also becoming the new norm in many parts of the world. The adverse consequences to biodiversity, communities and their economies are going to escalate as such climatic phenomena increase in frequency and intensity.

Disaster preparedness initiatives would be well-advised in many states and countries. These efforts should include the funding and staffing of facilities to care for affected animals, and to handle the subsequent environmental cleanup with a focus on ecological and agricultural restoration. Veterinary colleges and national and regional veterinary associations all contribute significantly to these efforts, along with animal rescue and protection organizations. These groups are always in need of public funding, and donations to certified nonprofits are tax-deductible.

The California Veterinary Medical Association Disaster Program (cvma.net) has centered its efforts on developing the California Veterinary Medical Reserve Corps, a group of veterinarians, registered veterinary technicians and office staff who volunteer to provide emergency vet care and expertise in all phases of disaster preparedness and response. According to UC Davis, the medical attention the animals receive is being funded by donations provided to the school’s Veterinary Catastrophic Need Fund.

The American Veterinary Medical Foundation, which is the charitable arm of the American Veterinary Medical Association, announced a donation of $20,000 to help animals affected by the California wildfires and the veterinarians treating them. The group’s National Veterinary Response Teams provide expert veterinary care to service animals, including security animals, during disasters and certain national security events. Organizations such as World Vets are involved in disaster-relief services abroad.

There are also everyday, non-disaster needs in many communities. One standout shelter and animal foster-care organization in urgent need of funding is Chicago’s Touched by an Animal (touchedbyananimal.org). Its unique mission serves to aid companion animals whose owners need assistance in the form of food and litter donations, vet care expenses, boarding and foster care. Many of the people they help -- the elderly, the hospitalized, the homeless, or those who are in transition (both financially and geographically) -- fall within the underserved, and sadly, often forgotten and dismissed, population.

DEAR DR. FOX: In need of a house cat, we got one from the cages at a PetSmart: an unusually light-colored female tabby cat.

We discovered that the cat was obese, and was being fed Diamond dry diet cat food; she also had sensitive skin and suffered respiratory irritation. Periodically, she would stop eating and be afflicted by vomiting and diarrhea. Though spayed, she also had discharge from her vulva, which she seemed unable to keep clean.

Our vet couldn’t really identify the problem, despite blood tests and the administration of antibiotics. The vet did prescribe prescription food for sensitive skin. Eventually, we began to suspect diet when the prescription cat food produced a significant improvement. We gave her supplements, too: Fortiflora and Tomlyn Immune Support. When the cat started to refuse the prescription food, we transitioned to Fancy Feast.

On reading your recent advice to another cat owner, we exchanged Fancy Feast for the Wellness brand of minced turkey, which we offer in several small portions, morning and evening. At other times, the cat is free to eat from a bowl of Meow Mix dry food that she seems to like; she wouldn’t touch the Wellness grain-free dry food.

After two years, we have a different cat. She appears a lot darker now that she’s thinner, since we don’t see her undercoat. She is trim, alert, active, bright-eyed and has a shiny, healthy-looking coat. There is no sign of skin or respiratory irritation, and no more unpleasant discharge.

Though not a lap cat, she is more amenable to petting now, and will come to sit close and rest her head on my thigh when I am sitting on the couch.

It was an expensive rescue that the cat desperately needed. All her troubles seem due to poor diet and long captivity in a small cage. And though Wellness is more expensive than Fancy Feast, she is eating much less, between three and six ounces daily. -- A.S., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR A.S.: I hope all readers who have cats will take note of your important letter: a testimony of how dry kibble makes cats very ill with multiple health problems. Also, the veterinarian who first attended to your rescued cat should have suggested a wholesome diet and supplements to combat her various woes.

NEW CALIFORNIA LAWS: GOOD NEWS FOR ANIMALS

The State of California passed two new laws last month that will help protect animals.

First, California became the first state in the United States to ban fur. A bill recently signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom will make it illegal to sell, donate or manufacture fur products in California. The law applies to all clothing, handbags, shoes and other items.

The second law is the Circus Cruelty Prevention Act, which bans exotic animals in circuses statewide. California is the third state in the nation with such a ban, joining Hawaii and New Jersey. The law applies to exotic animals, including elephants, monkeys, lions, bears and tigers. The bill does not include dogs or cats, and does not apply to rodeos.

(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: Dog ownership decreases a person’s overall risk of premature death by 24%, according to researchers who conducted a review of the available medical evidence.

The benefit is most pronounced in people with existing heart problems. Dog owners had a 65% reduced risk of death following a heart attack and a 31% reduced risk of death from heart disease, the researchers said.

“People who had a heart attack prior to getting a dog had even more reduction in mortality,” said lead author Dr. Caroline Kramer, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of Toronto.

That analysis was backed up by a separate Swedish study, which found that heart attack and stroke victims who own dogs have a lower risk of dying, particularly if they live alone.

Owning a dog reduced a heart attack patient’s risk of death by 33% if they live alone, and 15% if they live with a partner or child, according to data from the Swedish National Patient Register. Similarly, death risk for dog-owning stroke survivors was 27% lower if they live alone and 12% lower for those living with someone.

Both reports were published Oct. 8 in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Part of the benefit is likely due to the physical activity that comes with having a dog, Kramer said. Prior studies have come to similar conclusions, and researchers say dog ownership has both physical and mental health benefits. (HealthDay News, Oct. 8)

DEAR DR. FOX: What’s the best dry food on the market that I can purchase for my two Jack Russells? -- L.L., Newark, New Jersey

DEAR L.L.: First, I trust that you are not considering feeding your dogs just dry kibble.

Many are inflammatory and nutritionally incomplete, and the “grain-free” formulations can cause other health issues. Please see my review of some manufactured pet foods, as well as my recipe for home-prepared dog food, on my website (DrFoxOneHealth.com).

I feed our dog some dry manufactured kibble such as Halo, freeze-dried dog food from The Honest Kitchen, and one of a number of varieties of good-quality canned dog food -- in addition to the home-prepared dog food. Variety is the spice of dogs’ lives!

FERMENTED FOODS GOOD FOR OUR DOGS -- AND US

There is a growing consensus among holistic veterinarians and other health care professionals and health-conscious consumers that fermented foods are extremely beneficial in helping maintain a healthy gut flora, also known as the intestinal microbiome.

Highly processed foods for humans, dogs and cats alike are lacking in the beneficial enzymes, vitamins, minerals and probiotics that fermented foods provide. These foods include miso, tempeh, probiotic yogurt, kefir and sauerkraut. Visit animalwellnessmagazine.com/fermented-foods-good-dogs for more details.

(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 read your article about DERMagic and wonder if you have any suggestions to help my cat, Moxie.

He is a 4-year-old neutered, flea-free indoor cat, and at age 6 months, he began to chew and scratch and lose hair. After the usual diet change, which made no difference, a blood sample was tested and found him allergic to wool, cotton, grass and people!

For over a year, I gave him shots for the allergies, and he also received steroid shots as necessary during that time. The allergy shots made no difference, and were difficult to give -- Moxie is a rescue kitty with strong self-protection skills and, at times, a vengeful attitude!

We then tried Apoquel, which gave him no relief. For the past year, he has needed a steroid shot every four to five weeks.

Can you suggest a product and/or course of action that might help Moxie and wean him off the need for steroids? -- M.S., Jacksonville, Florida

DEAR M.S.: You have a challenging situation with your poor cat.

The allergy testing (even finding an allergy to humans!) is but one indicator of some disruption of how your cat’s body responds to foreign proteins/allergens. Suppressing that response with steroids or drugs like Apoquel can help in some instances, potentially harmful side effects from long-term treatment notwithstanding.

Emotions and stress can influence how the immune system functions, as can underlying infections such as feline immunodeficiency, leukemia or herpes virus, and in older cats, thyroid disease. General discomfort, fear and anxiety can lead to excessive grooming and fur-pulling in cats. That was the case with our new cat, Fanny, who stopped self-mutilating once she adapted to enjoying life indoors after over a year fending for herself outside.

I understand that Moxie can be difficult to medicate orally, and could be allergic to other proteins in whatever you feed him. I would try to transition him to my home-prepared cat food with known ingredients. A few drops of fish oil and local bee pollen given with the food, beginning with a minute amount since cats are so finicky, may help. Also, many cats like catnip, which can have a calming effect; I would start the day with some good-quality dried herb or a little tincture in the food. It is the equivalent of Valium for cats (though not all cats accept it). In addition, 3 mg of melatonin, crushed into the last meal at night, may help. Ideally, cats should have six to eight small meals a day, each about 1 teaspoon of moist food -- think mouse-sized.

DEAR DR. FOX: Recently, my 2-year-old border collie has been having repeated fevers starting about six months ago.

Sometimes it happens every two to three weeks, and sometimes she can stay healthy for over a month. Usually the fever starts after going to a place that is not very clean, e.g., dog pools, or after accidentally ingesting water left out in the park.

After a lot of recent blood work and testing by various vets, it was discovered that she has a high level of ANA (antinuclear antibodies) in her blood. One of the vets suspects that she has systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, where the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue).

I’ve been trying to get to the bottom of this in hopes that she does not have this fatal disease. We have not heard about any other dogs from the same breeder or litter having this issue.

At a very young age, she started taking Nexgard Spectra (afoxolaner) for flea/tick and heartworm control. I came across your article, from a few years back, about the potential hazards of these drugs, and was wondering whether Nexgard may be the root cause of these fevers.

Have you ever heard of afoxolaner or other similar drugs being linked to autoimmune diseases? -- M.L., Taipei, Taiwan

DEAR M.L.: I am sorry to hear about your dog’s distressing condition.

It could be SLE, but please note that high-ANA titers alone are not diagnostics for SLE. High titers, if accompanied by appropriate clinical and laboratory findings, are more likely indicative of SLE. High titers can also be seen in some animals with infectious or inflammatory disorders (e.g., Ehrlichiosis, Bartonellosis) so these possibilities should be checked out.

Giving probiotics and 500 mg turmeric with each meal may help your dog significantly.

I doubt that the afoxolaner was the primary cause of your dog’s apparent autoimmune disease, but I am in principle opposed to the long-term use of insecticides in companion animals.

VETERINARY APPLICATIONS OF ELECTROTHERAPY

Pioneering veterinarian Dr. Ava Frick has found many beneficial applications of Alpha-Stim, an FDA-cleared “microcurrent” therapy device, to treat and help alleviate various health issues in animals. It has also given significant benefits to humans.

According to its website, Alpha-Stim “has been widely researched on both animals and humans, and is used to treat anxiety, insomnia, depression and systemic pain. Research and clinical trials have proven the efficacy of the patented Alpha-Stim waveform in healing and treating spinal and nerve conditions, wounds, infections, and scar and soft-tissue injuries.” For more information, visit alphastimforanimals.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 DrFoxOneHealth.com.)