DEAR READERS: Some people think it is great to own an exotic or wild animal, until they learn it will never become a true “pet.”

These animals often die in captivity, with no local veterinary expertise available. Others escape, are deliberately released or are surrendered to animal sanctuaries when they become too difficult to properly care for. This is especially true for notably long-lived parrots and snakes, and for various monkeys and wild cats -- including lions, which are still legal to own in some states. Animals that are released can spread diseases to indigenous species, out-compete with them for food and disrupt natural ecosystems.

The market for these animals, blindly sustained by people wanting to feel closer to nature, is actually destroying nature: Natural ecosystems are plundered by wildlife poachers and “legal” collectors for the international market, rendering targeted species even more endangered -- and often, extinct. America’s wild turtles and tortoises are notably in peril from collectors and from habitat reduction and degradation.

The international wildlife trade, tied in with human- and drug-trafficking cartels, is a Pandora’s box of potential zoonotic (animal-to-human) diseases. The captive breeding of reptiles, amphibians, birds and mammals for this trade, often erroneously classified as “species conservation,” should be outlawed.

National and international prohibition is unlikely, considering this is a multibillion-dollar industry enjoying government sanction and support from many countries. It is therefore up to us citizens to “vote with our dollars” and refuse to purchase an “exotic” or wild animal. In the United States, these include the serval and genet cats, squirrel monkey, fennec fox, hedgehog, kinkajou, sugar glider, capybara, anteater, piranha, axolotl, chinchilla, hyacinth macaw, wallaby, alligator and ball python, to name a few.

I wish that every state and national veterinary association would emulate the British Veterinary Association’s efforts to discourage owning wild and exotic animals, and also provide information about the basic needs and proper care -- too often lacking -- of domesticated caged pets such as gerbils, hamsters, guinea pigs and rabbits. To argue that there are educational benefits for children in purchasing wild and exotic animals is another rationalization for consumerism devoid of compassion and understanding. Instead, check out your local animal shelters for animals waiting to be adopted into loving homes.

WORLD FAILS TO MEET EVERY U.N. BIODIVERSITY GOAL

According to the recent Global Biodiversity Outlook report, the world has not met any of the 20 United Nations biodiversity targets agreed on by almost 200 nations in 2010 in Aichi, Japan. As summarized by Nature.com:

“There are hopeful signs to build on: In the last 10 years, the rate of deforestation has fallen globally by about a third, and good fisheries-management policies have paid dividends. And 44% of key biodiversity areas are now protected, compared with 29% 20 years ago. These must inspire us to make ‘a significant shift away from business-as-usual.’ ... One area that is ripe for reform is government subsidies for harmful agriculture, fossil fuels and fishing practices. ‘We are still seeing so much more public money invested in things that harm biodiversity than in things that support biodiversity,’ says David Cooper, the report’s lead author.”

VETERINARIANS: GET HELP FOR CLIENTS FACING HARDSHIP

A note from the American Veterinary Medical Foundation:

“The Veterinary Care Charitable Fund, operated by the AVMA, provides veterinarians with a simple and effective way to offer charitable veterinary services to animals in need -- especially those who are victims of abuse or neglect, injured or abandoned, or whose owners are experiencing medical challenges or financial hardships. The AVMF will serve as your charitable ‘umbrella,’ capable of accepting donations and dispersing payments directly to you for the charitable care you provide.”

Visit vccfund.org to learn more.

(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: You asked for input from your readers about pets having adverse reactions to insecticides. I used Bravecto on my Lab mix, Chance, several years ago. He began having seizures and would come out of them confused and aggressive.

Because of this, and the fact that my husband was in a wheelchair at the time with Parkinson’s disease, I had to have my beloved pet put down. I asked my vet if chemical exposure could have affected Chance. I got no clear answer, but after reading your column, I fear that was the case.

I now use an all-natural product for flea and tick control called Flea Away, which I purchase from Chewy.com. I hope you will continue to publish your readers’ responses to your inquiry, because I fear there will be many stories similar to mine. -- K.A., Bartlesville, Oklahoma

DEAR K.A.: You are the second person to inform me of a veterinarian euthanizing a dog who was on this drug. This is malpractice, indeed. Safer natural products are available, as detailed on my website under the heading “Preventing Fleas, Ticks and Mosquitoes.”

DEAR DR. FOX: This is a follow-up regarding our cat’s possible kidney issue. He eats only canned food and does not drink any water. Is this a problem, and if so, what can we do to encourage him to drink water?

When we rescued him four years ago, we fed him dry food, and he did drink water. About a year and a half later, we switched him to canned, and that is when he stopped drinking water. -- P.K., Danbury, Connecticut

DEAR P.K.: Some cats do not drink sufficient fluids, owing to a thirst mechanism that is essentially defective -- possibly related to the animal’s desert ancestry. This can mean that cats who are only fed dry kibble, and who drink very little water, can have highly concentrated urine that can damage the lining of the bladder and lead to cystitis.

Some veterinarians and pet food manufacturers advocate adding salt to cats’ food to trigger their thirst, but this is ill-advised, in my opinion. Instead, boil up some fatty chicken, then store the resulting juicy liquid in the fridge. Add a tablespoon of that to a bowl of 2 to 3 tablespoons of filtered water. If this does not get your cat drinking more water, simply add more water to the canned food.

Many cats hate tap water because of the chlorine. I use a Zero Water activated charcoal filter (see zerowater.com). I have no vested interest in this company, only serious concerns about water quality and safety. For more, see my article “Pure Water for Cats and Dogs” on my website (DrFoxOneHealth.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.)

DEAR DR. FOX: I saw an article about flea treatments causing drastic behavior changes in dogs, and wrote a detailed letter to my dog’s vet about my experience. I would like to hear what you think, as well. Here is what I sent my vet:

My name is Mike Collins, and I am a K-9 handler with the Perry Village Police Department in Lake County, Ohio. My partner is Zeke, a 3-year-old male Dutch shepherd.

On Aug. 10, I gave Zeke his monthly dose of Simparica (80 mg flea and tick treatment, chewable). On Aug. 14, while sitting in the backyard enjoying our day off, I stood up from my chair and had Zeke drop his toy from his mouth. It landed between his front paws. As I was bending down to grab the leash from the ground nearby, Zeke growled and bit my right arm, causing some significant injuries. That was the first time Zeke had ever bit me, or even growled at me.

After Zeke had bitten my arm, he was seen at another local veterinary hospital, at my department’s request. Zeke had a temperature of 102.4 degrees F, he was panting and his pulse was 192 beats per minute. He also had blood in his stool (diarrhea), and was treated for an infection in his gastrointestinal system.

I have read that Simparica may cause side effects including muscle tremors, diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia, otitis externa, hyperactivity, neurological side effects, seizures, convulsions, anxiety and skin irritation. Could Simparica have caused Zeke to have an aggressive reaction and bite my arm?

I have also read that problems with a dog’s gut microbiome can cause anxiety, which in some cases may lead to aggressive behaviors. Could Zeke’s gastrointestinal infection have had an effect on his emotional well-being?

I have not given Zeke his monthly dose of Simparica since August, nor has he had any aggressive behavior issues since the bite. How can I help get Zeke safely back to work? -- Lt. Michael J. Collins, Perry Village Police Department, Perry, Ohio

DEAR Lt. M.J.C.: Your account is very concerning, since it raises the issue of these anti-flea drugs affecting the performance and reliability of working dogs in the police, security, military and search-and-rescue fields.

From the details you provided, and the fact that Zeke ceased to have problems once you discontinued the Simparica, I think it is indubitably evident that this product caused Zeke to bite you and to have bloody diarrhea.

You ask a pertinent question about Zeke’s gut microbiome being affected; most certainly the neurological, peristaltic activity of his guts was hyper-stimulated. Certainly, as with humans, changes in the gut microbiome can affect mood, behavior and the immune and other systems. I am sure that some of these microorganisms could be harmed when their hosts are given insecticides.

The chemical in Simparica is an isoxazoline compound, which has similar effects as neonicotinoids. These are both widely used by the livestock and poultry industries, with neonicotinoids being a major factor in the demise of honeybees and other beneficial insects and insectivorous birds.

Zeke is a breed of dog highly susceptible to adverse reactions to Simparica and similar anti-parasite drugs. According to veterinarian Dr. W. Jean Dodds: “Some breeds of dogs have the MDR1 gene mutation. This gene undergoes one or more mutations that allow a higher absorption of drugs and toxic substances to enter the central nervous system, which then can breach the blood-brain barrier and create adverse reactions. Plus, we know that this gene mutation is most commonly found in dogs of herding breed ancestry.” (For more, see drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com.)

UPDATE FROM THE LOCAL VETERINARIAN

Lt. Collins sent me his local vet’s response, to which I replied:

DEAR Lt. M.J.C.: Thanks for sharing the communication from your dog’s attending veterinarian. It is good that he will “escalate your questions to Zoetis, the manufacturer of Simparica. Perhaps they can shed more light on this.” His statement that, ”In short, I see no connections between Simparica nor GI diseases and unexplainable aggression,” seems to echo the consensus of veterinary practitioners who do not have the scope of information that I have from readers of my column. Readers like you give me a wide-angle view of the many problems these insecticides can cause in companion animals.

I encountered this kind of blind spot several years ago when I raised concerns about adverse reactions to vaccinations and the evident problem of over-vaccinating dogs, in particular. My concerns were initially ridiculed but later confirmed, leading to changes in vaccination protocols -- though these are not yet accepted by all veterinarians.

(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.)