DEAR READERS: The coronavirus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic is notable in that infected people can infect other animals -- mink, in particular. And infected mink can infect people with new strains, which can evolve and become more contagious and lethal.

Pet ferrets are mustelids, related to mink, and there is concern about cross-species infection after a family infected their pet ferret with COVID-19. This concern led British health authorities to advise any ferret owners isolating for COVID-19 to keep their ferrets away from direct human contact for 21 days.

Those who care for ferrets, whether in their homes or in breeding facilities or pet stores, need to take every precaution: wearing masks, washing hands and maintaining good ventilation and air exchange. They must also monitor the animals closely for signs of breathing difficulties or diarrhea.

SUPPLEMENTS CAN SUPPORT IMMUNE SYSTEM

For my own additional protection from contagions, and to boost my immune system, I take the following nutraceuticals daily (in addition to a high-fiber, organic vegetarian diet): vitamins D3, C, A, E and B complex; magnesium; selenium; zinc; coconut oil, meal and/or shreds; and algae omega-3 supplements (non-vegans can take fish oil).

Another reason to consider taking such supplements is the fact that agricultural soils around the world are seriously depleted of minerals and other nutrients essential for our health and for the nutritional value of the crops we eat and feed to our companion and farmed animals. Without healthy soils, we will never have healthy gut microbiomes, which contribute to our immune systems and our serotonin-linked emotional and cognitive brain functions. Nutritional supplements help make up the difference until agricultural practices earn the distinction “Certified Organic” at all levels of food production, and we eat more selectively and responsibly. We cannot afford not to, and giving junk food to people and animals alike is no solution.

DEAR DR. FOX: My dog is 5 years old. He’s a mini Australian Labradoodle (a mix of Labrador retriever, poodle, Australian water spaniel and cocker spaniel) and weighs about 21 pounds. He’s at about the expected size for his breed, and he has a visible waist, so he isn’t overweight.

If I don’t watch him, my mostly sensible dog will occasionally eat grass and then throw it up later (in the house, of course). Could he be purging fur balls like cats do? My dog’s hair is fluffy and needs cutting when it grows too long. We get him groomed about every four weeks.

I feed him raw, frozen-until-thawed sliders from Smallbatch, a couple of small cubes of Northwest Naturals Fruit and Veggie Nuggets, and some mashed pumpkin. I sprinkle a bit of ground supplements on most of his meals -- parsley, turmeric and some folic acid stuff. I often put a small dollop of coconut oil in his food.

He scratches a lot, wheezes occasionally in his sleep, and licks one paw a lot. That paw is discolored, but no broken skin. He sneezes, too, mostly in the early morning. So he has allergies, probably, or dry skin. Any advice? -- M.W., Ashland, Oregon

DEAR M.W.: It is normal for healthy dogs to eat some grass, and often throw it up soon after. As I have detailed in earlier columns, grass eating is one example of animals’ instinctual self-medicating. Couch grass (Elymus repens) is most dogs’ preference. For an interesting overview on its use in humans (mainly in extracts from the roots, which dogs do not normally consume), visit indigo-herbs.co.uk/natural-health-guide/benefits/couch-grass.

That said, compulsive eating of grass and other materials could indicate an underlying health issue such as inflammatory bowel disease, transient indigestion/food intolerance -- especially to soy and gluten -- or internal parasites. Worms in puppies can even trigger gastro-encephalitic seizures.

My dog often eats a few blades of couch grass and Goldenrod leaves. I like giving her 1 teaspoon (per 40 pounds body weight) of shredded, unsweetened, organic coconut in her food daily. This contains inulin, as does couch grass, which is soothing to the gut and may help promote healthy gut flora. I also give her 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt or kefir as a source of probiotics. I would advise the same for your dog.

Self-grooming cats do indeed accumulate trichobezoars (hairballs) in their digestive tracts, and must regurgitate them if not passed in their stools, but this is not the issue with your dog. A half-teaspoon of local bee pollen might reduce the paw-licking if it is allergy-related. Such bee pollen (or raw honey, for non-diabetic dogs) helps many canines with seasonal, non-food-related allergies.

(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: The posting in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (Jan. 15, 2021, vol. 258, pp. 104-105, "Regulatory standards on pet health insurance being developed") affirmed my concerns over this chaotically inconsistent industry, which could help decrease euthanasia for economic reasons but has fuzzy language as per “preexisting conditions.”

Apparently, there are some 20 companies across Canada and the United States involved in pet health insurance, and some 1.7% of owned dogs and cats are insured in the U.S. Now the National Association of Insurance Commissioners has established a Pet Insurance Working Group to develop a model law. This group’s meetings are public, and interested persons can go to jav.ma/workinggroup for details. For my own analysis of pet health insurance, see my review posted at drfoxonehealth.com.

DEAR DR. FOX: If it is helpful, I wanted to share a solution for my cat that was going outside of the litter box. A while back one of your readers wrote how the cat was using the newspapers on the floor instead of the litter box. Well, my stray-turned-indoor cat was constantly doing this, too. Finally, I decided to get her her own litter box with just newspaper. And it works!! She always goes into the newspaper-laden litter box and has never gone outside the box again.

Then I noticed cat litter at the store made of newspaper and was tempted to try, but thought why pay for that when I have my daily newspaper at home. Just wanted to share and pass this on. I am so glad it worked for my cat. Roll it up and dispose, very easy cleanup.

Thank you for all your good help for the animals! -- L.G., New Carlisle, Indiana

DEAR L.G.: Thanks for your good advice, which is an addition to the list of things to consider when cats poop outside of the box.

Shredded newspaper makes good cat litter box material, and I wish more people would subscribe to their newspapers to keep honest journalism alive. Our rescued TNR cat Fanny loves to play and hide under an opened-up newspaper and pounce on it! One of our evening rituals.

DEAR DR. FOX: My 12-year-old Morkie tore his ACL in his left rear knee in a freak accident. I had a consultation with a surgeon. The cost of the surgery doesn’t bother me as much as the prospect of the post-op period (for both my dog and me). Since my consultation, my beloved dog has started to put minimal weight on the affected leg. Not all the time, but most of the time. He doesn’t appear to be in any pain, even when I touch and extend his leg.

Am I wrong to think that it would be best for him to live his life out in this condition without the surgery? -- J.S., Santa Fe, New Mexico

DEAR J.S.: I have followed the pros and cons of corrective surgery for this condition in dogs for several decades. Some veterinarians feel it is always indicated, while I join those who are more conservative with smaller dogs. They often heal and gain normal locomotion without surgery, provided they are not overweight and their physical activity is restricted for four to six weeks -- no running or jumping up and down off sofas, etc. Physical therapy in a warm swimming pool can help. I also advise general body massage as per my book "The Healing Touch for Dogs," and a daily supplement in the dog’s food of powdered turmeric and ginger, one-quarter of a teaspoon of each for a dog the size of yours. Also Cosequin, a glucosamine, chondroitin plus MSM supplement, may provide additional support.

Pet health insurance might have covered the cost of anesthesia and surgery, which is in the thousands of dollars for this all-too-prevalent malady, but could have been denied if your dog has some “preexisting condition” such as misaligned and bent legs, common in many breeds. Best prevention is keeping the dog lean with a no-all-kibble diet and regular physical activity, and minimizing vaccinations, especially canine distemper, which may be associated with collagen/tendon deterioration. Keep me posted.

DOGS’ WORD COMPREHENSION LIKE A 2- OR 3-YEAR-OLD CHILD

Formally trained or especially gifted dogs can learn a new word for an object after hearing it only four times, suggesting that some dogs learn language similarly to a 2- or 3-year-old, says Adam Miklosi, co-author of a study in Scientific Reports. A border collie and a Yorkshire terrier demonstrated the skill in an exclusion-based task and a playful scenario, but the dogs were not able to tell the difference between two newly named toys. (Full story: CNN, Jan. 26)

(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 gripe against you being against all hunters. Deer hunting has been our family tradition for generations. Maybe you need to apologize or clarify. -- R.E., Fargo, North Dakota

DEAR R.E.: I apologize if I have offended any readers in the past over my animal rights advocacy and critical comments against hunters, with the exception of most Indigenous subsistence hunters, of whom there are fewer and fewer around the world.

Right now in Minnesota (where I live) and several other states, more hunting and significant culling of herds is called for, both ecologically and to control the spread of chronic wasting disease. Those efforts must include continued state protection of gray wolves, which were removed from the federal Endangered Species Act list in October. Under laws in several states, gray wolves can be shot, snared and trapped legally. Just this past November, two radio-collared wolves being studied by conservation biologists were found to have been shot and killed by hunters.

My beef with deer hunters is specifically against those who see the wolf as a competitor and want wolves' numbers reduced, their families and bonds torn apart. In so doing, they diminish the beneficial ecological services healthy wolf packs provide, including keeping the deer herds and forests healthy and possibly reducing zoonotic diseases like Lyme disease and chronic wasting disease. The latter afflicts deer, elk and other cervid populations across many states where cougar killing is also condoned as a sport. These particular hunters also diminish themselves via their expressed and acted-upon prejudice against wolves and the many American citizens who want the wolf protected, along with Indigenous peoples who revere them.

My main gripe and deep concerns are with sport and trophy hunting: Simply killing animals for some kind of enjoyment, I believe, is a culturally sanctioned and deeply embedded manifestation of empathy-deficit disorder. This affliction has a long history in human slavery and other degrading forms of oppression, exploitation, objectification and inhumanity against man and beast.

The empathy-deficit disorder is evident in the corporate world, especially in the agrichemical pesticide sector that harms consumers and other species, as well as the environment we share. Where is the feeling and responsibility for harmful consequences beyond profit margins and investor satisfaction? Desensitization and rationalization can cement this empathy deficit into society. Dysbiosis and dystopia result, as we are witnessing today.

The empathy-deficit disorder is not only culturally embedded, but there is evidence of familial, generational and possibly genetic transmission. Such abnormal character development and expression might best be prevented through the incorporation of humane education in all grade schools, along with related ethics, animal and human rights and associated rule of law. The general public should be aware of annual turkey and pigeon shoots, bunny bopping, rattlesnake roundups and coyote-killing contests, not to forget illegal dog fights and other such contests.

If the endemic mistreatment of animals and killing for fun is not opened for discussion in America’s classrooms, the ethical and civic education of our children is defective and deficient. Our ultimate well-being is in that freedom of spirit which enables and empowers feeling for, loving and living with others.

MEDICATION TO REDUCE STRESS IN SHELTER ANIMALS

The anti-anxiety drug trazodone hydrochloride may reduce stress and thus boost disease resistance when administered within 48 hours of intake into an animal shelter, according to a study accepted for publication in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior. Animal shelters are inherently stressful places for vulnerable animals, leading to weakened immunity and higher disease susceptibility, study leaders Jennifer Abrams and Sarah-Elizabeth Byosiere write. (Full story: TheBark.com, Jan. 21)

I would add that dogs who must be regularly groomed but are very stressed by the experience, where it cannot be done in-home, would benefit from this medication given the day before and the day of grooming. Similarly, dogs going into a boarding facility and suffering separation anxiety may benefit from this prescription drug. For shy and fearful cats, gabapentin can help reduce stress and distress prior to a veterinary appointment and when being boarded.

(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.)