DEAR DR. FOX: You will enjoy this article from Atlas Obscura: “Can the Mighty Bankhar Dogs of Mongolia Save the Steppe?” (atlasobscura.com/articles/mongolia-bankhar-dog) -- A.S., Santa Fe, New Mexico

DEAR A.S.: Many thanks for sharing this article. It is a rather unique story of how the Bankhar dogs of Mongolia may help restore biocultural diversity, prevent desertification of the environment from overstocking/overgrazing of livestock, and decrease the extermination of local predators, especially wolves.

Similar dogs have been bred for thousands of years by livestock keepers around the world, especially in mountainous regions. Some of the more common breeds are the Great Pyrenees, the komondor, the akbash dog, the Anatolian shepherd and the maremma. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has an excellent handbook on such dogs: Visit pubs.nal.usda.gov and search “livestock guarding dogs.”

If sheep and cattle ranchers in the U.S. used more of these dogs, perhaps there would be less shooting, trapping, snaring and poisoning of wolves, mountain lions, coyotes and other predators. But these dogs must be managed responsibly. A literature review in BioOne found these dogs can take a toll on wildlife. A majority of the animals chased or killed by guard dogs are not predators, and some are already endangered or threatened; conversely, guard dogs may also protect species like ground-nesting birds and limit the transmission of disease between wildlife and livestock. (Full story: The Conversation, Feb. 23)

These large and powerful, but generally calm and patient, dogs also make wonderful in-home family members. One friend of mine has one of these kinds of dog, from the Sharr mountains in Macedonia, who is a central presence in his family.

It is notable that these indigenous peoples of Mongolia treat their dogs as family members and feel some connection with spiritual reincarnation. I equate this with the love that can come when the senses, emotions, hearts and minds of two individuals enjoy a harmonic resonance. Feeling alike, they ultimately think alike, cooperate, work and play together -- and, indeed, co-evolve!

DEAR DR. FOX: My 15-year-old cat was recently diagnosed with a kidney disease. I had noticed him urinating more and losing weight during the pandemic.

I am having problems getting him to eat the prescribed prescription food (Science Diet k/d). He does not like the dry or canned kinds. He’s accepting Purina Pro Plan NF for now, but doesn’t eat enough.

I am thinking of letting him eat good canned cat food, as he cannot stand to lose any more weight. Is there one you recommend? Pure protein, grain-free, maybe -- or is too much protein the problem?

He was brought up on Science Diet’s dry “inside cat” formulas -- their dry food in the morning and then a different brand of canned food in the evening. (I have always had a problem with him drinking water after his meals and then later throwing up.) I have even tried taking the water bowl away for a while in order for him to try and digest his food. -- M.R., Tulsa, Oklahoma

DEAR M.R.: Kidney failure is common in older cats, and so many of them just don’t like the special prescription diets that most conventional veterinarians are dispensing. That only makes the problem of weight loss and other complications more serious.

Try my home-prepared diet, along with meaty Gerber-type baby foods, The Honest Kitchen’s freeze-dried cat food and Fancy Feast canned food.

If your cat is dehydrated (and he probably is) and the veterinarian did not suggest giving subcutaneous fluids --which is cheap and effective quasi-dialysis -- discuss this or find another vet!

DEAR DR. FOX: I sent an email to the editor of my local paper, asking them to post a PSA every day during the recent frigid weather about keeping pets indoors. I never received a reply. I wonder if you might have better luck.

Many people think that an ordinary doghouse is adequate protection for a dog in any weather. My parents did. And those who let their cats outdoors have no idea how hard that is on them. -- J.W., Red Bank, New Jersey

DEAR J.W.: Local TV stations usually do the job of reminding pet owners to keep their animals indoors during extreme cold, often right before or after the weather forecast. The same should be said when there is extreme heat and humidity. Dogs and children alike are at risk if left in vehicles, and dogs from walking on hot sidewalks.

Many animals are terrified of thunderstorms, hurricanes and festive fireworks (which I deplore), and if outdoors, could panic and get lost.

Spring will soon be here, but with climate change, we are going to see more extreme weather conditions and patterns -- from floods and tornados to droughts and forest fires. All must be prepared accordingly, and that includes having collars and ID tags on dogs and cats, and ideally microchip IDs and holding crates, too.

(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: During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of people have been driven into poverty and hunger while more billionaires have been recorded than ever. Richer nations and private corporations are spending billions not to address the climate, extinction and public health crises, but rather to explore Mars and seed telecommunications satellites around the Earth; to manufacture more weapons of mass destruction; and to create more animal- and human-tested, genetically engineered pharmaceuticals and crops.

A United Environmental Nations is needed to temper, regulate and redirect the hegemony of this rising global biotechnocracy. Our current economic, social and environmental trajectories will make life on Earth ever more of a challenge for future generations. To believe otherwise is to deny the evidentiary science and accept the pseudo-science of biotechnocratic “progress” and its false promises of a better world to come -- one that will, in reality, be totally corrupted by vested interests and ideologies far removed from the concept of One Health. Indeed, we cannot afford not to adopt the mantra and philosophy of “One Health, One People, One Economy and One Earth.”

Millions of people around the world are malnourished while others have very limited access to healthful foods and to nutritional education. Obesity and diabetes are prevalent in the latter communities. Transitioning to low- or zero-carbon emission organic agriculture, which can provide nutritious, principally plant-based diets to us all, is an ethical imperative to reduce the environmental, climate and public health costs of our current fossil fuel- and petrochemical-based agriculture industry.

Many solutions lie in enlightened capitalism and responsible socialism, but not at Nature’s continued expense. Both political spheres are stymied by polarizing, paralyzing political ideologies and vested interests. But in redefining the meaning of progress from the One Health perspective, we may redefine what it means to be human. We can choose to prosper in spite of ourselves before a nihilistic party of bio-fascism takes hold.

Equalitarianism -- respecting human rights and the interests and intrinsic value of other species, whether plant or animal -- coupled with environmental ethics and planetary CPR (conservation, protection and restoration) is the foundation for a viable and just democracy.

(Related resources: See Maria Ivanova‘s article “At 50, the UN Environment Programme must lead again” in the journal Nature, and my book “Bringing Ethics to Life: Global Bioethics for a Humane Society.”)

SOUTH’S DEEP FREEZE TOOK A TOLL ON WILDLIFE

The intense cold snap in the southern U.S. last month had severe repercussions on the region’s wildlife. In Texas, bats came out of hibernation in an attempt to escape the cold, only to starve due to the lack of insects; young birds have been found dead on sidewalks and in yards; and wildlife officials in Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas suspect large numbers of fish, deer and antelope succumbed to the cold. More than 10,600 hypothermic sea turtles have been found along the Gulf of Mexico, and scientists are concerned that migrating monarch butterflies will be unable to find milkweed. (Full story: Associated Press, Feb. 24)

DEAR DR. FOX: Once again, I commend you for being the voice for those who do not have one. I realize you have to navigate a tight path in your position, but you’re a much kinder soul than me when it comes to hunters. I wonder if the hunter who wrote to you for an apology would have had even a hint of self-reflection if his family’s “time-honored tradition” was something other than deer hunting -- in other words, something he didn’t thoroughly enjoy.

The rationalization we humans are capable of would almost be comical if it weren’t for the fact that innocent, voiceless lives are taken -- with absolutely zero justification, the overwhelming majority of the time.

I grew up in Oklahoma and have heard just about every story imaginable to justify hunting, except for the real, primary reason: They love the thrill of the kill. The same dispassion these guys displayed as they killed bullfrogs and birds with BB guns when we were younger simply carries over into adulthood. (And yes, sadly, I was part of the bullfrog-hunting group -- until I actually killed one.)

Of course, I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. -- R.P.M., Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

DEAR R.P.M.: Thanks for your kind words of support and personal history regarding hunting. I shot a blackbird with a friend’s BB rifle when I was around 13. It was an incredible (and, thank God, merciful) 20-yard shot, right through its left eye, where I had aimed. My friend was impressed, congratulating me as I held the bird and turned away, choking on my tears. I never shot another creature after that, except as a veterinarian with a captive bolt pistol to euthanize.

(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 was so glad to read your article about the cat group that wants to end elective declawing! I have never declawed any of my cats, ever. Even though the cat is put under anesthesia, it is still painful to your precious animal after the procedure is done. So it’s OK if the sides of my expensive couches are a little ripped; at least I know my little fur babies were there! I’ll admit it brings back wonderful memories of my precious 19-year-old tuxedo cat, Lucy P., who was probably the most special and loved cat I ever had.

I also want to thank the AAFP regarding the group’s policy on elective declawing procedures! You have come so far in letting humans know how barbaric this procedure is. -- R.H., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR R.H.: Other readers will appreciate your letter applauding the initiative being taken by the American Association of Feline Practitioners to encourage the phasing out of this cruel and unwarranted mutilation. Many will be touched by your perspective that the damage your beloved cats did with their claws to some of your upholstered furniture brings back fond memories. A friend of mine calls this “cat art.”

I should add that in many countries the routine declawing of cats is prohibited.

The Cat Support Network (catsupport.net) lists the following countries as already having banned this cruel procedure: England, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Norway, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Denmark, Finland, Israel, Slovenia, Portugal, Belgium, Spain, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand.

Organizations in several U.S. cities are making headway in outlawing the routine declawing of cats. In 2019, New York became the first state in the country to outlaw the practice, along with some Canadian provinces and U.S. cities including Denver, San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Surely there is a connection between the continued civil unrest in the U.S. and the uncivil treatment of animals, as I documented in my book “Inhumane Society: The American Way of Exploiting Animals.”

DECLAWING, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND OBESTITY

Obesity is a widespread cat health problem today -- a crisis that causes much suffering and chronic deterioration. Exercise is part of the treatment (and prevention) all experts advise, so I must add an additional observation to the many downsides of declawing cats: Our rescued cat Fanny digs her claws into our carpeted floor and stairs for traction as she jets off like a rocket when chasing our dog, and during her upstairs-downstairs “evening crazies.” Cats’ “crazies” are associated with the innate hunting cycle of being hyper-alert and physically active, seeking, stalking, rushing and pouncing on prey.

Ethologically, a function of having claws -- in addition to dexterity, agility and self-care (grooming/scratching) -- is to be able to take off at higher speed. The claws act like a sprinter’s cleats by providing greater traction and momentum as the body is propelled forward.

Without her claws, Fanny would have less traction and likely be less active, eventually developing weaker muscle tone and becoming lethargic, depressed and more susceptible to obesity if her weight and food intake were not closely monitored. So I am suggesting that declawing is a significant contributing factor in the current feline obesity epidemic. Obesity is not simply due to biologically inappropriate kibble diets and overfeeding, because it is impossible for anatomically compromised declawed cats to be as active, and reach the same physical intensity, as those who have all their claws.

(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.)