DEAR DR. FOX: I am a law student, and I'm writing a paper for my animal law class on the pitfalls of the American Kennel Club (AKC) -- specifically, how the lack of regulation leads to detrimental health issues for dogs. In my research, I found an article that mentioned your friend, journalist Herm David, as an "ombudsman" of the AKC. I understand that you also joined the good fight against puppy mills and the "purebred problem."

I would love to receive any input from you for my paper: your perspective on the AKC, your perception of the problems over the years, etc. Have things gotten better? Worse? Stayed the same? And can we do anything about it? -- C.F., address withheld

DEAR C.F.: I have written about my concerns with purebred dogs on my website and in this column many times, urging people NEVER to buy a puppy online without seeing the parent dogs and learning how they are kept and treated. Often regarded as some kind of guarantee of quality, the official "papers" of puppies registered with the American Kennel Club, just like other national club registries in other countries, are of dubious value. For more information, check out these articles on my website (drfoxhealth.com): "Recovering Canine Health and the Natural Dog," "Concerning Puppy and Kitten Breeding Mills," "Dog Mutilations," "Dogs Need Their Whiskers" and "Animal Eugenics: For Better or For Worse."

Aside from the questionable ethics of breeding dogs for profit when there are dogs and puppies in shelters needing homes, there is the reality of the link between commercial dog breeders and the livestock and poultry industries. Commercial dog breeders are inspected and licensed by the USDA under standards of animal care equivalent to those applied to farmed animals. The livestock and poultry industries support commercial puppy mills in fighting against legislative initiatives that would, for instance, limit the number of dogs kept and improve standards of care -- in the fear that such regulations could be imposed next on them. Their overcrowded factory farms are inhumane, environmentally harmful and a serious threat to public health and wildlife.

Many illnesses and behavioral problems in dogs, cats and other companion animals can be prevented, and others cured, if their caretakers/guardians would adhere to six basic principles, which contribute to a simple formula for animal health and well-being. I call them the Six R's: right understanding, right relationship, right breeding/genetics, right nutrition, right environment and right holistic veterinary care. These basic principles are essential, ethical standards that all breeders, clubs, kennel registries and dog shows, in all countries, need to adopt.

The so-called "Breeder of Merit" certification of the AKC falls lamentably short on these six counts. Rather, a designation of "6R Certification," to be determined and confirmed by veterinarians, is feasible. It would be applied to both male and female dogs used for breeding purposes to ensure they are kept under conditions satisfying their behavioral, social and emotional needs. It would also include genetic screening to avoid or eliminate diseases of hereditary origin and prevent breeding for extreme traits (e.g. flat faces/brachycephaly). Good nutrition, healthy gut microbiomes and robust immune systems would be ensured as part of dogs' holistic veterinary care, with judicious use of vaccines and antiparasitic medications.

Under this model, only dogs with 6R Certification would be allowed to become "Best in Show" winners. And no dogs would be allowed to enter the ring if their ears had been cropped or their tails or whiskers trimmed!

These are my hopes based on sound veterinary science and bioethics -- and compassion, which is in short supply in this consumer-driven society where the empathy deficit appears to be reaching epic dimensions!

Do send me your final paper on this issue. I commend you for your choice of topic. I will send you my telephone number to answer any questions you may have, as I do for many students researching various animal and environmental issues.

DACHSHUNDS: ANOTHER EXTREMELY CHALLENGED BREED

All clubs for dog breeds with physical traits that can affect the animals' health and quality of life should emulate the Dachshund Breed Council of the U.K. The club's health committee continues to put the word out about the health implications of exaggerated physical characteristics, urging breeders to avoid extremes.

From dachshundbreedcouncil.wordpress.com: "Our Health Committee is concerned that, despite the many messages about desired proportions and ground clearance that have been communicated at seminars for over a decade, some breeders and judges still seem inclined to favour undesirable exaggerations. The Health Committee's concerns are that dogs with excessive length and lack of ground clearance cannot be considered to be 'fit for function' and that such exaggerations are likely to increase their health risks. Intervertebral Disc Disease is one of those risks, as is bloat, which is reported in dachshunds and other breeds with proportionately more depth of chest."

In contrast, the American Kennel Club's Breed Health Testing Requirements (akc.org/breeder-programs/breed-health-testing-requirements) are clearly deficient. In the entry for dachshunds, the recommended health tests are simply "patella evaluation" and "cardiac exam." Breeders completing these tests can gain the AKC Breeder of Merit certification! And for the French and English bulldog breeds, there is no mention of evaluating dogs' ability to breathe and tolerate some physical activity.

The AKC also touts its Bred With H.E.A.R.T. program, which "requires health testing of breeding stock in accordance with recommendations of their breed's parent club. Breeders who meet the requirements of the Bred With H.E.A.R.T. program are eligible for many benefits, including a 10% discount on insurance for their puppies through AKC Pet Insurance."

All of this I see as window-dressing nonsense. I advise all who are seeking some particular purebred to visit the breeding facility; never buy online. Or go to a breed rescue website and adopt from there. All commercial puppy mills should be closed down.

(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: As a longtime advocate of One Health, I am very encouraged by this Dec. 23 press release from the American Veterinary Medical Association:

"A provision directing the development of a One Health Framework across the federal government was included in the final spending bill of the year. The legislation passed derives from the AVMA-championed Advancing Emergency Preparedness Through One Health Act that was introduced at the beginning of the 117th Congress. With passage, Congress will now direct federal agencies to develop and submit a national One Health Framework to collaboratively address zoonotic diseases and advance public health preparedness.

"One Health is the concept that human, animal and environmental health are all intertwined. This collaborative effort will result in government agencies working together to help better prevent, prepare for and respond to zoonotic diseases.

"'The One Health legislation passed today will help strengthen the nation's preparedness for diseases that can spread between animals and humans,' said Dr. Lori Teller, AVMA president. 'We have all witnessed the significant threat that zoonotic diseases pose to our society. With animals, humans and the environment being more interconnected than ever, the AVMA applauds Congress for taking this crucial step forward in fully implementing a One Health Framework so we can better protect public health.'

"By developing a comprehensive federal One Health Framework, there will be improved coordination between federal agencies that study human and animal health and the environment. This will provide a more integrated approach to One Health work across the federal government. Once enacted, the AVMA will work with Congress and federal agencies on the implementation of the legislation."

MORE VETERINARIANS NEEDED IN RURAL AREAS

The U.S. has too few large-animal veterinarians in rural areas, posing a threat to food safety, public health and economic growth. A study by the Farm Journal Foundation found only 3% to 4% of new veterinary school graduates focus on livestock, writes Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi, formerly that state's agriculture commissioner. Congress should pass a bill eliminating taxes on veterinary student loan repayment program funds, adequately fund programs that support veterinary practices in rural areas and work with veterinary schools to boost enrollment of students from rural communities, Hyde-Smith writes. (Full story: The Washington Post, Dec. 21)

DOCUMENTED: FIREWORKS HARM BIRDS

Please think twice about buying fireworks and supporting community firework displays. Every year, there are distressing accounts of birds flying in panic from their roosts, colliding with trees and dropping to the ground in frigid weather.

We can now add data to these accounts: Scientists analyzed the GPS tracks of 347 wild migratory geese, of four species, during eight New Year's celebrations in Western Europe, quantifying the effects of fireworks on individuals. They found that when there were nearby fireworks displays, the geese flew an average of 5 km to 16 km further and 40 meters to 150 meters higher, and more often shifted to new roost sites than on previous nights.

Likely to compensate for the extra energy spent on additional flight, most geese moved less and ate more in the following days. The study's findings indicate negative effects of fireworks on wild birds beyond the previously demonstrated immediate response. (Study: "Wild goose chase: Geese flee high and far, and with aftereffects from New Year's fireworks," Conservation Letters, Nov. 24, 2022)

(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: This will always be my favorite quote because of the truth of it. It is from Albert A. Bartlett (1923-2013), professor of nuclear physics at the University of Colorado: "Can you think of any problem in any area of human endeavor on any scale, from microscopic to global, whose long-term solution is in any demonstrable way aided, assisted or advanced by further increases in population -- locally, nationally or globally?" -- V.L.C., Wellington, Florida

DEAR V.L.C.: Precisely said! Regrettably, we are in a situation now with millions of environmentally, economically and politically disenfranchised migrants and refugees.

The U.N. Biodiversity Conference in Montreal last month, also known as COP15, succeeded in securing nonbinding agreements from close to 200 countries to protect 30% of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems by 2030. Signatories agreed to take steps to halt species extinctions, protect 30% of the planet for nature, restore 30% of degraded ecosystems and reform $500 billion in subsidies that encourage environmental damage. (Full story: CNN, Dec. 19; The Guardian, Dec. 19)

The main drivers of environmental destruction identified at the conference were agriculture, overfishing, logging, mining, climate change, invasive species and overall pollution. But missing from this list, at least to my knowledge, is the issue of population growth. The human population is now being estimated at 8 billion.

Perhaps this omission was a combination of amnesia, denial and politics, but the fact remains: Humans are the most invasive and destructive of all species. Many COP15 delegates and attendees were not even born when this issue was first raised by the Club of Rome's first report, "Limits to Growth," published in 1972. Widely publicized to world leaders and governments, the report showed that economic growth could not continue indefinitely because of resource depletion. It underscored that economic growth meant greater environmental impact, and that the main path to environmental restoration was the reduction of both population and consumption.

But now we face what scientists and conservationists call the sixth mass extinction: the Anthropocene apocalypse, the severity of which we may still be able to minimize, given the will and the means. Climate change and loss of biodiversity will lead to ever more famines, plagues and pestilences if we fail to act now. For some excellent information, go to sentientmedia.org.

The U.S. government and the Vatican declined to sign the COP15 agreement, and representatives from Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda expressed disagreement. The non-signing by the Vatican reminds me of their centuries-long opposition to all forms of contraception other than abstinence -- which certainly helped increase family sizes in Catholic communities around the world.

DEAR DR. FOX: I have a 17-year-old cat who has developed diabetes. Kitty was very healthy and active when I moved to Maine two years ago, but her immune system seemed to collapse when the vets here insisted on giving her an annual rabies shot. I had asked that they be mercury- and aluminum-free.

She is an indoor cat: There are too many ticks here that spread illnesses from Lyme to anaplasmosis. She received some tick bites during the few times we let her outside two years ago. She had no visible reaction to the bites, but I stopped letting her out, even briefly.

She nearly died last year when she first developed diabetes, but she came back strong with a new diet of Wellness brand canned cat food and some frozen raw food containing turkey, salmon, lamb and other ingredients. I give her potassium and minerals as supplements.

Lately she is getting very fussy; she has greatly slowed her eating and is losing weight. She is drinking a lot of water. Do you have any food recommendations to heal her and strengthen her? The vets stopped giving her vaccines because she is now too frail. -- G.C., Harpswell, Maine

DEAR G.C.: Your old cat's declining condition was most likely exacerbated by the rabies vaccinations, which the vet did not have to insist upon since your cat is (now) always indoors. Please note that I am not some antivaxxer, but a veterinarian with 60 years of experience dealing with a variety of animal health and welfare issues.

Diagnosed early, diabetes can be resolved by a change in diet -- essentially, no more high-carbohydrate dry kibble, which many veterinarians are still selling in their clinics.

Lack of appetite is serious for cats, since it can lead to fatty liver disease. Try to coax her to eat several times a day with high-protein foods such as canned sardines in water (watch her closely, as some cats are allergic to fish); shredded, boiled chicken or turkey; or any organically certified meaty baby food you can find. (Another word of caution: Many common baby food brands contain heavy metals and other contaminants not fit for babies or cats!) Or make something in a food processor, perhaps based on my home-prepared cat food recipe, which is posted on drfoxonehealth.com. Adding a pinch of Bragg's nutritional yeast or a small piece of a crushed B-complex vitamin to the food may help stimulate appetite.

My book "The Healing Touch for Cats" may help stimulate your cat's circulation and with gentle, deep abdominal massage, help with digestion and evacuation. Most cats respond very positively to such treatment. Above all, make your cat feel as secure and comfortable as possible.

(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.)