DEAR DR. FOX: I have read and followed your articles and website posts for many years, and they helped enormously in giving our little Yorkshire terrier a long and happy life.

Amy had many health problems. Many were due to poor breeding -- the breeder was a vet, so we thought the dog would be healthy, which turned out not to be the case -- but others were caused by bad food, which the vet had recommended. As soon as I discovered your work, I started your food regimen with such positive results that our sick little dog lived to be 16 years old.

After losing Amy, we realized that we cannot live without a dog, but this time, I researched breeds and their common health issues. We decided on a breed (Havanese) and found a reputable breeder who offers health guarantees, but we realize these are only the first steps. We want to be certain we start this pup off with great nutrition and care.

I used a modified version of your dog food recipe for Amy, but it was a lot of work, and now there are many more human-grade dog foods that do not have harmful additives or ingredients. However, we are bewildered by the many different types: raw, freeze-dried raw, dry, fresh, cooked, canned and frozen.

The breeder recommends a Purina dry kibble, which I find unacceptable. We would greatly appreciate your recommendations both for the type (I know you are not fond of dry kibble) and particular brands. -- M.W., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR M.W.: Your communication underscores the lack of knowledge about good nutrition evident in some breeders and veterinary practices; I am shocked that a vet was evidently breeding a not-so-healthy lineage of Yorkshire terriers.

My basic dog food recipe (posted on my website and periodically updated with advances in canine nutrition) has, as you confirm with the evident benefits to your previous dog, helped thousands of dogs enjoy better health and quality of life over the years. It also saves dog owners money in avoiding health issues that require veterinary attention.

I put all the Purina dry kibble for dogs (and cats) in the "junk food" category. Far superior is the Wisdom dry kibble from Earth Animal (earthanimal.com) Another good selection of dog foods with human-grade ingredients comes from The Honest Kitchen (thehonestkitchen.com).

I wonder why you want to purchase a particular breed rather than adopt a right-sized-for-you mixed breed -- which are generally healthier than purebreds -- from a shelter. If you are set on a Havanese, be sure the breeder has had the mother and father of the pups DNA-tested, as by the excellent company Embark, to see if the parents are carrying heritable abnormalities.

According to the Havanese Club of America (havanese.org), the breed is relatively healthy, but there are several inherited health issues new owners should know about. These include cataracts, chondrodysplasia, hip dysplasia and patellar luxation (slipped kneecaps).

OHIO TOXIC CHEMICAL DEBACLE AFFECTING ANIMALS

Three days after the train derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, on Feb. 3, officials began a "controlled release" to prevent an explosion. This controlled burn sent toxic and potentially deadly fumes of vinyl chloride into the air. Sporadic reports came in of pets becoming ill, and even dying, following exposure. At least one cat who died received veterinary care and a confirmation that the death was, indeed, due to chemical exposure.

According to BuzzFeed News, local resident Taylor Holzer said, "I've been having headaches, chest tightness and eye pain. What else could happen down the line for both me and (the) animals? I'm worried about cancers and organ issues." Holzer, 28, lives about a mile from the accident and has about 100 rescued animals, including coyotes, foxes and parrots. BuzzFeed reports, "Some of his animals have swollen faces, weeping eyes, and stomach issues. ... One of his foxes broke its leg trying to run away from the commotion, and another died." (Full story: buzzfeednews.com/article/amandagardner/animals-dying-after-ohio-chemical-spill.)

The impact of this debacle on horses and farmed animals and wildlife in contaminated fields remains to be determined. This event should be a warning to all communities around the world that release toxic fumes in the widespread practice of burning municipal waste. The collective contribution to reduced air quality and contamination cannot be denied.

(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 with interest the letter from L.H. in Cleveland, Ohio, regarding a 6-year-old rescue dog that attacked her during the night. I had the exact same situation with an English bulldog I rescued.

Suki insisted on sleeping in my bed and could not be convinced to sleep elsewhere. If I moved or touched her during the night, she would snarl and snap at my offending body part. At the time, I had an exceptional veterinarian, who also practiced homeopathic medicine. He prescribed a course of treatment with something called Lachesis. Of course, I was skeptical, as I had tried everything I could think of. But within a week, she was "cured." For the remainder of her nine years with me, I never experienced a repeat episode.

I cannot begin to explain the science behind this cure, but I thought it was worth sharing. I know how difficult it is to have a dog you love, but cannot trust. -- M.E., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR M.E.: I am not opposed to homeopathic treatments for humans and other animals, but I have no clinical experience in this field. Philosophically, it is based on "like treats like," with the aim being to help balance physical and mental reactions to infection, trauma and various emotional and psychosomatic conditions.

Homeopathic Lachesis is a hyper-diluted preparation of the venom from the bushmaster snake; there is a considerable amount of literature on this for the treatment of a number of maladies in humans. I am glad to hear that it benefited your bulldog, but my first step would have been to consider airway obstruction and sleep apnea caused by the pushed-in facial deformity in the breed. This could have caused your dog to panic during the night. In many instances, surgery to help make breathing easier is a practical and reliable solution.

It is challenging when the animals under our care suffer from a failure to thrive. Failure to thrive is associated with a weakened will to live, whether by disease, injury, poor nutrition, exhaustion or other factors. It can be relieved by whatever inspires the spirit without harming the psyche, interactively healing mind and body. (For details, see this post on my website: drfoxonehealth.com/post/mental-effects-on-physical-health-the-mind-body-connection.)

I equate such inspiration of the life force as awakening what Albert Schweitzer called the physician within, saying, "Each patient carries his own doctor inside him. They come to us not knowing that truth. We are at our best when we give the doctor who resides within each patient a chance to go to work."

M.E. REPLIES: Thank you for your prompt response and for sharing your opinion regarding the facial deformity in bulldogs.

I purchased two French bulldogs in my early years of dog ownership (1990s). Both had breathing issues, and one of them had surgery to improve his breathing. Although I loved the breed, I resolved to never own one again because I refused to contribute to the breeding and selling of dogs who have no chance of a normal life.

I did, however, continue to rescue bulldogs; it was one of these rescues who received the Lachesis. She had been terribly abused, chained to a tree in the Florida heat. If she had a breathing issue, it was not obvious to me at the time. I was just grateful that after the Lachesis, she and I could coexist in the same space!

A BOOK TO HELP HEAL AND RESTORE A GREENER AMERICA

Book review: "Prairie Up: An Introduction to Natural Garden Design" by Benjamin Vogt.

The author is the owner of Monarch Gardens in Lincoln, Nebraska, and has also written the groundbreaking book "A New Garden Ethic: Cultivating Defiant Compassion for an Uncertain Future." His new book, "Prairie Up," is richly illustrated with over 150 color photos. It is an inspiration and a practical guide to enable landowners, including corporations and municipal authorities managing public spaces, to rewild with selected indigenous plant varieties that are good for pollinators, birds and other wildlife. Creating more natural habitat and needing to mow just once a year would be a major contribution to increasing biodiversity and ameliorating climate change.

In my opinion, this is an ethical imperative for all who own land, from those living in gated communities (where mowing chemically treated lawns is mandatory) to farmers who can create wild strips of prairie and buffers to protect our increasingly polluted rivers and lakes.

Vogt should be given a Nobel Prize for his work in putting the tools for conservation and nature restoration right into our hands. It is our responsibility to pick them up, beginning with the purchase of this book.

(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: It is shocking that racehorses are routinely drugged with furosemide. This is done to help prevent bleeding in horses suffering from EIPH (exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage), in which their extreme and sustained exertion causes them to literally burst their lungs and even suffocate in their own blood.

Horses given this diuretic medication -- which can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances, along with decreased levels of blood potassium and calcium -- may simply collapse, often fracturing one or more bones in the process. A new study of data from the Equine Injury Database has revealed that horses medicated with furosemide on race day were at 62% increased odds of sudden death compared to horses that were racing without having been given the drug (doi.org/10.2460/javma.22.08.0358).

In a 2021 post on the Veterinary Partner website, equine medicine expert Bob Judd, DVM, wrote:

"A recent paper out of Argentina examined the use of phenylbutazone, commonly called bute, and the risk of musculoskeletal and fatal injuries in thoroughbred racehorses. Phenylbutazone is an anti-inflammatory medication that reduces pain and inflammation in horses, and at this point it is not a prohibited substance in the horse's blood while racing in the United States. However, the last dose of bute can be given no less than 48 hours before the race, and a maximum small amount of the drug is allowed in the horse's system after a race. In a study recently published in the AVMA Journal out of Argentina on almost 300,000 race starts, horses that recently received bute were identified as being at a significantly increased risk of musculoskeletal injuries leading to fatalities. The fatalities occurred not from the drug but from injuries received while racing that required euthanasia, and horses given bute before the race were twice as likely to have an injury that led to euthanasia. The study's authors believe that many horses given bute are older ones with chronic disease that may increase their chances of injury."

For more details on drug use by the racehorse industry, along with efforts to "regulate" it, go to nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/racehorse-doping-explained.

DEAR DR. FOX: Our 6-month-old cockapoo nearly breaks her neck on the leash to greet people, then she immediately pees. She does this in the house when visitors come, too. Could she have a weak bladder and need to see the vet? -- F.M., Trenton, New Jersey

DEAR F.M.: This is most likely submissive urination, which pups do when excited and in greeting. Never scold her when it happens, since that will make matters worse. Simply ignore it, and with maturity, she should grow up and no longer do this.

Also, do not make a fuss greeting her when you come home and she has been alone. Simply give her a gentle pat, then ignore her, and advise visitors to do the same. In addition, she needs to learn some self-control, so teach her to sit and stay. The help of a dog trainer or behaviorist may facilitate the process.

I worry about her damaging her neck and windpipe if she is wearing a collar when on the leash. Get her used to wearing a harness instead, and have her greet visitors outside before they come in. Incidentally, Nature's Miracle products, readily available in pet stores, are excellent enzyme cleaners for puppy pee on carpets and rugs.

NEW RECORD FOR OLDEST DOG

Bobi, a dog in Portugal born in 1992, has set a Guinness record as the world's oldest dog at more than 30 years old. Bobi has some mobility issues and his eyesight is declining, but his owner says he still enjoys playing with the four cats with which he shares his home.

DOG FOOD RECALL

Nestle Purina voluntarily recalled specific lots of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets EL Elemental prescription dry dog food that might contain an excessive amount of vitamin D. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient, but too much can cause kidney dysfunction.

(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.)