DEAR READERS: Democratic U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin and Amy Klobuchar have introduced a bill, misleadingly named the "Northern Great Lakes Wolf Recovery Act," that would delist wolves in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula. If passed, wolves in this region would lose federal protections and be subject to wolf hunting as written into law in these states. Previous wolf hunts in the upper Midwest have had devastating impacts on wolves.

Please contact your federal legislators, President Biden and Interior Secretary Deb Haaland and demand continued federal protections for all wolves. For letter-sending details, go to HowlingForWolves.org.

Some years ago, Klobuchar called for the opening of the Minnesota wolf hunt to be named after her. Now there is scientific documentation that provides more proof on what we have long known: Legal wolf-killing through public hunts leads to uncontrollable illegal wolf-killing. On average, for the period during and after the initiation of wolf hunting seasons, human causes were linked to 35.8% of deaths among the entire wolf population each year, with natural mortality being responsible for 7.6% of the deaths. (See "Human-caused wolf mortality persists for years after discontinuation of hunting" by R.T. Oliynyk, Scientific Reports, July 8.)

Wolves play a vital role in maintaining healthy ecosystems, indirectly contributing to our own health, as I detail here: drfoxonehealth.com/post/wolves-and-human-well-being-ecological-public-health-concerns.

DEAR DR. FOX: A friend of mine rescued a purebred dog, Joey, who was born with a stunted left foreleg. She took Joey to a vet, who recommended amputation. She paid $1,800 for the surgery, after which the wound opened back up. She took Joey back for resuturing and was charged $400 for that.

She took Joey home. Blood kept oozing from the wound, then clots, then more blood. Joey's gums became white, and my friend raced him to the ER vet. Joey was on death's door. He was given multiple transfusions, and he survived. I just saw him today. He looks great.

She paid an additional $8,000 at the ER vet. She asked that vet if the primary surgeon had screwed up. He would not commit, but he made comments that indicated he thought so. What is your opinion, and what steps should my friend take? -- L.H., Cleveland, Ohio

DEAR L.H.: In my professional opinion, the veterinary hospital and surgeon responsible for the amputation of this dog's deformed leg should pay for all post-surgical complications, which were evidently the result of an ineffectual amputation, including closure of major blood vessels, the results of which almost cost the dog's life and cost the owner financially and emotionally.

Filing a detailed complaint with the Ohio Veterinary Medical Licensing Board would be prudent and could help prevent future such occurrences at this veterinary hospital. You can download the Ohio veterinary complaint form from the OVMLB website. Disciplinary action includes requiring the vet to take courses, charging fines and/or suspending or revoking their veterinary license.

PROTECT ANIMALS FROM WILDFIRE SMOKE

From the American Veterinary Medical Association:

"As irritating as smoke can be to people, it can cause health problems for animals as well. Smoke from wildfires and other large blazes affects pets, horses, livestock and wildlife. If you can see or feel the effects of smoke yourself, you also should take precautions to keep your animals -- both pets and livestock -- safe."

The AVMA provides tips and resources at avma.org/resources/pet-owners/emergencycare/wildfire-smoke-and-animals.

ZOONOTIC DISEASES: NOT ONLY A FOREIGN PROBLEM

Industrial agriculture, the exotic pet trade, fur farming and live animal markets in the U.S. pose significant risks for zoonotic disease spillover events, and the U.S. lacks a comprehensive strategy for mitigating the danger, according to a report from experts at Harvard Law School and New York University. An estimated 25 million birds pass through some 130 live markets just in the Northeast every year, and there is evidence of outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza at live bird markets, and that swine flu spilled over to people at live animal markets in the past, the report says. (Full story: New York Times, July 6)

(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: New research shows that a combination of B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids can act as a dynamic duo against dementia.

Per a summary on FoodfortheBrain.org: "The research has found that giving older people with the first signs of cognitive impairment supplemental B vitamins (B6, B12 and folic acid), at higher levels than can be achieved through diet, ... produced 73% less brain shrinkage in a year, compared to placebo. This reduction brought brain shrinkage down to the level found in those elderly with no cognitive impairment."

It should be noted that this effect was only seen in participants who already had sufficient levels of omega-3 fats.

These documented findings could help with canine age-related cognitive decline and brain changes in aging cats that are analogous to Alzheimer's disease.

I would also consider taurine as a supplement for aging pets. In a study published in June, researchers examined 250 mice who were roughly 45 years old in human terms. Each day, the mice were either given taurine or a control solution. The mice that were given taurine had an increased lifespan of 12% in females and 10% in males.

In addition, organic coconut oil, given orally, has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties, and is also beneficial for slowing cognitive decline. Coconut oil also helps reduce seizures in epileptic dogs.

For references, citations and other details, go to drfoxonehealth.com/post/low-cost-supplements-help-prevent-alzheimers-disease-and-cognitive-decline-in-cats-and-dogs.

BOOK REVIEW: UPDATED EDITION OF 'UNNATURAL ORDER'

"An Unnatural Order: The Roots of Our Destruction of Nature" by Jim Mason. This fully revised and updated edition of the 1993 original outstrips all other books I have read with its documentation and compassionate conviction that advance the recognition of animal rights.

It is unique in its extensive examination of our inhumanity toward animals, toward our own kind and toward nature over the millennia of recorded history. Mason has coined the term "misothery" -- derived from the Greek "misein" (to hate) and "therion" (beast or animal) -- literally meaning "hatred and contempt for animals." Since animals are so representative of nature in general, misothery can mean "hatred and contempt for nature, especially its animal-like aspects."

For all who want to explore the origins of the current climate and extinction crises and pandemics, and what can and should be done, "An Unnatural Order" is an excellent resource. Read more about the author's philosophy at jimmason.website/why-animals-matter.

Mason makes it eminently clear that our disconnectedness from animals, the land and nature comes from the belief in human superiority -- dominion -- over the rest of Earth's creation, palpably evident in the global industrial system, and agriculture in particular. This is a state of mind most of us were raised with and taught to accept, even Christians and Jews, whose holy texts do not give religious sanction to dominate destructively and harmfully. On the contrary, they instruct believers to assume planetary care -- to "dress and to keep the Garden of Eden."

Under the equalitarian banner of justice for all, Mason links violations of women's rights, notably reproductive rights in the U.S., with the continuing denial of rights for all animals, wild and domesticated. Sexism, racism and speciesism are coins of the same currency.

When we lose our ancient, co-evolved connectivity and no longer feel awe and wonder at the symmetries of plants and insects, and the living communities they help sustain, we destroy more and more and feel less and less. This is because there is less and less to feel for, to empathize with, as biodiversity-impoverished norms are set for the next generation.

This vicious cycle of anthropocentric nihilism is evident in the daily news, from mass shootings to deaths from drug overdoses. Reading "An Unnatural Order" is a good beginning -- first to bear witness, and then to work on establishing a more natural order. This is evident in the countless symbiotic relationships discovered in sustainable ecosystems and provides an ethical basis for humankind to live in accord with the Golden Rule, treating others, human and nonhuman, as we would have them treat us.

GENETICALLY ALTERING PIGLETS TO HELP HUMAN BABIES

MIT's Technology Review reports that a company called eGenesis hopes to transplant gene-edited pig hearts into human babies with severe heart defects as early as next year, once a trial on 12 baboons is complete. The goal is to buy time for these infants while they wait for a rare human donor organ of the right size to become available.

Using the CRISPR gene-editing tool, eGenesis made about 70 changes to the pigs' genome. This involved removing genes for retroviruses and proteins, and inserting seven human genes. The company says that the changes reduce the risk that the recipient's immune system will reject the organ. So far, two infant baboons have received the transplants; neither survived more than a few days. (Full story: TechnologyReview.com, July 17)

How far will we humans go in exploiting other sentient species to help save our own kind, potential profits notwithstanding? The question raises ethical issues that cannot be ignored.

(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: People across the U.S. are currently suffering the health effects of smoke from forest fires, not all of which are caused by climate change. The widespread use of pesticides has decimated insect-eating animals and birds that help protect the forests from invasive tree-killing beetles. Without that protection, beetles destroy the trees, which then become a fire hazard.

Per the U.S. Forest Service (fs.usda.gov), "Recent outbreaks of the mountain pine beetle, spruce beetle and Douglas fir beetle have caused the loss of millions of acres of conifer forests in many Western states." The loss of forest habitat is having a devastating effect on bird populations, especially aerial insectivores, whose prey includes bugs that can transmit diseases to humans and other animals including dengue, chikungunya, the Zika virus, malaria (now resurging in the U.S.) and West Nile virus.

More details from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (fws.gov): "Among the dramatic declines observed in birds, aerial insectivores have shown the highest percentage of species in decline of any taxonomic group: 73% of species are in decline, representing a loss of 156.8 million birds. Aerial insectivores are a guild of land birds grouped by their foraging behavior of primarily capturing insect prey in flight. They include species of swifts, swallows, martins, nightjars and flycatchers, who play an important role in ecosystems and can, along with bats, help reduce pest insect populations in agricultural and urban areas."

FWS has provided a list of ways concerned citizens can help. Actions include planting oak trees -- "Oaks support a greater diversity of insects than any other tree in general," says FWS; reducing the use of pesticides -- instead, "join a local CSA or grow your own organic veggies"; and mowing and raking your lawn less often -- "The insects (and birds) in your yard will thank you!" See the full list at fws.gov/library/collections/aerial-insectivores.

I urge all readers to consider sending a donation to support the good work of the nonprofit organization the American Bird Conservancy (abcbirds.org) to help save birds and their habitats at home and abroad.

It is notable that the mental health benefits of hearing birds singing has been evaluated and confirmed by scientists, as per the reports at nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20841-0 and nature.com/articles/s41598-022-20207-6.

DEAR DR. FOX: I appreciate your frequent comments about the risks of anti-flea and tick products on our pets. I walk our two dogs on the trails where we live, and do not let them run free in the tall grasses and woods around our area. Leash laws have an additional benefit of reducing dogs' likelihood of picking up ticks, which are a real health issue everywhere, it seems. I wish you would emphasize this in your column and give us more details about safer alternatives. -- R.E., Washington, D.C.

DEAR R.E.: I am not the only voice in the U.S. veterinary community sounding the alarm over the widely marketed insecticides, notably imidacloprid and fipronil, being put on companion animals to ward off fleas and ticks. See Dr. Karen Becker's excellent post at barkandwhiskers.com/flea-and-tick-treatments.

These insecticides are a significant animal health and environmental hazard, and there are safer alternatives all can use. I like Alzoo's flea and tick spray, containing cedar and peppermint oils, which I spritz on our dog and myself before going outdoors (alzoo-vet.com). I also like the Herbal Bug Spray and the Skin Defense Chews, both from Nature's Protection (available at earthanimal.com). The chews contain a combination of vitamins, minerals and medicinal herbs that help maintain healthy skin and repel fleas, ticks and biting insects. (For details, see my post at drfoxonehealth.com/post/preventing-fleas-ticks-and-mosquitoes.)

With climate change extending the breeding period for biting insects, and in many regions, more moisture facilitating their multiplication, vigilance and effective repellents are called for. The overuse of insecticides that contaminate the environment will eventually lead to some insects becoming resistant -- and beneficial insects becoming extinct. Birds, bats and other insectivores are the natural insect controls, and they are being poisoned or starved to death.

(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.)