DEAR READERS: I wonder how many municipalities in Minnesota and other states are poisoning their communities, with various herbicides being sprayed along public walkways, roadsides and parks for purposes I find, as a veterinarian and biologist, at best highly questionable.

On May 19, 2023, while walking my dog beside Basset Creek in Golden Valley, Minnesota, I saw some flags posted with the warning: “Keep children and pets off until May 19.” As I bent down to read what had been sprayed, a Monarch butterfly landed a couple of feet away on a young milkweed plant. Both may soon be gone, one from the herbicide and the other from starvation.

The flag notation indicated that Vastlan and AquaNeat had been sprayed on the plants beside the creek.

Results of one study about Vastlan's active ingredient, triclopyr choline, suggest that it may be more difficult for dogs to excrete triclopyr compared to other animals. Always take steps to minimize your pets' exposure when using pesticides. Triclopyr is low to moderate in developmental toxicity and moderate in reproductive toxicity. Details of the risks of this herbicide are available at npic.orst.edu/factsheets/triclopyrgen.html#

AquaNeat contains 5.4 pounds per gallon of the active ingredient glyphosate, in the form of its isopropylamine salt. Many scientists have documented the worldwide public and environmental harms of Monsanto/Bayer’s glyphosate, widely marketed as Roundup.

Multimillion-dollar settlements have been reached over exposure of Roundup users who developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. New research from the U.C. Berkeley School of Public Health shows that childhood exposure to the world’s most widely used weed killer, glyphosate, is linked to liver inflammation and metabolic disorder in early adulthood, which could lead to liver cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.

(See Brenda Eskenazi et al, 2023 Association of Lifetime Exposure to Glyphosate and Aminomethylphosphonic Acid (AMPA) with Liver Inflammation and Metabolic Syndrome at Young Adulthood: Findings from the CHAMACOS Study, Environmental Health Perspectives, 131:3, CID: 037001; doi.org/10.1289/EHP11721).)

Glyphosate is highly toxic to many aquatic species, and applying Vastlan and AquaNeat next to Basset Creek is an affront to common sense, sound science and public responsibility. It is notable that at the end of the road where I live is the Minneapolis Clinic of Neurology, which has its extensive lawns regularly sprayed with Roundup.

Spot-spraying these herbicides on “invasive” plants such as sting nettles should be reconsidered. Many such plants provide food for insects, and nettles have medicinal and nutritive value -- they can even be made into cloth!

Herbicides may play a significant role in the proliferation of prions in deer, causing chronic wasting disease, and are a recognized factor in the genesis of chronic neurological disorders in humans, such as Parkinson's disease.

The good news, reported by Jennifer Bjorhus (Star Tribune, May 29, 2023, "Roadsides about to get wild again"), is that, modeled on a similar prairie program in Iowa, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will rewild roadside ditches along state and interstate highways with native vegetation for birds, butterflies, bees and other pollinators. All states should follow this initiative and prohibit routine weed-spraying and haymaking to help in biodiversity recovery and habitat restoration.

The widespread use of herbicides, especially by conventional agriculture and agroforestry, is decimating natural biodiversity -- plants that sustain pollinators and other beneficial insects and the reptiles, birds and bats that feed on them. These and other petrochemically derived pesticides have been found in rainwater and the waters we drink and bathe in. Time to clean up shop or ship off!

SOME DOGS’ BRAINS MAY BE GETTING LARGER

Domesticated animals' average brain size is nearly always smaller than that of their wild ancestors; the average brain volume of wolves is 24% larger than that of domestic dogs. But the average brain size of dogs that are the most genetically distinct from wolves is larger than that of ancient breeds, according to a study published in Evolution. Researchers say that dogs' brains are growing as they evolve through selective breeding, possibly driven by the demands of the complex human-made society in which they now live. (Full story: Psychology Today, June 13.)

Perhaps in a few generations, some dogs will verbally communicate more fluently with us, their word comprehension and associated attentiveness becoming even more astounding. As for our own brains, they are being “rewired" in childhood by interfacing with the internet/cyberspace, and reset therapeutically with mushrooms and herbs!

All things are connected, and I trust that artificial intelligence may expand our limited brains so we cause less harm, better serving the common good and the good of the commons as responsible planetary stewards.

(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.)

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS or “forever” chemicals, constitute a multibillion-dollar family of some 14,000 different chemicals that are widely used to make water-, grease- and stain-repellent coatings. They are also used in a vast array of consumer goods, clothing, carpets, upholstery, cookware and in industrial applications. 3M, a major manufacturer of these chemicals, has recently agreed to pay up to $12.5 billion to settle claims over PFAS polluting municipal drinking water systems around the country and to clean them up.

(For an extensive review of these chemicals, see Heather D. Brake et al, Current per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) research points to a growing threat for animals. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, July 2023, vol. 261, pp. 952-958 (doi.org/10.2460/javma.22.12.0582).)

Liver toxicity, reduced postnatal survival, depressed immune function and altered thyroid function in both humans and animals are documented. These chemicals are omnipresent in the environment in foods, food packaging, cosmetics, drinking water and in-home dust and carpeting, and may contribute to hypothyroidism and obesity in cats living in such contaminated environments.

It has been widely known for decades that, like the canaries down in the mines that warned of poisonous carbon monoxide gas, canaries and other caged birds have died in homes where Teflon-coated nonstick cookware was overheated. In my opinion, we ignored these early warnings of the potential health risks of PFAS.

It is estimated that at least 45% of drinking water in the U.S. is contaminated with these “forever” chemicals, along with some heavy metals, all of which are a health hazard to us and our companion animals.

I have used a ZeroWater filter for several years in our home, and the manufacturers of this low-cost filter system have posted this announcement: “Our 5-Stage water filters remove 99.6% of total dissolved solids (TDS). ZeroWater is the only pour-through filter NSF-certified to reduce lead, chromium and the forever chemicals PFOA and PFOS, giving you peace of mind in addition to delicious water.”

I have no vested interest in this company. The nonprofit organization the Environmental Working Group has tested various water pitcher filters and recommends four that remove close to 100% of toxic contaminants: Travel Berkey Water Filter, Clearly Filtered, ZeroWater and Epic Water Filter.

PERSISTENT CHEMICALS FOUND IN BLOOD OF DOGS, HORSES

Researchers found at least one of 20 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in the blood of every horse and dog tested and identified biomarkers of liver and kidney dysfunction, according to a study published in Environmental Science and Technology. The animals lived in an area of North Carolina where PFAS have contaminated well water and a river, and the findings suggest dogs and horses could be sentinels of human exposure to so-called forever chemicals. Full story: The Hill (6/21)

DEAR DR.FOX: I prepare my dog's food using mostly chicken, lean beef and pork with seasonal vegetables. I add a supplement of vitamins/minerals that I purchase from The Farmer's Dog. My dog suffered a severe vitamin B12 deficiency. How is this possible? We brought him back from the brink with shots of B12 vitamins. I also switched to commercial dog food, which I must hand-feed, as he detests the stuff. I am now giving him a multivitamin daily. -- L.M., Washington D.C.

DEAR L.M.: I commend your veterinarian for making this diagnosis of a not commonly seen condition. The symptoms of B12 deficiency are not always easy to spot. The most common is weight loss, which can easily be mistaken for other health disorders. Some of the other symptoms include reduced appetite, dull hair coat, diarrhea, lethargy, mental dullness and neurological problems.

As most causes of vitamin B12 deficiency are a result of intestinal disease-causing malabsorption, simply giving a vitamin B12 tablet will not be beneficial. Most pets respond best to vitamin B12 administered via subcutaneous injection, and the frequency would be approximately once monthly but can vary.

If your dog has symptoms of intestinal B12 malabsorption, it is important to get him to the veterinarian as soon as possible. Certain breeds, including border collies, giant schnauzers and beagles, may be overrepresented, as the condition can be hereditary in these dogs. Exocrine pancreatic disease may also be a culprit.

(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: 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.)