DEAR READERS: Please enjoy this thought from Carl Safina, author of "Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel."

"At every level -- from the entire universe to this planet, to all living beings now and through time, to your mind and body, and the world's collective thinking and beliefs -- existence is networks of relationships," Safina writes. When pondering our endless cruelty towards animals, he asserts that "the next step beyond human civilization (will be) humane civilization."

Indeed, we and all living beings are connected. The realization of this moved Dr. Albert Schweitzer to set out his philosophy or reverence for life. He stated, "Until he extends the circle of his compassion to all living things, man will not himself find peace."

For any society to become fully civilized and sustainable, its justice system, rule of law and economy must all be based on equalitarianism: giving equal and fair consideration to all peoples and species, plant, and animal. Equalitarianism is founded on the golden rule that is at the core of all the world's major religions: treating others as we would have them treat us. Now, in the light of advances in the biological and environmental sciences, the golden rule should be expanded to embrace all sentient beings.

This is ultimately enlightened self-interest, because when we poison the environment, we poison ourselves. When we justify the cruel exploitation of animals, this speciesism is but one step away from racism, sexism and other forms of inhumanity.

I like this notion, attributed to a Serbian proverb: "Be humble, for you are made of earth; be noble, for you are made of stars."

DEAR DR. FOX: My 8-year-old dog, Katie, a mixed breed, has been shedding more than usual this winter and has gotten a bit bald on her sides. The vet tested her thyroid and said that it's OK, but wants to try her on Apoquel. I know you have reservations about that, so what do you advise? -- K.C., South Bend, Indiana

DEAR K.C.: During winter months indoors, some dogs shed excess fur and can develop patches of hair loss, which is called seasonal flank alopecia. It is theorized that the lack of sunlight affects the pineal gland and reduces the production of melatonin and/or prolactin, interfering with normal hair follicle growth. Shorter durations of sunlight are thought to cause follicular arrest or dysplasia. Some breeds are more prone to this than others, indicating a possible genetic susceptibility. For more, visit pro.dermavet.eu/en/update-on-canine-recurrent-flank-alopecia.

Giving affected dogs a daily dose of melatonin can be beneficial, as long as it is done under veterinary supervision, since other causes of hair loss (such as hypothyroidism and dietary deficiency in omega fatty acids) need to be ruled out. Melatonin appears to be safe and effective in about 40% of cases when used at a dose of 3 milligrams a day, given at night, for small breeds (6 to 12 milligrams for larger dogs).

Alternatively, many dogs suffer with atopic dermatitis, for which Atopica and corticosteroids are overprescribed. It can be a difficult condition to resolve, involving intense itching, redness and papules on the skin (especially on the belly, legs, face and ears), often coupled with inflammation of the nasal cavity and eyes, especially in response to seasonal changes.

In a small but promising study, significant improvements were reported in dogs diagnosed with this condition who were given a high oral dose of vitamin D3 under close veterinary monitoring. (See the study "Vitamin D shows in vivo efficacy ... on canine atopic dermatitis" by C.J. Klinger et al., published in the British Veterinary Record in 2018.) Including omega-3 supplements, such as a few drops of fish oil or marine algae, can also provide multiple health benefits.

I advise dog owners not to treat their dogs without veterinary supervision because high doses of vitamin D3 can cause harm -- elevating blood calcium levels and possibly causing bladder stones and even coma.

Veterinarian Dr. Deva Khalsa reports in Animal Wellness magazine that older dogs showing signs of canine cognitive dysfunction showed improvement when given a daily vitamin D3 supplement. She also recommends that dogs with inflammatory bowel disease and poor renal function can also benefit from vitamin D supplementation. For more details, visit animalwellnessmagazine.com/canine-cognitive-dysfunction-vitamin-d.

I will be posting more on the health benefits of this essential vitamin in a future column.

(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: A Feb. 15 post from MeatingPlace.com reports that, per the Argentine Foreign Ministry, Argentina's limit for duty-free beef exports to the United States has been raised from 20,000 metric tons to 100,000 metric tons.

"Trump's order only grants the additional 80,000 (metric tons) for 2026, with the future beyond this year uncertain. Bound in large part for blending with domestic fat from U.S. beef packers into ground beef, much of it will become fast-food burgers," reads the article.

"Argentina's dominant existing customer, at about 60% of exports by volume, is China, the world's largest beef-eating population," it continues. "Second place is Israel at about 5%. The U.S. and Russia have been taking about 4% of Argentina's beef exports, though shipments to Russia are much lower value." (For more, visit meatingplace.com/argentine-beef-politics-vs-reality.)

In a post on Sentient Media, Grace Hussain writes: "The world is on track to eat a lot more meat -- beef consumption alone is predicted to rise 80% between 2010 and 2050, according to the World Resources Institute. ... There are a number of factors contributing to this expansion. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development cites rising incomes in middle-income countries and growing populations in low-income countries as two factors driving increased demand for meat and dairy."

American beef producers have been set back by climate change-affected feed production and a down-cycle of productivity. But the entire global enterprise of beef production needs to be examined. It is a major contributor to climate change, loss of wildlife and loss of biodiversity. I have met with farmers in several countries, and have great respect for them, but they now must rise to the challenge of adapting to climate change and ceasing the practices that contribute to it.

Furthermore, beef is not a healthful dietary choice -- yet another reason to reduce consumption. Red meat is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, and evidence suggests it is also associated with prostate and pancreatic cancers. Likewise, processed meat is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, and possibly of stomach cancer.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer classifies processed meat as a Group 1 carcinogen (meaning it is carcinogenic to humans), and red meat as a Group 2A carcinogen (meaning it is probably carcinogenic to humans). For details, go to progressreport.cancer.gov/prevention/diet_alcohol/red_meat.

SOME HELP COMING FROM AMERICA AFTER USAID COLLAPSE

After the Trump administration's dismantling of USAID was roundly criticized, the USDA is stepping in to get food to people in need. The agency is citing authority transferred from USAID under Title II of the 1954 Food for Peace Act.

"The $452 million is unspent FY 2025 carryover funds made available to USDA through an interagency agreement with USAID," a USDA spokesperson told MeatingPlace.com. The foods are U.S.-origin commodities, including rice, cornmeal, sorghum, wheat and so-called specialized nutritious foods: high-calorie, nutrient-dense processed items designed for malnourished infants, small children and pregnant or nursing mothers. The goods are intended for distribution to the Democratic Republic of the Congo, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya and Rwanda.

WESTMINSTER DOG SHOW WINNER WAS MUTILATED

This year's Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show overall winner is a Doberman pinscher named Penny, marking the fifth time in the event's 150 years that a Doberman has taken the title. This dog is a beauty, but she (along with representatives of several other breeds) had her tail docked and her ears cropped to stand up. These mutilations should be prohibited in all dog shows, as they are in England and Germany.

KITTENS AND INMATES: MUTUAL BENEFITS

Cats and kittens from a Flagler County, Florida animal shelter are supporting inmate rehabilitation at the county jail through the SMART program, which began in July. The cats live with the inmates, providing companionship and affection, and the inmates help prepare the cats for adoption. "To go from the hostility of being in jail and the craziness of that to going to an amazing program that's structured around love and compassion ... it's been life-changing," said one inmate. (Full story: News4Jax.com, Feb. 11)

(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: Per a recent model, cuts to global development funding could lead to 9.4 million additional deaths in the next four years -- with about 2.5 million of those being children under age 5 -- than if funding had been maintained at 2023 levels. The study comes roughly one year after the U.S. Agency for International Development was wiped out by the Trump administration, compounded by cuts made by other top funders such as the United Kingdom, Germany and Canada.

"We should take the precise numbers with caution, but I think the overall conclusion is likely correct," said global-development researcher Lee Crawfurd. "People will die in large numbers." See "Impact of two decades of humanitarian and development assistance and the projected mortality consequences of current defunding to 2030" by A.F. da Silva et al., published in Lancet Global Health in February.

From a One Health perspective, it would be enlightened self-interest for more affluent countries to provide medical aid, food and fuel to poor communities, coupled with family planning resources. Doing so would not only prevent much human suffering, but also decrease the spread of communicable diseases. Some of these can come from wildlife being killed for food, and may pose a potential pandemic threat. For details, see my 2025 book "One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives."

DEAR DR. FOX: When my dog Garbo was around 7 years old, blood tests showed he had elevated lipid levels. I was told that this was dangerous, and was advised to switch him to a prescription diet. However, I was also informed that this diet would likely disrupt the function of a different organ, and that it was essentially a matter of choosing which risk to accept.

I could not fully accept this explanation, and instead sought advice from a specialized pet food store. There, I was told that, given his lipid levels and other numbers, a prescription diet was not necessary. They said that simply improving and adjusting his diet would be sufficient.

Before all this, I was feeding Garbo the Potato and Fish formula from Japanese company Morinaga Milk Industry. I then transitioned him to a diet combining dry food with canned food, focusing on high-quality protein sources and rotating between fish and different meats -- an approach that closely reflects what you describe in your writing.

The result was striking: His blood values improved significantly. This experience made me acutely aware of how the authority of something being "veterinarian-prescribed" or labeled as a "therapeutic diet" can obscure the underlying issue. Rather than addressing the root causes or viewing the animal's health holistically, the focus often shifts too quickly to managing individual numbers through products.

In Japan, this problem is compounded by the fact that many pet owners judge food primarily by marketing phrases such as "made in Japan" or "breed-specific," without questioning the underlying formulation or philosophy. I strongly feel that this mindset -- and the structure behind it -- needs to be discussed more openly.

I appreciate your writings on this issue in your book "Not Fit for a Dog: The Truth About Manufactured Cat and Dog Foods," which helped me through this issue for my beloved dog. -- S.K., Tokyo, Japan

DEAR S.K.: I am glad that you received good advice on your dog's diet and that the book, which I co-authored with two other veterinarians, was helpful. In her contribution to this book, the late Marion E. Smart, DVM, Ph.D., exposed the scam behind many special prescription diets -- namely, that they would not be needed if dogs and cats were fed wholesome food from the start. Several recipes for in-home preparation are provided in this book for dogs and cats.

Taking a closer look at the Morinaga Fish and Potato Diet: It is billed as a premium, low-allergen food for dogs with food sensitivities. As the name suggests, key ingredients include potato, salmon meal, whitefish meal, cellulose and "fish digest," the latter being sprayed on the dry kibble to enhance palatability.

Potatoes may not be ideal for diabetic dogs due to potential blood sugar spikes. And in my opinion, we must reduce our consumption of fish to counter the over-harvesting of ocean resources, and to avoid ingesting (or feeding our animals) contaminants like PFAS ("forever chemicals"), mercury, microplastics and other pollutants.

Cat owners, take note: The most common food allergen for cats is fish!

OCEAN LIFE ENDANGERED EVEN MORE

A 5,000-square-mile ocean preserve east of Cape Cod -- the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument, established by former President Barack Obama -- has been opened to commercial fishing under proclamation by President Trump. He reportedly sees its former restriction as "an unfair penalty on commercial fishermen."

Ocean life around the world is rapidly diminishing, calling for greater international collaboration to protect and restore it. This ill-advised proclamation is yet another crime against nature, and should be rescinded.

(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.)