DEAR READERS: Here are two reports that confirm how contact with dogs can reduce stress.

-- SHORT PLAY SESSIONS WITH DOGS REDUCE COLLEGE STUDENTS' STRESS

A study in the journal PLOS One found that as little as 15 minutes of play with a friendly dog significantly reduced stress-related cortisol levels and heart rates in college students. The dogs in the study also had lower cortisol levels a week after the interactions. “Overall, these findings contribute to our understanding of the beneficial impact of human-dog interactions on human stress levels and highlight the importance of addressing stress in both humans and animals during targeted interventions,” researchers wrote. (Full story: HealthDay.com, March 14)

-- THERAPY DOGS MAY REDUCE ANXIETY IN PEDIATRIC EMERGENCY PATIENTS

Anxiety levels declined among children and teenagers in an emergency department who interacted with a certified therapy dog and its handler, researchers reported in JAMA Network Open. Fewer children in the therapy dog arm of the study needed behavior-modifying medication, compared with patients in the group that received standard child-life therapy. (Full story: MedPage Today, March 14)

DEAR DR. FOX: Your column in my local paper is a lifeline for me. I am crushed about this administration's attitude about everything -- especially our land and our animals, wild and domesticated. -- B.O., South Bend, Indiana

DEAR B.O.: I am glad that some of my attempts to bring ethics, sound science and compassion to the forefront of public debate and current politics are helpful to you. As I see it, we are facing a politics of extinction -- of nature and of our spirituality and ethical sensibility, all of which are being crushed by materialism.

It is a fact, and not some spurious conspiracy theory, that a global cartel of super-rich oligarchs, billionaire technocrats and autocratic regimes are dealing in finite resources and competing markets, while ignoring and adding to climate change, the wildlife extinction crisis and spreading poverty and internecine strife.

With increasing polarization and division, the probability of World War III escalates -- but a grain of common sense, decency and compassion could prevent it. Trump’s self-inflicted trade war and declared "Liberation Day" echo the Orwellian newspeak of some high priest of mammon. Ideological rigidity and duplicity turn peacemakers into peace-breakers, with diplomacy and democracy collapsing into autocracy.

The rich should be helping the poor much more, and we can all help by living simply so that others may simply live. Our now-ravaged planet can no longer sustain our conspicuous consumption. It is a fact that natural biodiversity -- and there is only an estimated 3% of pristine aquatic and terrestrial habitat left on the planet -- helps contain many diseases and pests. In my opinion, all governments must engage in planetary CPR (conservation, protection and restoration) and embrace the principle of equalitarianism under the banner of One Health and justice for all sentient beings.

For more on One Health, see my book "One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives." I also recommend the article "Why Worry About Anti-Science and Anti-Vaccines Attitudes and One Health?" by Dr. Bruce Kaplan and Richard Seifman, posted here: impakter.com/why-worry-about-anti-science-and-anti-vaccines-attitudes-and-one-health.

We should all embrace the "tikkun olam" ("repair the world") edict of Judaism, as well as the spiritual doctrine of ahimsa (not harming or killing) shared by Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, among other religions and traditions.

TRUMP FOLLOWS PROJECT 2025’S ROADMAP TO DEFUND SCIENCE

As a scientist, I find the actions described below indicative of a profound degree of ignorance, bordering on being anti-science, in the executive office.

From Nature.com:

“Despite disavowing it during his campaign, U.S. President Donald Trump has closely hewed to a policy plan known as Project 2025, published by a right-wing think-tank called The Heritage Foundation. Some of the science-related recommendations that have already been implemented include opposing diversity efforts, defunding climate science and green energy projects and cutting funds to universities. Areas mentioned in the document that could come to the fore include a prohibition on fetal-tissue research and an end to visas for students from some countries. Perhaps Trump’s broadest deviation from Project 2025 is from the guidebook’s repeated commitment to ensuring 'American science dominance' -- whereas Trump’s cuts will weaken the country’s science infrastructure, say researchers.” (Full story: Nature.com, March 31)

I pray that reason may yet prevail, even though one cannot reason with the unreasonable!

(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: You have indicated that there are things to be aware of -- which seemed to be negative -- regarding Savannah cats as they get older. I’m interested because I now have a pair of 2-year-old Savannah brothers.

When I got them at the shelter in Marin County, I was told they were American shorthairs. But as they grew, they looked different from other cats, and I finally established that they are Savannahs. (I had never heard of them until I Googled "orange kittens with pointy faces and transparent ears"! I’ve read about them since then.)

These two are quite wonderful. They are inside-only because I live on a nasty road. I am planning to put in a catio so they can get more exercise. They do thunder through the house, and are impressive to watch.

My concern is: What should I be aware of as these boys get older? -- J.M., Sebastopol, California

DEAR J.M.: Good for you for adopting these two shelter cats in need of a home. As I emphasize in my book "Cat Body, Cat Mind," cats seem healthier and happier when they are kept not as single pets, but as a pair of littermates, as you have (or as a mother-and-kitten pair).

A catio, or outdoor enclosure that is escape-proof and bird-proof, will be an excellent provision of environmental enrichment for your feline companions.

My concern over Savannahs is not age-related, but more about their origin, as they are a variety of wild cat crossed with a domestic cat. First-generation hybrids can be challenging to raise and are often surrendered to rescue organizations, while subsequent generations bred with domestic cats are generally more easygoing (as per my website: drfoxonehealth.com/post/exotic-hybrid-cats-neither-propagate-nor-purchase).

Some cat fanciers might advise you to feed your Savannahs raw cat food, but I would not -- especially at this time, since many cats have died from avian influenza after consuming infected poultry or having contact with an infected bird or small mammal outdoors. Rather, feed them a good-quality canned cat food, and if you are up to it, try my home-prepared cat food recipe, posted at drfoxonehealth.com.

SOMETHING TO BEEF ABOUT

While the lone star tick is the primary species linked to alpha-gal syndrome -- a reaction to a tick bite that triggers an allergy to red meat -- other tick species may also spread it. The lone star tick, primarily found in the Southeast and the lower Midwest, carries alpha-gal, a sugar molecule that causes the syndrome. But according to new case reports in the CDC’s Emerging Infectious Diseases publication, the deer (or black-legged) tick and the western black-legged tick may also carry it. The syndrome affects about 500,000 people in the U.S. (Full story: NBCNews.com, March 21)

CWD: A HEALTH CRISIS FOR CERVIDS AND A RISK TO PEOPLE

Chronic wasting disease has spread to deer, elk, moose and reindeer in 36 states in the U.S., as well as parts of Canada, Scandinavia and South Korea. Epidemiologist Michael Osterholm says referring to CWD as “zombie deer disease” understates the risks of a cruel, fatal disease that poses an existential threat to wild cervids. Scientists are also concerned about the potential for the disease to spill over into humans, especially as more people consume infected venison, and as long as diseased carcasses are disposed of in landfills and feedlots remain in operation. (Full story: The Guardian, March 20)

Deer, elk and reindeer farms are especially at risk for CWD, and can be a primary source of infection for wild cervids. This calls for the farms' closures, or at least for the prohibition of transporting live animals from one farm to another. Pet food manufacturers using any ingredients from these species should test for this prion-based disease and indicate that their products test negative to avoid possible transmission to cats, dogs and all carnivores in zoos.

FLORIDA TO CREATE AN ANIMAL CRUELTY REGISTRY

A Florida bill would create a public registry of animal abusers to prevent them from adopting pets. The registry would include the names of those convicted of animal cruelty or who plead guilty to it, and it would be available on the website of the state's law enforcement department. (Full story: WKMG-TV, Orlando, Florida, March 18)

All states should follow this initiative -- not only to improve animal protection, but because animal cruelty can be a symptom of mental health issues. It can also be associated with in-family violence and sociopathic behavior.

(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: Please see this writeup from PetFoodIndustry.com regarding an upcoming industry convention. Angelique Myburgh, a development specialist at Montego Pet Nutrition, will discuss the suitability of South African game meat as a protein source for pets.

Myburgh spoke with Lisa Cleaver of PFI ahead of the conference. Cleaver writes:

"As pet food manufacturers seek sustainable protein alternatives, African game meat from South Africa -- with its rich nutrient profile and eco-friendly production practices -- is emerging as a promising solution for enhancing pet nutrition while supporting sustainable development initiatives. ...

"As a novel protein, African game meat offers hypoallergenic properties, making it ideal for pets with dietary sensitivities to traditional meat proteins.

"'Because these animals roam freely and feed on natural vegetation, the meat is organic and free from artificial additives,' added Myburgh." (For details, see petfoodindustry.com/news-newsletters/pet-food-news/article/15739400/african-game-meat-emerges-as-a-sustainable-protein-for-pet-food.)

DR. FOX HERE: I say expanding our exploitation and killing of wildlife for commercial purposes, including pet foods, is ethically and ecologically untenable.

Two examples that should be curbed: kangaroo meat, which is an increasingly popular protein source in Australian pet food, and venison. Using venison in pet foods poses the risk of spreading chronic wasting disease, along with lead poisoning from hunters’ lead shot.

Dogs thrive on properly formulated vegan foods. A study conducted by PLOS One found that dogs on vegan diets had fewer health issues than those on conventional meat diets. (See "Vegan versus meat-based dog food: Guardian-reported indicators of health" by Andrew Knight et al., published in PLOS One in 2022.)

Dogs, like us, are flexible omnivores and do not need meat. Both dogs and people can thrive on vegan and vegetarian diets. Companies like Wild Earth, Evolution Diet and V-Dog are producing fully plant-based offerings for dogs, and the movement is gaining momentum.

Vegan cat foods, however, are not biologically appropriate because cats are obligate carnivores: They need meat. Until the production of cultivated meats via cellular bio-fermentation scales up and is affordable for manufacturers, they must rely on animal sources. Often, those sources are discards from factory pig, beef, poultry and fish farming systems -- the output deemed unfit for human consumption. (The inclusion of nutrients from farmed insects in pet and human foods, as a more humane and ecologically regenerative resource, is yet to expand.)

Cat owners indirectly support these inhumane animal industries; many are aware of the dilemma and desire an alternative. There is an opportunity here for cat food manufacturers to facilitate the processing of humanely raised animals -- fed organically certified foods and not given antibiotics and other production-enhancing drugs -- into their products. My veterinary and environmental health colleagues are calling for increased corporate responsibility in protein sourcing for cats.

Choosing instead to include wild game in pet foods endorses unsustainable "wildlife farming" practices. Harvesting wildlife, including sea life, contributes to climate change and biodiversity loss, and it must end. The economically driven scale of exploitation is not ecologically sustainable or regenerative.

(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.)