DEAR DR. FOX: We have two black Labrador retrievers, ages 3 and 4. I want to thank you for your advice in a past column about this breed being prone to obesity. We see so many fat dogs on our walks!

We have kept our dogs lean by giving them two small meals per day of organic pet food that's low in carbs and fats, plus lots of exercise. We wonder if there will soon be injections available for overweight dogs, similar to Wegovy and Ozempic for humans. -- W.M., South Bend, Indiana

DEAR W.M.: I am glad that my advice has helped your two dogs stay lean and healthy. Labradors have inherited genetic traits, like those in some humans, that make them prone to obesity. But there are many factors that can alter metabolism and the gut microbiome -- the population of beneficial microorganisms in the digestive system.

These can be affected by various food contaminants, such as the herbicide glyphosate, and additives such as preservatives and emulsifiers in highly processed pet and human foods. For details, see the study "Obesity and endocrine-disrupting chemicals" by Angelica Amorim Amato et al., published in Endocrine Connections in 2021.

It is likely that drugs similar to Ozempic and Wegovy will eventually be approved for use in companion animals. However, people who take such drugs face chronic shortages, high costs, insurance barriers and debilitating side effects. Similar issues would likely occur if and when such medicines are used in animals.

SALE OF U.S. PUBLIC WILDLANDS THWARTED FOR NOW

Please see this June 28 news release from the Center for Biological Diversity:

“After massive outrage, Sen. Mike Lee announced late today that he is pulling his provision for a huge sell-off of America’s public lands from the Republican megabill.

“‘Good riddance to the biggest attack on public lands in history,’ said Brett Hartl, government affairs director at the Center for Biological Diversity. ‘Selling off public lands remains overwhelmingly out of step with the values of nearly all Americans and it should never have even been considered. This is a huge victory for the many millions of people across this country who love our public lands and want vibrant wildlife populations and a healthy environment.’

“(The CBD) ran full-page ads in the Denver Post and Salt Lake Tribune blasting Lee’s measure, which initially aimed to sell off roughly 3 million acres of public lands in 11 Western states. Lands at risk included popular recreation areas, hunting and fishing spots, culturally sensitive areas, wildlife and endangered species habitats, public water sources, and nearly 100,000 miles of trails. ...

“More than 100 nonprofit organizations sent a letter to the Western Governors’ Association urging the 19 state leaders to oppose Lee’s proposal, and thousands of people rallied in support of public lands outside the association’s annual meeting in Santa Fe, New Mexico.”

For the full release, visit biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/victory-sen-lee-surrenders-on-plan-to-sell-off-americas-public-lands-2025-06-28.

DEAR DR. FOX: My niece is entering veterinary college this fall, and I want to get her your book “One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives.” However, I only see it on Amazon, and would prefer not to purchase it there. -- R.G., Cleveland, Ohio

DEAR R.G.: I fully understand. You may purchase it directly from the publisher here: routledge.com/One-Health-Veterinary-Ethical-and-Environmental-Perspectives/Fox/p/book/9781032942599.

Good luck to your niece! The courses will be challenging, but the experiences will be rewarding. I hope my book will inspire as well as inform.

(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 visited your website in my search to make sense out of vaccination recommendations, both for animals and people. There is so much misinformation and so many conspiracy theories out there.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an anti-vaxxer, has replaced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices with his own cadre of people. What’s going on, and where do we go from here? -- I.P., West Palm Beach, Florida

DEAR I.P.: You know from my previous posts on vaccinations (see drfoxonehealth.com/post/animal-vaccination-concerns-vaccine-associated-autoimmune-and-other-diseases) that I am not opposed to the judicious use of vaccines, for humans and for companion animals, as long as caution is applied. However, I am concerned about the new generation of mRNA vaccines that the CDC approved for human use at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 mRNA vaccines were brought to market as quickly as possible, given the severity of the pandemic. Now, governmental health agencies are assessing the costs, consequences, risks and benefits of that haste. From the data that I have seen on adverse reactions, hearings are called for.

In my opinion, the risks of mRNA vaccines -- products of genetic engineering and biotechnology -- have never been fully addressed or exposed by the manufacturers, nor by the governmental health regulatory agencies promoting their use. The precautionary principle needs to be more rigorously adopted. RFK Jr.’s new CDC vaccine panel will, hopefully, rise to the challenge, applying sound science to their decision-making.

Below are some studies, articles and other links of interest on the subject.

-- Some adverse effects were documented by Joseph Fraiman et al. in the study "Serious adverse events of special interest following mRNA COVID-19 vaccination in randomized trials in adults," published in Vaccine in 2022. The authors state: “The excess risk of serious adverse events found in our study points to the need for formal harm-benefit analyses, particularly those that are stratified according to risk of serious COVID-19 outcomes.”

-- Yale News (news.yale.edu) ran an article in February entitled "Immune markers of post-vaccination syndrome indicate future research directions." It states that “some individuals have reported chronic symptoms that developed soon after receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. This little-understood, persistent condition, referred to as post-vaccination syndrome (PVS), remains unrecognized by medical authorities, and little is known about its biological underpinnings. ... Some of the most common chronic symptoms of PVS include exercise intolerance, excessive fatigue, brain fog, insomnia and dizziness. They develop shortly after vaccination, within a day or two, can become more severe in the days that follow, and persist over time. More studies are needed to understand the prevalence of PVS.”

-- Per Reuters, on Dec. 6, U.S. District Judge Mark T. Pittman ordered the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to publicly release all data and information submitted to the FDA underpinning the agency’s first-ever Emergency Use Authorization, granted for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in 2020.

-- The U.S. government’s National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program provides liability protections to vaccine manufacturers and vaccine administrators who administer covered vaccines in many circumstances; however, these protections are not absolute. For details, see hrsa.gov/vaccine-compensation/faq.

-- The use of mRNA vaccines in livestock is opposed by the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, at least “until scientifically sound raw data is available for open review by researchers with no conflicts of interest, and publicly available research studies are published and peer-reviewed on the short- and long-term health, safety and fertility effects" of such products on the inoculated animals, as well as on the humans who consume their meat or milk. (Full statement: uscattlemen.org/usca-establishes-policy-regarding-mrna-technologies.)

-- An mRNA vaccine is being developed to prevent feline infectious peritonitis in cats. See the study "Feline Infectious Peritonitis mRNA Vaccine Elicits Both Humoral and Cellular Immune Responses in Mice" by Terza Brostoff et al., published in Vaccines in 2024.

(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: I have a friend who was nearly scammed in her search to adopt a little Yorkie pup. She was about to send money over the internet, but then realized the ad was fake. This is not an uncommon practice, according to two reports:

-- Animal Charity of Ohio warned people in May about a scam involving a fake Venmo account, which was soliciting donations through text messages. The organization, which operates a veterinary clinic and animal welfare programs, relies on donations for its work, and its legitimate Venmo account is verifiable. (Full story: WFMJ-TV, Youngstown, Ohio; May 4)

-- A scammer used the address of a legitimate cat adoption center in North Carolina to fraudulently collect a deposit for a Maine coon cat that didn’t exist. The victim paid a deposit through a mobile app and was sent to Safe Haven for Cats to pick up the nonexistent animal. The center is warning people to be cautious about social media posts for specific breeds, and never to pay in advance. (Full story: WTVD-TV, Raleigh-Durham, North Carolina, May 2)

It is tragic that there are people who would exploit animals and our affection for them in this way. Such people should be identified and prosecuted. My advice, often repeated in this column, is not to buy any animals online, but rather, go to the source -- the shelter or the breeder (or have a friend who lives closer do so, if necessary). Evaluate the facilities and confirm the adoption/sale in person.

I am saddened by the recent NPR report that shelters are filling up with surrendered dogs and cats: a socioeconomic crisis for companion animals.

DEAR DR. FOX: In our yard, we have a birdbath and many trees that the local birds use. We also have a swimming pool, and we occasionally find birds that are dead, or close to it, in the water. If the bird is alive, we care for it until it dies. We often find baby birds that haven’t fully developed.

When we rescue a bird, within days, we find quarter-sized blobs of jelly-looking stuff around our pool. It looks like it is intentionally placed there by birds. My dad thinks it’s a thank-you from the birds for our rescue efforts. He is very attuned to all animals, as am I.

Can you explain this behavior? -- D.H., Lantana, Florida

DEAR D.H.: Birds sometimes vomit a jelly-like material from their crops when they are ill. Finding this substance around your pool could mean that the chemicals in the treated pool water are making the birds sick. Alternatively, it could be related to the avian influenza virus currently decimating bird populations and harming other species in many countries.

Fledglings learning to fly, along with all manner of insects, often drown in outdoor pools, which should be covered when not in use to avoid such incidents. Some pools are even illuminated at night, creating a death trap for little creatures.

Are private swimming pools another abomination of conspicuous consumption, like golf courses? Potentially. The chemicals used on golf courses contaminate freshwater ecosystems, and often eventually come out of our faucets -- and into our swimming pools. Ornithologists are alarmed by the rapid declines of many species across the country.

When an injured or sick bird is found and there is no wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility close by, simply put the bird on a towel in a closed box, then set the box in a quiet place to see if the animal recovers. Being handled can trigger a heart attack in a wild bird, so the less handling, the better.

(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.)