DEAR DR. FOX: We have lived in a 19-story condo in Florida for over 20 years, and our bylaws state that no pets are allowed. When we first moved here, one resident had a dog; now I think we are up to 20 dogs in the building, and one is a Doberman. Apparently all you must do is get a letter from a doctor saying you need a “comfort” animal.

When we moved in, we found homes for our two beloved cats because we did not think it fair to confine them to a high-rise condo. But a cat at least uses a litter box, and doesn’t need to go outside like a dog does.

So here we are -- many of us old, with health problems, going up and down elevators with dogs. I feel sorry for one young man, who carries his spaniel all around, but I also feel sorry for the dog! He or she deserves a yard.

I read somewhere that dogs need to go outside five times a day. I have now learned about pee-pads, which some residents' dogs may be using, and I have seen others peeing in the stairwells.

Do you have any advice? -- H.R.F., Jensen Beach, Florida

DEAR H.R.F.: I appreciate your concerns, but I am not sure how I can help, except to say that many people need companion animals for their mental and physical health -- a well-documented fact that housing authorities and landlords should honor.

A residential building should have a code of care for cats, including not allowing them outdoors and kitty litter being disposed of properly. Any damage from scratching should be paid for upon inspection.

Dogs should be walked at least three times daily in designated areas where all poop is picked up and put in garbage containers. Professional dog-walkers can be hired as needed.

Dogs can suffer from heat stress and die from heat stroke. Hot pavements and sidewalks call for early morning and late-evening walks. And never leave them inside a vehicle, even for a short time. Some pets have died when left in a car with the engine running to provide air conditioning when the engine stalled.

Some communities disallow dogs because they fear the nuisance of barking. Barking dogs can indeed be a problem, sometimes warranting a veterinary behavioral consultation. Leaving a TV or radio on while away can help alleviate dogs’ separation anxiety and the associated yowling, and also acts as a sound barrier to outside noises that can trigger barking. Giving a dog a food-puzzle toy or a non-rawhide bone to chew can also alleviate anxiety and boredom.

AVOIDING BLOOD CANCER IN DOGS

Researchers at the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine are developing a combined blood test and treatment for canine hemangiosarcoma, a cancer of the blood cells that affects an estimated 50,000 dogs annually in the U.S. and is almost always fatal within a year. The treatment extended six-month survival rates after splenectomy in a pilot study. (Full story: AVMA News, July 8)

With so many dogs getting this cancer, one must wonder why, and seek prevention. I agree with veterinarian Dr. Lynda Loudon, who posted recently on her website: “Many commercial flea and tick products contain harsh pesticides that linger on your dog’s skin and can be absorbed into their bloodstream -- posing long-term health risks.

"Thankfully, there are effective, natural alternatives that don’t compromise your pet’s well-being. Essential oil blends, diatomaceous earth, and dietary support are some of the measures that can help keep pests at bay without the toxic load." Read more here: drloudon.com/pet-health/the-silent-risk-is-your-lawn-putting-your-dog-at-risk-for-hemangiosarcoma.

Many pets are exposed to glyphosate, the carcinogenic weed-killer used on private property, in parks and on various crops that go into pet and human foods. For more on glyphosate, see this significant review: "A comprehensive analysis of the animal carcinogenicity data for glyphosate from chronic-exposure rodent carcinogenicity studies" by Christopher J. Portier, published in Environmental Health in 2020.

(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: This is the second half of the column I began last week on the topic of "making America GREEN again."

Only intergenerational justice can secure the well-being of future generations. Any truly democratic government would be founded on the Seventh Generation Principle, a central tenet of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) philosophy. This principle emphasizes our responsibility to consider the well-being of people seven generations in the future when making decisions today.

Worship services can be a meaningful place to start for many, regardless of your specific beliefs. A new Catholic Mass, titled “Mass for the Care of Creation,” has been added to the Roman missal. This new Mass emphasizes the church’s commitment to environmental stewardship and integral ecology, echoing Pope Francis’ "Laudato Si" encyclical. Catholics and non-Catholics alike should embrace this new rite on care for the environment.

There is every reason for us all to follow the tenet of Judaism called "tikkun olam" -- repairing the world. I see this as an ethical imperative and our collective moral responsibility for the quality of life for all generations to come. In addressing our existential responsibilities for animals, nature and each other, we should embrace the spiritual doctrine of ahimsa -- the avoidance of harming or killing any living being -- shared by Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, as well as the pan-religious doctrine of loving one's neighbor as oneself.

Once, we knew the language of the trees and of other plants -- their whys and ways. Fellow creatures, wild and tame, lived with us and around us and spoke to us. Today, our degrees of illiteracy in relation to other sentient beings, not to mention our ecological ignorance and environmental indifference, are indices of our humanity and civility. Both need to be restored.

Having felt this way for over 80 years now, I am world-weary and impatient for our recovery: what I call the Great Healing. But I am heartened by the efforts of the younger generations and nonprofit organizations who are choosing the path of making America -- and the world -- green again. For instance, youth around the world are joining the Extinction Rebellion organization to demand action on climate change (rebellion.global).

The quest for sustainable, carbon-free energy sources -- including geothermal, solar, wind and hydrogen, as advocated by the scientific community, environmentalists and the United Nations -- should be supported by our current administration and all other governments around the world. (For details, see un.org/en/climatechange/what-is-renewable-energy.) My new book, “One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives,” provides documented evidence, direction and inspiration for things we can all do to live simply so that others may simply live.

DR. FOX ON PROJECT COYOTE WEBINAR

I will be participating in a webinar with Project Coyote ambassador Vanessa Chakour on Aug. 12 at 3 p.m. Eastern time. A description from the website: "Vanessa and Michael will guide a conversation about how to increase our understanding of, and appreciation for, other animals, in order to build stronger relationships with nature and improve our health and well-being in the process."

Full details available here: projectcoyote.org/webinar-series-nourishing-earth-nourishing-ourselves.

(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 expect you have gotten dozens (at least) letters regarding L.O. in Florida. Though tempted, I will not stoop to her level and call her names. I think, however, she is an example of someone who, at heart, is not really a cat person, and maybe not even an animal person, since her convenience seems to be first and foremost in her mind. At her age, she is unlikely to change.

Long ago, I worked for a vet who very rarely, and only in exceptional situations, would consider declawing a cat. How rarely? There was only one done in the four years I worked for him. I will not go into why he agreed to it that one time, but I was assisting during that operation.

I think anyone who is thinking about having a cat declawed should watch a video of how it is done. It is brutal and bloody. I don’t know if people are simply ignorant or if they do not care, but they need to understand that it is equivalent to amputating all 10 of their fingers at the last joint. Since cats are quadrupeds, the effect is also equivalent to doing the same amputation of all 10 of a human’s toes. While a person could manage to function, to some degree, if this was done, no one would be so callous as to suggest that everything would be just “fine” or “normal” after the procedure if done to a human.

I also wonder if the same people who routinely declaw cats are also in favor of declawing dogs who scratch or are diggers. It is done, unfortunately, as I understand, but not as often. Most people seem more willing to work on training their dogs, keeping their nails trimmed and filed, and either fencing off no-dig areas or keeping their dogs on leashes when outdoors rather than routinely mutilating their feet for their own convenience. Why aren’t cats given the same consideration?

In my 65+ years, I have had many, many cats and have never even been tempted to declaw one of them. I have provided them with various types of scratchers and even trained them on their use when they did not “get it” on their own. I have trimmed and filed nails. I have used nail caps. Yes, I have still had furniture scratched, and I have been scratched more than once myself. I have also had chewers (cats and dogs) and been bitten, but I have not yet stooped to having an animal’s teeth removed to solve that problem.

If a person is not prepared for all that comes with sharing a home with a pet, maybe they should stick to cuddling up with a big, soft plushie instead of trying to surgically modify an animal to suit their preferences.

Thanks for letting me vent. -- K.D., Sebastopol, California

DEAR K.D.: Many thanks for your contribution about this detestable mutilation of cats. Many countries and states have banned declawing of cats due to its harmful nature. Declawing is banned in at least 42 countries, several U.S. states, and 9 out of the 10 Canadian provinces.

Your own personal experience witnessing this surgical procedure is a wake-up call that all cat owners and would-be cat owners should consider whenever a veterinarian in the U.S. suggests it be done while the kitten is anesthetized for spay/neuter.

(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.)