DEAR READERS: Andrew deCoriolis, executive director of Farm Forward (farmforward.com), has been speaking out about industrial dairies receiving taxpayer-funded bailouts following bird flu outbreaks.

Such bailouts are intended to compensate farmers for the loss of crops or livestock due to extreme weather or natural disasters. But as deCoriolis has said in interviews with nonprofits such as Our Honor (ourhonor.org), "Bird flu isn’t an 'act of God' -- it’s the predictable result of intensive animal confinement. Instead of improving biosecurity, enforcing standards or changing harmful practices, the system offers taxpayer-funded bailouts to keep business-as-usual running. They have no effective biosecurity and no incentive to change with these public-funded payouts.”

I encourage readers to support nonprofits and other organizations working to investigate and expose these systemic failures and push for change.

HUMANE RODENT REPELLENT?

I would like to hear from anyone who has used this repellent and get their opinions as to its effectiveness. The product is called Vamoose, from pest control company BugMD.

From the company's website: "Each pouch is infused with a combination of Mother Nature’s potent rodenticides: cornmint, citronella and linseed essential oils. This combination creates a powerful force-field of freshness! To humans and pets, BugMD’s Vamoose smells clean and fresh, but mice, rats and other vermin can’t stand the smell. The potent oil infusion irritates a rodent’s nose and throat so severely (that) they stay far away from the source." For details, go to bugmd.com/products/vamooserodentpouches.

I have used peppermint oil in cotton balls in my own home for this purpose, to some effect. Such approaches are more humane than mouse traps that snap, crush or ensnare the rodents with glue, not to mention rodenticides that cause a slow death and can harm any animal consuming a poisoned mouse.

DEAR DR. FOX: I read your column every week and enjoyed your articles on “making America green again.” I think the underlying cause of human dysfunction is this fact of life: The rich get richer and the poor get poorer.

The rich increase their wealth at the expense of workers who can’t afford health insurance, struggle to pay rent/mortgages, and can barely put food on the table. Historically, when this happens, there is always a tipping point -- which is where we are heading today.

We need better leaders and better education to have a society where everyone gets a fair shake. We need a coordinated master plan that includes all progressive organizations! My book “Bucking the System” addresses income inequality and what we can do about it. -- David Stearns, Otto, North Carolina

DEAR D.S.: I commend you on your contribution to economic and social justice. To live simply, so that others may simply live, is a consummation to be devoutly desired!

I like this quote from “Mysteries of the Dream-Time: The Spiritual Life of Australian Aborigines” by James Cowan. He writes: “In a world of agnosticism, the idea that spiritual values might correctly hold precedence over the demands of material well-being is an unthinkable proposition. Modern man is hell-bent on the destruction of all numinosities, whether they be metaphysical, mythic or totemic, in order that he might pave the way for his own material apotheosis.”

The numinous is our apprehension of the sacred. Modern civilization is living in the absence of the sacred in the service of mammon. Our “material apotheosis” is evident in society and government, where economic imperatives take precedence over environmental protection, conservation and social justice. We are already witnessing the consequences, with climate change representing an escalating problem that only a change of heart and mind can mitigate.

Adapt and evolve, or suffer and perish! A carbon tax to fund “green energy” resources for proliferating data centers, coupled with water conservation, needs to be levied on Big Tech and other corporate giants. Otherwise, climate change will exacerbate.

Confucius says: “When a country is well governed, poverty and a mean condition are things to be ashamed of. When a country is poorly governed, riches and honor are things to be ashamed of.” It is regrettable that E.F. Schumacher’s seminal 1975 book, “Small is Beautiful,” did not influence the World Trade Organization, nor local and national governments.

For more details about these concerns -- and solutions -- see my new webinar, “Building an Appreciation for and Relationship with Nonhuman Animals and the Natural World.” View it here: youtube.com/watch?v=snCaW0uxggU.

(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: If you are anything like me, you will support the Union of Concerned Scientists because of your conviction that science can and should be used in service of people and the planet. The scientific community and academia are under attack for being “woke” by the current administration, notably about the reality of climate change and optimal vaccination protocols for children.

See the new UCS report, "Science and Democracy Under Siege: Documenting Six Months of the Trump Administration’s Destructive Actions," here: ucs.org/resources/science-and-democracy-under-siege. The report details how President Trump’s second administration has targeted the public science that we all depend on. Perhaps most importantly, it offers recommendations and resources to counter these attacks and hold the administration accountable.

The report covers five main areas of attacks: gutting scientific expertise, halting science and innovation, ignoring public input, cutting out independent experts, and censoring and suppressing scientific information. It also features a case study on how these attacks have impacted climate policies and programs.

On July 23, the International Court of Justice delivered an advisory opinion on nations' obligations regarding climate change. The message: Countries that fail to meet their climate obligations will be liable to pay damages to other countries affected by climate change.

At the same time, the Trump administration proposes to essentially reverse a landmark scientific report, commonly called the "endangerment finding," that links greenhouse gas emissions to the endangerment of human health. This action is "mind-bogglingly out of touch with reality," said David Doniger, a senior federal strategist at the Natural Resources Defense Council to CNN.

These actions by the current administration should be seen as crimes against humanity and nature. I encourage readers to check out Extinction Rebellion (rebellion.global), a nonprofit organization that is attracting many young people around the world. It offers an antidote to eco-anxiety, depression and despair: to become informed and involved in civil initiatives that benefit people and planet alike.

DEAR DR. FOX: Thank you for sharing your articles about the impact that free-roaming cats have on wildlife, and the potentially serious public health risks they pose. I am trying to get an ordinance passed in my community for cats just like the one we already have for dogs: No owned animals are allowed to roam free off their owners’ property.

Also, please consider urging the entire veterinary profession to become certified in both CAETA euthanasia protocol (caetainternational.com) and low-stress handling protocol (cattledogpublishing.com/LSH), so that un-owned, un-homed cats can at least die without being additionally traumatized. As you may know, Dr. Sophia Yin pioneered the gentle, respectful method of handling unsocialized cats. -- M.J.R., Medford, Wisconsin

DEAR M.J.R.: For reasons beyond my comprehension, many municipalities and some veterinarians feel that it is OK for owned cats to roam free. I see this as a cultural tradition, evident in many other countries, that is out of step with reality. The domestic cat has become an invasive species in many parts of the world, decimating songbird and other wildlife populations.

As I document on my website (drfoxonehealth.com) and in my new book “One Health: Veterinary, Ethical and Environmental Perspectives,” free-roaming cats pose a significant threat to public health. Owned cats should be kept indoors, only allowed out in contained yards and enclosures popularly termed “catios.”

HOPE FOR CAPTIVE MONKEYS

Most primates kept as pets in the U.S. suffer from chronic stress, malnutrition and illness, and countless animals die each year in illegal poaching operations, say Oakland Zoo veterinarian Andrea Goodnight and vice president of animal care Colleen Kinzley. A proposed bill in Congress would ban the private ownership of primates throughout the U.S. All should endorse this legislative initiative. (Full story: National Public Radio, July 26)

(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: On July 10, Merck Animal Health said that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its once-yearly injectable product to treat and protect dogs older than 6 months of age from fleas and ticks. Bravecto Quantum is expected to be available soon nationwide. The product was first approved in Australia and New Zealand in 2023, then by the European Union in 2024, and is now approved in more than 50 countries.

Bravecto Quantum’s active ingredient is fluralaner, which works by targeting the nervous systems of insects and parasites, leading to their paralysis and death. Common adverse reactions in field studies include lethargy, decreased appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, elevated liver enzymes and itching.

Fluralaner is part of the isoxazoline class of antiparasitic drugs, a class linked to adverse neurological reactions like tremors, loss of coordination and seizures. Caution is advised for dogs with a history of seizures or neurologic disorders.

There is a growing body of evidence suggesting this class of insecticides may impact the canine gut microbiome, potentially leading to dysbiosis. In some cases, dysbiosis may contribute to the development of food allergies and skin conditions. Research indicates that isoxazolines might reduce the beneficial part of the gut microbiome by 50%, creating an environment where harmful bacteria can thrive.

My concern is that this insecticide only kills fleas, ticks and mosquitos after they have bitten a dog, cat or another treated animal, and therefore does not stop infective insects from transmitting various diseases and triggering allergic reactions.

I use Earth Animal’s Flea and Tick Herbal Bug Spray on my dog -- and on myself -- when we go for walks in our bug-infested woods. It works, and is nontoxic! Earth Animal also has this product as a spot-on, as well as a Daily Internal Powder Supplement to put in pets’ food. The supplement includes ingredients that I have long touted as helpful in repelling biting insects. Such natural products do not contaminate the environment, which is a rising concern when dogs treated with insecticides contaminate lakes and rivers when they go for a dip.

Some insecticides, along with glyphosate-contaminated pet foods, can trigger sudden aggression in dogs. This may be a consequence of the depletion of the "bonding hormone," oxytocin (as detailed in my post here: drfoxonehealth.com/post/antiparasitic-products-and-the-gut-microbiome). From a One Health perspective, I think it would be advisable to check oxytocin levels in persons engaging in acts of violence. Of course, there are multiple factors in the etiology of human aggression, but oxytocin deficiency and its role what I call the empathy deficit disorder should be considered. (For more, see the study "Neurobiology of aggression and violence" by Larry Siever, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in 2008.)

On July 17, the FDA approved a liquid form of this insecticide -- Exzolt, a fluralaner oral solution -- to be given in the drinking water of poultry for the treatment and control of northern fowl mites in laying hens and replacement chickens.

"In addition to establishing that fluralaner is safe and effective in laying hens and replacement chickens," reads a statement from the agency, "the FDA determined that residues in edible tissues or eggs from birds treated with Exzolt will not represent a public health concern when the product is used according to the label."

The overcrowding of birds in commercial factory farms creates ideal conditions for this mite to spread and infest the entire flock. Less crowding, and the provision of dust-bathing areas that include food-grade diatomaceous earth, would probably prevent the spread of these mites as effectively as insecticides, and with zero risk.

Many avian species regularly dust-bathe, and some engage in reciprocal preening to rid themselves of various external parasites. For details, go to bhwt.org.uk/blog/health-welfare/chicken-dust-bath.

(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.)