DEAR READERS: In July, amid a local outbreak of canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC), the Delaware Department of Agriculture issued a 30-day ban on transporting dogs in or out of the state. A spokesperson for Brandywine Valley SPCA, Delaware’s largest animal welfare organization, said the group vaccinated all of the dogs housed in its shelters and foster homes and is also vaccinating any dog brought in as a stray. It is also offering two-dose canine influenza vaccines for dogs in the community. (Full story: WMDT-TV, Salisbury, Maryland, July 30)
No single infectious agent has been identified in these local and regional outbreaks of CIRDC. One factor may be the increase in airborne pollen and fungal spores in many areas, which is linked to climate change. But in my opinion, fine particulate matter is a major contributing factor. Consider the many particles and pollutants from automobile exhaust, various industries and forest fires that dogs sniff up while walking and running close to the ground.
Drastically reducing the burning of fossil fuels is called for, not only to reduce the severity of climate change, which triggers forest fires (which in turn exacerbate climate change), but also to prevent diseases caused by air pollutants. Certain tiny particles can damage our lungs, hearts and possibly our brains. The impact on wildlife is potentially extensive, affecting animals’ survival behaviors as well as their neuroendocrine, immune and reproductive systems.
According to the EPA, certain particles that contain aluminum, zinc, lead and sulfuric acid are “making lakes and streams acidic; changing the nutrient balance in coastal waters and large river basins; depleting the nutrients in soil; damaging sensitive forests and farm crops and affecting the diversity of ecosystems.” (For details, see epa.gov/pm-pollution/health-and-environmental-effects-particulate-matter-pm.)
It is notable that outbreaks of CIRDC have become more prevalent in many states where air quality has been declining precipitously from the burning of forest fires. According to the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, CIRDC had reached at least 16 states as of December of last year: California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Nevada, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington.
DOGS CAN SMELL OUR EMOTIONAL STATES
Recent research published in Scientific Reports suggests that dogs can tell whether people are stressed or relaxed based on their scent, and the animals may be able to modify their behavior accordingly. British researchers noted that dogs apparently can interpret odors even when they do not know the person well. (See “The odor of an unfamiliar stressed or relaxed person affects dogs’ responses to a cognitive bias test” by Zoe Parr-Cortes et al., published in Scientific Reports, July 2024.)
DEAR DR. FOX: Have you read this book? It’s by John Clifton: “Stop the Shots! Are Vaccinations Killing Our Pets?” — J.L., Minneapolis
DEAR J.L.: Yes, indeed I have. Clifton included interviews with several veterinarians in his groundbreaking book. It is not an anti-vaccination diatribe, but a well-reasoned documentation of the risks of giving our animal companions too many unwarranted vaccinations. Regrettably, this practice continues, even though various veterinary associations have set new guidelines to minimize vaccinations and optimize their protective value, which I fully endorse.
See my previous posts on the subject:
— drfoxonehealth.com/post/cat-vaccination-protocols
— drfoxonehealth.com/post/dog-vaccination-protocols
— drfoxonehealth.com/post/animal-vaccination-concerns-vaccine-associated-autoimmune-and-other-diseases
There are also rising concerns about genetically engineered mRNA vaccines, which I will address in a future column.
DOG THEFT CAN EVOKE SAME EMOTIONS AS PERSON’S DEATH
People may experience the same degree of despair, hopelessness and emotional pain after a dog is stolen as they do when a beloved person dies, according to a small study in Animal-Human Interactions. Those feelings can be compounded by a lack of understanding as well as laws that consider pets property, researchers found. (Full story: HealthDay News, April 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.)