Leslie, thank you for this thoughtful and insightful essay. I agree that pet waste is also an environmental and ecological problem. I, too have researched the parasiticides we use on our pets. And, have done considerable work on pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in wastewater effluent. As is the case in public health, knowledge and prevention is a good start to solving a difficult problem.
My dogs have been fed organic homemade dog food for decades. The recipe is from Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Pet Care--modified somewhat. In the past few years as the doggies have struggled with dementia, with veterinary recommendation, Badger now gets half processed dog food to provide short chain triglycerides for brain health. The dogs only get treated with subcutaneous fipronil and methoprene when they may be exposed to ticks and fleas, e.g. early summer and, because they are rarely exposed to mosquitoes, after their annual heartworm checks are negative, I do not give them ivermectin (that is for covid, remember? --just kidding folks, NO it is not).
As with you Leslie, I have never used fertilizer or chemicals on our now-near Savanna type yard. And the doggies' feet get wiped after every walk.
My condolences re: Ruby's cancer, yes, it likely has an environmental component as dogs are exposed to many toxins with their bare feet and licking to clean themselves, not to mention the chemicals we apply to them. I have had two dogs die of cancer, but the two that most recently been part of our pack have not had cancer. I do attribute this, anecdotally of course, to minimized exposure to pesticides and organic food.
That is not to say they do no have health issues, most of which can be attributed to genetics and inbreeding as they are purebred Dachshunds, but so far, they have not had cancer.
Leslie, thank you for this thoughtful and insightful essay. I agree that pet waste is also an environmental and ecological problem. I, too have researched the parasiticides we use on our pets. And, have done considerable work on pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in wastewater effluent. As is the case in public health, knowledge and prevention is a good start to solving a difficult problem.
My dogs have been fed organic homemade dog food for decades. The recipe is from Dr. Pitcairn's Natural Pet Care--modified somewhat. In the past few years as the doggies have struggled with dementia, with veterinary recommendation, Badger now gets half processed dog food to provide short chain triglycerides for brain health. The dogs only get treated with subcutaneous fipronil and methoprene when they may be exposed to ticks and fleas, e.g. early summer and, because they are rarely exposed to mosquitoes, after their annual heartworm checks are negative, I do not give them ivermectin (that is for covid, remember? --just kidding folks, NO it is not).
As with you Leslie, I have never used fertilizer or chemicals on our now-near Savanna type yard. And the doggies' feet get wiped after every walk.
My condolences re: Ruby's cancer, yes, it likely has an environmental component as dogs are exposed to many toxins with their bare feet and licking to clean themselves, not to mention the chemicals we apply to them. I have had two dogs die of cancer, but the two that most recently been part of our pack have not had cancer. I do attribute this, anecdotally of course, to minimized exposure to pesticides and organic food.
That is not to say they do no have health issues, most of which can be attributed to genetics and inbreeding as they are purebred Dachshunds, but so far, they have not had cancer.