I recently came across an advice column written by a pediatrician suggesting that pregnant mothers get rid of their cats. The "advice" column included the typical warnings about Toxoplasmosis, but the real kicker was the warning about cats smothering infants in their crib.

This theory has it's origins in 15th and 16th century folklore about he same time we were burning witches and heretics at the stake. The theory has it that evil and vindictive cats, no longer the center of attention in the house hold, will sneak into the baby's room and "suck" its breath away.

Completely and utterly ridiculous!

I got a phone call from my sister-in-law over the weekend. Seems she and her dog, Wilbur, have an allergy problem. I say they have an allergy problem for a good reason. Besides the obvious misery for Wilbur, watching and listening to a dog that is constantly licking and scratching is very stressful for pet owners, too. I should know because my little dog Darcie went through a bout with allergies when we lived in the Midwest.

This time of year brings out the "trends" reports - what's up in business to business marketing; where is social media going; what should consumers and business professionals be keeping their focus on?

In the pet industry, the economy is causing some stir, just as it is everywhere else. Stories abound on the cost of pet food, on whether or not we can afford proper health care for our beloved dogs and cats (and other pets), and what's going to happen to shelter pets. Some of the chatter is scary - shelters need more supplies for the new pets that disappointed owners could no longer care for. And some is encouraging - with stories of citizens stepping up to help out, including those willing to adopt adult dogs and cats.

Um, excuse me, Mr. President, but..."girlie dog?"

Exactly what is a "girlie dog?"

Here's the scoop - Mr. President (have to stop calling him Barack now that he's official, I guess), was talking with Barbara Walters and...he accused her of having a "girly dog" when she tried to convince him to get a Havanese pup, like hers.

One of my big projects last year was to help create a comprehensive online veterinary information tool for PurinaCare. I'm very happy to say it's here at last.

The PurinaCare Pet Health Library was the brainchild of PurinaCare CEO, Dr David Goodnight. He wanted a place for pet owners to go where they could access the latest information on a wide range of pet health topics. Kind of a Web MD for pet lovers.

I'm proud to say it's here! We've compiled over 250 articles and videos on pet health. We also have a comprehensive list of both dog and cat breeds. 

It's pretty darn cool if I do say so myself.

Granted there is a lot of pet information on the web, but you have to sift through a lot to find it. I'm always looking for this type of information to add depth to my posts over at Scratchings and Sniffings and here on the PC blog. Now I've got a one stop shop.

I'll be linking to the library a lot over the next year. Tell your friends, neighbors and relatives about it and bookmark it yourself. I'm sure you'll find it a useful tool. I've always felt that an educated pet owner is a better partner with the vet in the quest for the best veterinary care and that's the real purpose of this exciting new tool.

Check it out!   

A friend sent me this great article (it's a year old but it's still valuable information, and I don't think the overall information has changed that much) on how much women value their pets.

According to a survey done in the UK, "Most women - almost two thirds - would choose to insure their pets before their partners."

Now, I'm not sure what questions were asked to have women admit this out loud, but I do know that we ladies love our pets with great devotion. Much the same way we love our kids.

This article from a site called Buzzle - Intelligent Life on the Web, talks about how we all treat our pets like children. Hence, more people are turning to pet health insurance, the article says. To help secure a healthy, happy life for our pets.

Marley & Me was the big Christmas hit last year. (seems funny to be saying 'last year' but...it was last year, even though it was less than a month ago). Everywhere I go I hear folks talking about the movie. To date, I have not had the courage to go see it.

You see, people keep giving away the ending. And, I am not over losing my Carmie...so, Marley & Me will have to wait a bit.

For those who are eager for more - Purina has introduced a Limited Edition "Marley & Me" Calendar which can be found on specially marked bags of Purina^® Dog Chow^® brand Dog Food Complete & Balanced, Purina^® Puppy Chow^® brand Puppy Food Completed & Balanced for Growing Puppies and Purina^® Little Bites Dog Food.

Their press release is titled: Heel the Love All Year Long. How cute is that?

Brand manager for these brands, Kristen Edler, says, "Unique, loveable and full of life, these are qualities of a Dog Chow^® dog and Marley certainly embodies all of them." The calendar honors the mischievous antics of the movie dog and celebrates rascally dogs everywhere - which is to say it shares the story of all dogs - the dogs we love for their crazy antics and their bounding love - in calendar form, to remind each of us that Marley & Me was/is about "life, love, family -- and the world's 'worst' dog." Which, really, was and is the world's BEST dog! Just like yours.

Now that the holidays are over, for most of us -- some of us are still clinging to that pine smell, I know... but now that we're back to 'normal', the new puppy or kitten you gave your kids is starting to be considered a real part of the family, I'm sure.

If you got your new pet from a shelter, or the local Humane Society, I applaud you. However, your sweet pet is one of the lucky ones. There are still dozens of warm, soft, energetic, fun, silly, and lonely pets back at the shelter that need our help.

As you all know, I'm a big advocate of pet health insurance. I'm always on the look out for what other's think on the topic, too.

I came across a good article on the subject with some comments by Dr. Nancy Kay, a board certified internal medicine specialist from the Animal Care Center of Rhonert Park.

The article is in the Marin Independent Journal and you can read it here.

Among other things, Dr Kay makes an excellent point about pet health insurance having been around for a while but maybe not quite living up to people's expectations in the past. She references more recent changes in the Pet Insurance Industry where some providers are willing to provide greater reimbursement levels allowing her clients to take advantage of the best available treatment plans.

She makes a distinction between "conservative"  and "aggressive" veterinary care where everything that can be done is available. As a specialist, Dr Kay knows that more sophisticated procedures can cost more. These newer more expensive diagnostic procedures and treatment protocols can be life saving too.

As vets we are sometimes forced to tailor our treatment plans to fit the financial circumstances of our clients and in some cases we could do more if the client had pet health insurance.

That would help us all sleep a little better at night.

I've got a recommendation for a new book to kick off a new year. Tell Me Where if Hurts by Dr Nick Trout is about a day in the life of a veterinary surgeon at a large referral hospital in Boston.

It starts out with an early morning emergency call with a dog with a gastrointestinal problem and ends late the same night with a follow up on that same dog. In between there are a number of really interesting tales reminiscent of James Herriot.