Most of us that know about colostrum know it as the first milk produced by the mother animal for nursing her pups or kittens. Colostrum is rich in nutrients and antibodies (also called immunoglobulins) that protect puppies from various diseases until they get old enough to receive vaccinations.

That's why it's so important for puppies and kittens to get colostrum and they have to get it in the first hours and days of nursing. After that, the immature intestinal tract shuts off absorption of antibodies.

It may just be a sign of the times, or it may be common sense, but the recent announcement that SWBR, a diversified financial services company in San Antonio, TX and PurinaCare® Pet Health Insurance have partnered to provide pet health insurance as a member benefit is encouraging to pet folks like me.

PurinaCare is working hard to reach out to pet owners to let them know pet insurance is a good idea, not just because it saves any of us money (although it can), but because it gives us peace of mind. Within that focus is the realization that there are other ways to offer this insurance option, beyond the quote box on the PurinaCare website, or on this blog.

My mom is somewhere in her 90's. We don't know her exact age for sure because, as she claims, "The courthouse burned down and destroyed the original records." She lives pretty much on her own with help from my sister and others.

She's still sharp as a tack but she has trouble getting around due to chronic back pain. The loss of mobility is the hardest part for her. She loves to go out but the pain is too much, sometimes. She tells me it's tough when the mind is willing and the flesh is not.

I do. I mean, there are so many wonderful dogs and cats waiting for adoption, it just makes me so sad, sometimes. I see them on TV every day, I get announcements in my email, and I hear about others via friends and family. If I could adopt them all - live on a ranch and have the right space for them, as well as the income to care for them properly, I'd do it. Wouldn't you?

Since I can't do that, I think Tom and I will start considering a couple of shelter dogs for our new home in Colorado. I don't think I can adopt a new cat just yet. The Wabby is Queen of the House and she's not fond of other cats. I expect she would tolerate one, but she'd never forgive us.

One of the more difficult, time consuming and potentially expensive medical problems your pet can face are allergies. The reason is there is no one stop shop for allergy diagnosis and treatment. The best approach, the one that will result in the best results for you and your pet, is a multi faceted approach.

By now, regular readers know about Katie the "Miracle Dog" and how PurinaCare pet health insurance played a big part in the care she received at MSU (Michigan State University) recently. It's been in the news for weeks! And rightly so - the cost of Katie's care in her emergency treatment was covered, to the tune of 80%, by her PurinaCare pet health insurance policy.

Because of this, PurinaCare established a $1000 award to be given away annually - to a deserving MSU veterinary student, with an eye on fostering their future in medicine. This year's award was given to Bianca Buffa, first year veterinary student, handed out at the Celebration of Life Ceremony.

MSU's Veterinary Teaching Hospital honored 50 "Miracle Pets," including our Katie, as living examples of the strides and accomplishments in veterinary medicine. "The Miracle Pets were celebrated for their strength in the face of unbelievable odds," the press release notes.

On Saturday, March 20th, the first day of spring, in the 7th year of Celebration of Life, these pets were honored by MSU.

Have you ever had to use an elizabethan collar? You know, those lampshade-like devices that are supposed to keep your pet from licking at wounds or stitches?

If you have, you know what a pain they can be for some dogs and cats. They remind me of that thing the Count of Monte Cristo had to wear on his head for all those years. Some pets tolerate these collars better than others. But, whenever a dog or cat's peripheral vision is impaired, they are deprived of critical information. The sense of sight and smell are key to dogs and cats and to their sense of well being.

I've seen critters get downright depressed from having to wear an elizabethan collar. And, these devices can also wreak havoc in the living room as the dog wanders through knocking stuff off the coffee table because they can't see it.

Food banks are not something we associate with our pets. Pet nutrition is a growing focus for pet owners - even as we attempt to improve our own eating habits, we also want to make sure our pets get the best nutrition possible. But, the recession has actually put a damper on that purpose. Many pet owners are having trouble feeding their pets.

This NY Times article shows how needed pet food banks are. In this article, "More Food Banks Helping to Feed Pets", the writer, Stephanie Strom quotes the president of the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals (a non-profit that works to find way of limiting the number of animals in NYC that are euthanized, something we can all get behind), saying, "One of our goals is to keep pets in their homes if we can. It's heartbreaking when an animal has to go to a shelter simply because its family doesn't have the money to feed it."

We've all heard countless stories about the relief efforts going on in the aftermath of the Haitian earth quake. Our hearts ache at the sights and sounds coming from our Caribbean neighbor. Being a Vet, I've often wondered about the effects of natural disasters on pets.

Is there an organization like Dr's Without Borders that helps animals in devastated areas like Haiti? Turns out there are a couple and one of them has been in Haiti almost since the beginning.

We recommend pet health insurance - we being myself and Tom, my hubby. The best reason to have it is not because it will "save you money", although it will, especially in a pinch. But, the better reason is to give you peace of mind.

Over on the BlogPaws site, Tom wrote an extensive article about pet health insurance, and I thought it was worth quoting from. I do recommend you visit the blog and read it yourself - it's not just his opinion, there are a lot of smart people who feel exactly the same as we do, about this important topic.

Here's the main point of his post: "Health insurance is NOT an investment! It's protection against financial disaster. That includes pet health insurance."