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Welcome to the American Pet Journal, where I'll bring to light issues affecting our critters, regardless of size, and how they touch our lives and hearts.

I'm thrilled to have this ongoing dialogue with Duke City pet parents, animal shelter workers, veterinarians and pet lovers concerning questions and issues about our pets.

We'll discuss things you've never thought of to those who thought you knew.

Example: Ever heard of dog death by strangulation? It's a real problem, one brought to my attention years ago by a veterinarian in Durango, Colo., after he'd encountered three such cases in a month.

Collars can become entangled while dogs play, or they become ensnared on fences, shrubs and kennels.

I was startled to discover the number of dogs nationwide who perish each year because of their collars. I came upon the KeepSafe Break-Away Dog Collar, invented by a woman whose dog died while playing with another dog; it's available at many pet stores and veterinary clinics.

Readers of that story, including a fireman in Virginia who learned about these collars after two of his dogs were strangled, responded gratefully to the information.

My goal is to assist pet parents in being better informed with more resources to turn to in caring for and nurturing their pets.

Addressing medical, moral, legal and ethical issues is paramount, with the nation's household pet population exploding. The good news is our animals are living longer, healthier lives due to advancements in medical and surgical techniques.

The bad news is that, across the country, our population of unwanted pets has also exploded.

Upcoming columns may touch on: a new injectable serum currently in research that alters the hormonal cycle of feral cats, resulting in sterilization without surgery; how cocoa mulch may give your garden nutrients it needs for beautiful blooms but can poison your pet; and about a disturbing illness in which dogs go blind literally overnight.

A bit about my qualifications. I could have had a villa in Tuscany for the money I've spent over the years on my babies. My dogs have battled heart conditions, SARD disease (that's when a dog goes blind in 24 to 48 hours) valley fever, cancer and other maladies.

My feline family has faced FIP, or Feline Infectious Peritonitis, which is as deadly as feline leukemia.

My columns have been broadcast on radio. In 2003, while on Clear Channel Radio airing in several New Mexico markets, American Pet Journal won first place in the Dr. Michael E. DeBakey Journalism Award's "best radio" category. The award is given by the Foundation of Biomedical Research in Washington, D.C., for journalism that enhances public understanding of the humane use of animals in scientific research.

Through my pets' illnesses, I have learned from the best veterinarian specialists in the country, studied alternative medicines, questioned the experts, all the while thinking, "How come I didn't know this?"

Through my experiences, I'm hopeful you may avoid heartache, have another source of information and realize that your pet, whatever species, is a creature with feelings and emotions, just like us.