Q: Our veterinarian recently told us about a little boy who lost his sight in one eye because of a roundworm infection, which he might have gotten from his puppy. We were thankful that our veterinarian told us about this and that she recommended periodic stool sample checks to be sure that our dog does not have internal parasites. Are roundworms commonly diagnosed in puppies? A: Unfortunately, finding roundworms in puppies is fairly common. It ... [full story]

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Three people died and one person was critically injured when the car they were in jumped over an exit ramp onto a south Florida expressway.The Florida Highway Patrol said the 2001 Jaguar failed to make a turn to go westbound onto State Road 94 from northbound Interstate 95 early Thursday morning, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported. The car struck a wall and then hit the concrete median before launching into the ... [full story]

As if planning a funeral isn't confusing enough, there's a new option: "green" burials. Some families are forgoing formaldehyde embalming and laminated caskets in favor of eco-friendly, natural-fiber shrouds and coffins made from cardboard, recycled newspapers or bamboo, lined with unbleached cotton. I flashed on this trend while reading a new report about prepaid funeral-plan scams. A 2007 AARP survey of 1,087 Americans 50-plus found that 23 percent made prepayments on funerals, burials or both. ... [full story]

NEW YORK - Former Illinois police officer Drew Peterson Thursday denied killing his third and fourth wives, but said he is prepared to be charged.Peterson and his lawyer, Joel Brodsky, appeared on NBC's "Today." He said his main worry is the effect on his children. He has two teenage sons by his third marriage and two young children by his fourth. "Psychologically and physically, if my children are OK, I'm OK," he said.Peterson said he was ... [full story]

Sales of condominiums and townhomes are picking up. These units are just too popular with a large segment of buyers to be held down long by a general sales slump. When I first started writing this real estate column in 1971, I had to explain what this new type of housing with the strange name of "condominium" was all about. Since then, it has become the preferred housing concept for an increasingly large number of ... [full story]

Recently, a friend came to me for advice on how to tell her 25-year-old daughter about the importance of saving money. The daughter had just gotten her first career-focused job, but felt she wasn't making enough money to save, especially for retirement. My friend knows how important saving is - and saves as much as she can herself - however, she didn't have enough information to have a substantive discussion with her daughter. This made ... [full story]

Along comes more evidence that suggests you will live longer and more productively if you get up off your sofa and exercise moderately. A large study, presented Feb. 20 at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference 2008 in New Orleans, followed 60,000 men and women for an average of 18 years. It found a significant connection between a moderate level of cardiorespiratory fitness and a reduction of the risk of stroke, the No. 3 ... [full story]

Kim Whitney is volunteering this year as the WeCare representative for La Jolla Country Day, an upscale private school in San Diego where her daughter is a student.   CHEERS AND JEERS - When cheers turn to jeers it's up to parents to step in. CNS Illustration by Jacie Landeros  The group grew out of the concerns of parents and school personnel from seven private schools who want "to promote integrity, responsibility, ethical behavior and wellness in ... [full story]

Some items never seem to go out of style - fashion that goes on safari is updated for the urban jungle. This year the "Out of Africa" look is still roaring with ethnic designs and a neutral color palette that still stalks the fashion runways. Indiana Jones himself would approve.   SAFARI STYLE - Anne Klein updates the safari trend at Macy's with the belted shirtdress, a classic style that transcends the seasons in neutral khaki. ... [full story]

ORANGE, Calif. - A Southern California man fell to his death while trying to retrieve his neighbor's cat from a tree.Scott Buehler was stretching out his hand to the cat when he fell. He and the animal both dropped 35 to 40 feet Wednesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Times reported.The cat survived the fall with minor injuries and was returned to its owner in less than two hours.Buehler was wearing a helmet.Fire Captain Ian MacDonald ... [full story]