This legislation would be difficult to enforce locally and would do nothing to stop the importation of pets from out-of-state. Puppy mills in other states would thrive because individuals and families looking for a new pet wouldn't have as many sources from which to choose. Hobby breeders, legitimate breeders who belong to the American Kennel Club and breed their dogs for the betterment of their individual bloodlines, would significantly decrease in numbers. Meanwhile, more and more pets would be purchased from faceless people advertising on the Internet or selling wholesale to pet stores. The pets they sell are often raised in extremely poor, unhealthy conditions. AB 1634 does nothing to address the extreme cruel treatment of dogs and cats perpetuated by the practices of puppy mills.

What is a puppy mill? How serious a problem are they? You can see examples on an informative Web site, www.endpuppymills.com. A local veterinarian and several technicians recently went to a sale for a puppy mill in Arkansas. On their trip, they documented the poor condition of dogs and the squalor in which they saw puppies housed. Look at this Web site and you'll see animals suffering from untreated injuries and illness common in these situations.

The California Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) helped sponsor AB1634. This endorsement was done by CVMA's officers without thorough consultation with the membership. This endorsement does not represent the consensus of many veterinarians as it implies. For example, the Monterey Bay Veterinary Medical Association voted last week 24-2 to ask CVMA to rescind its co-sponsorship of AB1634. Many local vets have stated publicly that they do not agree with this legislation and refuse to endorse it. Several have stated that they will resign membership with CVMA if this sponsored legislation passes. Stay tuned. This is a political hot potato and there will be much more to come as CVMA and member veterinarians deal with the fallout of this legislation. And now to the question of the week.

Q: Monte is our black panther. Actually, he's just a small black kitty we adopted 7 years ago from the shelter. But he thinks he's a big tough dude. Lately, he's been acting really weird and skittish. He seems to be compulsively licking and grooming at some little scabs on his back. Is this an infection? What should we do? He's losing a lot of his fur.

A: Take a good look at Monte and see if he has any scabs on his tummy or anywhere else on his body. I'll bet that they are only on his backside. Further, I can imagine that he's really sensitive when you pet him over his back. He probably doesn't like being scratched there.

The small scabs you describe sound like milia, named because they look like millet seeds. Some people refer to Monte's condition as "scabby cat disease," And it can be caused by a number of different problems, but one condition is by far the most common in this area.

Milia on cats usually indicates an allergic problem. And yes, cats can get allergies just as easily as people or other animals. They can be allergic to pollens, food or just about anything in their environment. But the No. 1 cause of military dermatitis in California kitties is fleas. And this is the time of year that the flea population is growing rapidly. Warm weather causes these blood-sucking parasites to become more active. They're out there, in Monte's backyard and even in the house, just waiting to jump on and get a quick and easy blood meal.

Flea control is easy these days. There are several different medications that can effectively prevent fleas from ever biting your panther. But be very careful. Some over-the-counter flea products are very toxic to cats. And some are more effective than others. Best advice? Talk to Monte's vet about what flea control would work best for him. And if the itch is too much for the little guy, his vet can also prescribe medications that can quickly make him feel comfortable again.

Pete Keesling Pete Keesling is a retired veterinarian who has lived and worked in San Martin for 31 years. He writes a bi-weekly column for South Valley Newspapers and hosts a radio talk show, Dr. Pete's Petpourri, Sundays at 1 p.m. and Friday mornings at 7:10 on KSCO 1080 AM. If you have questions about pet care, e-mail them to smvet3@yahoo.com.