Itching and scratching are bad enough. But did you know that fleas also can lead to tape worms or carry diseases like bartonella, and even the plague?

“I’ve got a story to tell.” Kristina Blank Makansi and her daughter, Amira, hear those words a lot when people find out they publish books. Their publishing company, Blank Slate Press, was founded in 2010, and is steadily building a list of novels that it has brought to market.

TAYLOR ROBINSON, a senior at Ladue Horton-Watkins High School, is one of 814 high school athletes nationwide who have been nominated to play in the 2013 McDonald’s All American Games. The 2013 nominees include high school basketball players from across the country who have been selected by coaches, athletic directors, principals and members of the McDonald’s All American Games Selection Committee. Pictured: Taylor Robinson with Colleen Schoendienst, local McDonald's owner/operator

Known by some as the St. Louis spring event, Friends of St. Louis Children’s Hospital recently held its 10th annual Table Tops event at The Ritz-Carlton. 

I have been a pet owner for many years—sometimes successfully; other times, not so much. I have had a towheaded 3-year-old come to me with a goldfish in his hand, and ask with utter sincerity why Gil doesn’t seem to like playing in the yard. I have had a guinea pig give birth not once, not twice, but three times on my watch. We had an albino gecko. Why, you ask? I wonder the same thing every day. I think it may have taken its own life, but the official cause of death is ‘accidental.’ Apparently, it accidentally stopped eating and drinking. I have had a puppy sit on my lap while I scratched her head and rubbed her back as she—unbeknownst to me—devoured a bird. But now, I fear my patience may have run its course. It appears our puppy—our adorable, precious, impossible-not-to-love puppy—has discovered a nest. Or a herd. Or a pack—of voles.

Across

Last week, my husband and I attended a seminar on alcohol and drug prevention at Whiny’s school for eighth-graders and their parents. We were split up, and tables of nine were composed of four kids, four parents and a faculty facilitator. There were various speakers: a doctor who explained the effects of alcohol on the teenage brain, two seniors who had elected not to drink during their high school years, and the head of school who encouraged open and honest dialogue about the subject.

Does your pet have a case of bad breath? If so, don’t blame Fluffy or Fido, area vets say. Good oral hygiene is an important part of your pet’s grooming, and this often-overlooked aspect of their care should start early.

Across

Story: Chiclet Forrest wants desperately to be included in the fun times of the local Malibu surfer group. She’s a bit reserved, perhaps because of the quiet life she lives with her mother. It’s 1962, and Mrs. Forrest likes to dress up and sip a martini while doing the domestic chores.

When the Walker family moved to Frontenac five years ago, they immediately were greeted with a friendly welcome. Stephanie, a North Carolina native, is a former attorney and homemaker; and her husband Chip, originally from Virginia, is a managing director at Wells Fargo Advisors. The couple has two children, 9-year-old Thornton and 8-year-old Emmi, who attend Conway Elementary. Simon, a yellow Labrador; Macie, a Goldendoodle; and a cat, Trixie, are the family pets. Stephanie told us more about what she and her family enjoy in Frontenac.

When Amanda and Jeffrey Mullen were preparing for their wedding in 2010, Amanda Mullen knew that she wanted her pets to play a big part. After all, she is the director of the Humane Society’s Longmeadow Rescue Ranch.

Entrepreneur Jason Jan admits he’s a little camera-shy. “I prefer to be humble,” says Jan, a husband and father of three children—two boys, ages 5 and 8, and a 7-month-old daughter.

I have no proof or reasonable explanation about some things veterinary—things that were never learned in school; rather, just acquired on the job. One of those things is that every five years or so, all animals in St. Louis shed at an even more alarming rate that usual: 2012 has been one of those years. In the summer, people told tales of living room tumbleweeds, even for cats that live indoors! Shedding is one of the peeves of all pet owners, especially for the head vacuumer in the household. Let us discuss what we can do about it:

Story: It’s the holiday season, and an assortment of relatives and friends gather at the comfy, suburban English home of Neville and Belinda Bunker for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Neville’s tipsy sister Phyllis is there along with her husband Bernard, a plodding physician who insists each year on performing a puppet show to the boredom of the children and adults alike. There’s also Phyllis’ and Neville’s Uncle Harvey, a retired security officer with a penchant for absorbing himself in bloody flicks being shown on the telly.

Across

Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate recently celebrated the opening of its new chocolate factory by hosting a party for friends, family and residents of The Hill, where the facility is located. A portion of the retail proceeds and all proceeds from a chocolate basket raffle went to the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Pictured: Shriners' director of public and community relations Tammy Robbins, owners of Chocolate Chocolate Chocolate Dan Abel, Sr., Rosalie Abel, Dan Abel, Jr., Christina Abel and Chris Abel, and Shriner David Dieckhaus

To sleep, perchance to dream…not a problem in these two well-designed boudoirs! Holly Blumeyer, owner of Holly Blumeyer Interior Design Group, and her husband, Jeff Demerath, are in the process of remodeling a charming home.

Story: Scott has interviewed 28 candidates for a job opening with his firm, but so far isn’t pleased with what he’s seen. After all, Scott runs Legacy Letters, a company that crafts suicide notes for its clientele. He’s searching for someone with just the right combination of style and substance who can reassure customers that their last words will have meaning and impact.

Anemia is familiar term to most of us, but one we hope we won't have to become too familiar with. Anemia is a lack of red blood cells, and there are all sorts of anemias and myriads of causes. But the truth remains: the result is always the same. There are particular kinds of anemia that are not uncommon for our dogs and cats. Hemolytic (hemo—blood, lytic—break) anemias are destructive in nature. When your pet has a hemolytic anemia, its red blood cells are being destroyed. Two common types of hemolytic anemia are immune-mediated and non-immune-mediated. This article will focus on the immune-mediated hemolytic anemia type.

When I was a kid, people used to say we lived in a fast-paced world. Phones had click lines, documents could be faxed, and homework could be done on computers. Clearly, that all seems quite leisurely now. Cranky, 14, and Whiny, 13, are all about social media--and that’s fine. They 'friended' me and I monitor their activity, trolling their Facebook pages every now and then--everything is fine. Let me rephrase: I thought everything was fine.

I think if I were a filmmaker and someone described one of my movies as nice, I would be insulted. But I can honestly say, when I describe this film as nice, I mean it as a huge compliment. It’s a creative, funny, weird—yet human—story about families and life, oh, and a robot.