Every pet lover with a computer has seen the e-mails and Web sites: the dire warnings on common household products, the miracle cures and behavior-fix products, and the well-meaning but ultimately wrong health-care advice.

Universal Press Syndicate Know where to look and how to question information on the Internet.

The Internet can be the best or the worst place to do research on pet health issues. The trick is in figuring out how to evaluate the information you find, and how to locate the reliable information when you need it.

When you read information online, look for citations to veterinary literature and specific references to studies and clinical research. Just because something is cited in a medical journal doesn't mean it's correct or that it proves the point it's being used to support. But it's more likely to be reliable than a completely unsubstantiated statement.

We don't always have the luxury of waiting for double-blind studies in peer-reviewed journals to be published. The 2007 pet food recall was one such example: Pet owners had to make decisions based on very little information, coming at them from a wide variety of sources.

In situations like that, pet owners have to use other criteria to decide if a source is credible or not. For example, has this been a reliable source of information in the past on other issues? Is the reporting sensationalistic or overly cautious? Do the people involved with the Web site have any financial or professional affiliations that might make them less than objective about the issues? Do they have passionate agendas about health, nutrition or other issues that might also compromise their objectivity?

Watch out for all-or-nothing statements praising or condemning a specific drug, procedure, therapy or approach to health. A treatment that's right for one animal may be wrong for another.

There is a lot of information on the Internet, and a lot of it is well-organized, searchable and well-written -- yet totally wrong. However, usually if a site is badly spelled and punctuated, not easily searched, not well-organized and hard to navigate, the information is less likely to be reliable. Although there are exceptions, as a general rule: If someone is dedicated to providing well-substantiated information, they'll probably be highly motivated to make sure it's well-presented, too.

Press releases and point-of-sale "articles" are never a good place to get health information for your pets. Get your information from someone who isn't going to make -- or lose -- money as a result of your buying decisions.

One other tip: Testimonials are not evidence, proof or documentation. They are advertising. Ignore them.

Where do you start in the search for reliable pet health information online? Start with a careful search. Begin by typing in the name of the condition or disease (and spell it correctly!), and then add the species of your pet. For instance, "struvites stones dogs" (without the quotation marks) is a better search than just "stones."

The average pet owner looking for information online needs to walk a fine line, but not an impossible one. Just try to have both an open mind and a slightly skeptical one, and try to use a variety of sources instead of relying on only one.

And then discuss what you find with your own trusted veterinarian, to make sure the recommendations are appropriate and helpful for your own pet.

Christie Keith is a Pet Connection contributing editor.