Need fireworks?
by Maralyn Fink
It looks like July 4th will soon be upon us, and St. Johns has a large assortment of fireworks.
This is a locally owned and operated business, so check it out and see what they have out by the Wheel Inn on Business US-27. There’s something for everyone.
Don’t miss the Farmers Market
by Maralyn Fink
On Saturday I went to the Farmers Market to see what kind of goods they had. It was a cloudy day but not raining.
There were a variety of vegetables, home baked goods and a meat vendor, along with a flower vendor. There’s a nice selection for anyone who attends.
They are open every Saturday from 8 a.m. until noon. The market continues to be located on the west side of the Clinton County Courthouse.
A Look Back – Jaycettes’ Officers
By Barry Clark Bauer
From left to right: unidentified, Ann Palmer, Diane Evitts Sharick, unidentified, Janet Martin Scott, Diana Sillman Woodbury, and the last two are unidentified.
In 1974 these were the elected Jaycettes officers. The event looks like it may have taken place at Daley’s Restaurant on S. US-27. The building is gone now.
Bennie and Jessie’s Pet Info – Canine Cancer Vaccines: What Are They and What Do They Do?
courtesy of Dr. Chris Pinard
If your pet has recently been diagnosed with a canine cancer, you have probably been doing your own research about the array of treatment options available. Through your research, you may have come across cancer vaccines for dogs either in the literature or online. The goal of this article is to help you better understand cancer vaccines and give you, the pet owner, some basic information prior to your appointment with your oncologist.
What Are Cancer Vaccines?
Cancer vaccines come in many forms, many of which are still at their preliminary stage of development. There have been vaccines developed for melanoma and osteosarcoma (bone cancer) as well as specific antibodies (protein complexes that recognize and help the immune system target specific markers) targeted against canine lymphoma. The field of immunotherapy in treating cancers has been thoroughly investigated and continues to be an exciting field in human medicine. It is also gaining tremendous popularity in treating canine cancers.
If you think about it, the basic mechanism of stimulating and allowing your own body to recognize a cancer cell as a foreign intruder makes inherent sense. The problem is, mechanisms that work in a cell culture environment/lab setting may not necessarily work in a clinical setting or in an actual patient with cancer.
Cancer cells are very smart and have many mechanisms by which they evade the immune system. These mechanisms help them prevent themselves from being recognized as “foreign” and being destroyed. Therefore, the goal of the cancer vaccine is to override those mechanisms and give the immune system a specific target. This may or may not be combined with standard chemotherapies to provide the best long-term control and quality of life.
What Vaccines for Dogs Are Out There?
Vaccines and antibodies specific to certain types of cancers in pets have been developed. There are more widely available vaccines for people; however, there is increasing demand and research in the veterinary field. This translational approach to studying cancer vaccines—and how the immune system plays a role in cancer—has been imperative for many of the advancements we are starting to see in cancer care as a whole. Both melanoma and, most recently, osteosarcoma have specific vaccines developed for those types of cancer. You should discuss the melanoma vaccine with your oncologist to see whether it has a role in cancer control for your pet.
An osteosarcoma dog vaccine is currently still being studied, but commercial production is likely to be pursued shortly. A clinical trial is available for eligible pet patients with osteosarcoma at multiple institutions across the United States as well as a veterinary school in Canada.
Is There Any Data?
There have been journal articles published for both the melanoma vaccine and the recently developed osteosarcoma vaccine. The osteosarcoma dog vaccine uses an inactivated (i.e., not pathogenic) version of a Listeria bacterium. The bacteria within the vaccine has had a protein that is found on some canine osteosarcomas artificially inserted. By stimulating the immune system to the protein presented by this bacterium, cancer cells may be destroyed.
In a study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania, 18 dogs who received the vaccine showed promising results. The vaccine was overall quite safe, and dogs lived significantly longer than historical controls. A larger study is currently underway through the comparative oncology trials consortium (COTC) and may be available at an institution near you. First, you would need to have a discussion with your local veterinarian or oncologist.
The melanoma vaccine has showed some promise, and initial studies were very promising; clinically, your oncologist should ensure that your pet is the right candidate for the vaccine.
How Do I Get My Pet Treated?
Any treatment discussions should be done with your veterinary oncologist. Depending on the practice or institution, canine cancer vaccine availability may be limited, and there are still standard of care options for which rigorous data has been presented. These will also be discussed with you by your oncologist.
The outlook for cancer vaccines and cancer immunotherapy is exciting and appears to hold promising results. We as clinicians—and many of you as pet owners—continue to be optimistic and hope that the available clinical trials will help advance and accelerate cancer care for both pets and humans.
Letters – Guide to Dialysis and Kidney Disease and fireworks pointers
I’m tasked with promoting the National Council for Aging Care’s Guide to Dialysis and Kidney Disease
http://www.aging.com/guide-to-dialysis-and-kidney-disease/
Sincerely,
Carolina Gerard
National Council for Aging Care
1530 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209
******
With the 4th of July quickly approaching, the Clinton County Sheriff’s Departments commonly gets questions regarding when fireworks can be shot off in certain areas. State law says that fireworks can be shot off basically any time or day as long as they are legally possessed fireworks.
There is a common misconception that they can only be shot off the day before, day of and day after a holiday. That may be true, but only if your local village, city, township or other municipality has enacted an ordinance restricting the days that they may be discharged to that. If your municipality has a noise ordinance, that is something that may be enforced in some instances.
As always, we encourage everyone to be responsible and respectful during these holidays. If you plan on setting off a large quantity of fireworks, it is always a good idea to speak with your neighbors so that they can make arrangements for any animals that may not do well with loud noises.
Clinton County Sheriff’s Office
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – 8 Surprising Ways to Say “I Love You” in Cat Language
courtesy of Jackie Lam
Most cat lovers don’t need to be told that a steady supply of cuddles and cat treats will keep their feline friends happy. But what are some methods to show your cat signs of affection that go a little deeper? By learning more about innate cat behavior, you can enhance the bond you share. Here are eight fun ways to show your cat love—in cat language.
1. Gaze Softly Into Your Cat’s Eyes
Did you know that you can show your cat affection simply by looking at her? It just takes some finesse. “When you look at your cat, always use a soft gaze and never a hard stare,” says Pam Johnson-Bennett, CCBC, and best-selling author of “CatWise.” “In the animal world, a direct stare is viewed as a threat.”
“If you really want to amp up the affection factor,” Johnson-Bennett adds, “offer a slow eye blink as well.” In cat language, blinking slowly signals that you’re relaxed and mean no harm. If your cat feels the love, too, she might blink back. “This is commonly referred to as a cat kiss,” Johnson-Bennett says.
2. Respect Petting Preferences
Has your cat ever come to you for cuddles, only to wriggle out of your arms seconds later? If so, you may need to modify your petting style. “The cat’s body is very sensitive, and when you stroke certain areas, you want to get a positive reaction and not a defensive one,” Johnson-Bennett says. For instance, some cats enjoy a good chin-scratching, but others prefer long strokes from head to toe. “Observe how your cat reacts when you stroke various areas of the body so you’ll know what creates a calm, enjoyable reaction,” says Johnson-Bennett.
And while many cat lovers could probably pet kitties for hours on end, it’s important to know when to stop. “You always want to end the session on a positive note,” Johnson-Bennett says, “so watch for signals that kitty is getting tired of the physical contact.” Learning how your cat communicates with their body can help you figure out when your cat is ready for their petting session to end.
3. Enrich Your Cat’s Environment
Cats spend a lot of time at home, so it’s essential that their environment be a safe and stimulating one. “All the hugging, petting, toys, sweet talk and other forms of affection won’t matter if the cat doesn’t feel safe or is stressed,” says Johnson-Bennett. Make sure your cat feels secure and has convenient access to resources like food, water and a cat litter box. “It doesn’t take much to tweak the environment to be more cat-friendly,” Johnson-Bennett says. “It just takes looking at things from the cat’s point of view.”
There are many more ways to enrich your cat’s environment beyond the basics. Mikel Delgado, a certified applied animal behaviorist and co-founder of Feline Minds, recommends items like cat scratchers, window perches and cat trees, which help cats feel safer and let them watch over their territory. She also can’t overstate the value of a heated bed. “All cats enjoy being warmer than humans like,” she says. “And it’s especially great for older cats who may have some creaky joints.”
4. Nurture Your Cat’s Inner Predator
Cats are natural predators, but those chewed-up mouse toys behind the couch don’t make very challenging prey. “I think one of the best ways to show love for your cat is to engage them with interactive playtime every day,” says Delgado. “Interactive play means you move a toy—such as a feather wand or Cat Dancer toys—like prey, so your cat can let loose as the predator they are built to be.” Not only does this activity nurture innate cat behavior, but it provides a stress-reducing workout, too. “It’s a great way to bond,” Delgado says, “especially when your cat isn’t the cuddly type.”
5. Use Food Puzzle Toys
You probably wouldn’t want to have to solve a puzzle cube before every meal. However, giving your cat a food puzzle is a great way to appeal to her inner hunter and give her a mental workout. “I’m a big fan of foraging toys or puzzles that require your cat to manipulate a ball or other object to get food out,” says Delgado. Start your cat out with a simpler cat food dispensing toy that allows her to see the cat food or cat treats inside, like the Catit treat ball toy or the Petsafe Funkitty Egg-cersizer cat toy. Then introduce more difficult puzzle toys over time, like the Trixie activity fun board cat toy or the KONG Active cat treat ball toy. Crafty cat lovers may enjoy making DIY food puzzles at home.
6. Create a Treasure Hunt
Hunting and foraging are natural cat behaviors, but it’s understandable if your cat isn’t doing much of either in your living room. You can change that by creating a food treasure hunt for cats. “Place food and treats on cat trees, shelves, in puzzle toys and boxes and other spots for the cat to search for,” says Marilyn Krieger, a certified cat behavior consultant known as The Cat Coach and author of “Naughty No More.” The hunt should start easy, with food placed where your cat can see it. You can increase the difficulty by putting food in harder to reach places like cat trees, but don’t make it too hard, says Krieger. “The game should be challenging, not frustrating.”
7. Reward Good Behavior
The same techniques that help deal with unwanted cat behavior can also strengthen bonds with humans, explains Krieger. Clicker training, a positive reinforcement training method, uses a consistent sound, such as a click from a clicker, to communicate to the cat when she is doing a desired behavior. Cat clicker training is fun for cats and also makes their home environment more comfortable. “It’s effective for socializing cats and helping them feel more secure around their people,” says Krieger.
8. Show Your Cat Signs of Affection Every Day
Even if your feline is fairly low-maintenance, show your cat love daily. As Krieger says, “It is mandatory that cat lovers schedule that special petting, cuddling, stroking time with their cats—that is, for cats who like to be stroked and cuddled.” And for those cats who don’t, you’ve hopefully discovered a few new ways to enjoy that quality time.