The Clinton Area Care Center celebrated – with an album
On Wednesday, June 28 staff, residents and members of the larger community gathered at Hazel Findlay County Manor to celebrate 35 years of service to the area.
On January 3, 1978 concerned citizens of Clinton County met to discuss the need to plan ahead for the care of the elderly and disabled population. Their determination was that there was a need for extended nursing care within the region. That very evening they formed a nonprofit corporation known as Clinton Area Care Center, Inc.
Groundbreaking for the CACC was November 10, 1979.
Hazel I. Findlay Country Manor opened in June of 1982 as a non-profit agency dedicated to providing quality nursing services and beyond to maintain and enhance the physical, mental and spiritual welfare of each resident.
After a successful fundraising campaign, in 1991 an addition to HIFCM expanded the building capacity by 56 percent, with a total of 157 beds available.
Clinton Commons, a Senior Living Community, was established in 2000 to provide a safe, comfortable, quality living environment that encourages independence and enables freedom of choice for area residents.
Big Band Jazz – an album
by Maralyn Fink
Wednesday night, June 21, was the Big Band Jazz with the Lansing Concert Band at the Concert in the Park Series.
The crowd enjoyed Music for everyone.
CASA office moves and has more big plans
CASA – The Voice for Clinton County’s Children recently moved into new office located at 1207 N. US 27 in St. Johns, behind Sundance Chevrolet and next to Redwing Bowling Lanes. They are currently getting settled in and adding many special touches to create a welcoming and safe place for children.
In September, they look forward to welcoming our community for an open house.
For kids, summertime often includes playing at the beach, fire flies, popsicles, parades, and road trips. However, summer is not necessarily fun and care-free for all kids. For many children in our community who experience abuse and/or neglect, summertime is less than fun and care-free.
The Voice for Clinton County’s Children will launch a Child Advocacy Center (CAC) designed to help protect and support these young victims of abuse and neglect in our community. Working with a county-wide team that includes Child Protective Services, the prosecutor’s office, law enforcement agencies, health care and mental health services, and various human services agencies, the CAC will be set up for a child to be able to tell their story of abuse just one time to a highly-trained professional. Families not only receive the personalized support they may need, but also, if criminal charges occur, for their story to be legally presented in a court of law possibly without the child having to be present to re-tell their experience-yet again-usually in front of their abuser.
In addition to the new Child Advocacy Center, The Voice for Clinton County’s Children also administers the Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) program that has been serving Clinton County for nearly four years. CASA Volunteers are specially-trained citizens who stand beside children who are in the foster system and involved in court proceedings due to abuse or neglect. Advocates ensure no aspect of the child’s experience is overlooked or disregarded no matter how long they are in the foster care system. The mission of all programs The Voice for Clinton County’s Children administers, is to advocate and to serve in the best interests of children in our community.
For as much progress as we have celebrated, there is much to be done and many new opportunities to support abused and neglected children in our community. We can all be a part of The Voice for Clinton County’s Children. Learn more at VoiceForClintonCountyChildren.org, email
KellySchaferED@gmail.com, or call 989-640-5681.
A Look Back – Clinton Memorial Hospital Ladies Auxiliary
by Barry Clark Bauer
On the left is (I think) Mary Crosby of Mary Francis, a women’s clothing store downtown and fifth from left is Esther Hendershot, who sold us our house. The rest are unidentified by me. This photo is of the 1974 elected officials of the Auxiliary.
The ladies held fund raising events for the Hospital as well as operating a Gift Store in the Hospital where visitors could buy gifts for the patients.
Benny and Jessie’s Pet Info – Paw Pad Burns on Dogs
As summer temperatures continue to soar, pet parents must pay even closer attention to their pet’s needs. In addition to making sure they are staying hydrated and being kept cool, it’s essential to look out for paw pad burns on your dog or cat whenever your pet is let outside.
While your dog still needs his daily walk in the summertime, these trips should be kept short, particularly when it is hot, not only to ensure that he doesn’t get overheated, but to avoid painful burns to his paw pads.
What Are Paw Pads?
“[Paw pads] are a pretty specialized type of skin that’s on the foot pad,” said Dr. Mark Gibson, DVM, of Animal Kind Veterinary Hospital in Brooklyn, NY. “[They’re] made, of course, to be able to take pressure.” Though they’re made to withstand pressure, just like our own feet and shoes, an animals paw pads are very susceptible to wear and tear.
What Causes Paw Pad Burns?
While some animals, unfortunately, suffer from paw pad burns due to being in a fire or chemical irritants, other dogs can get burnt paw pads from walking or running too hard on hot pavement or flat surfaces like tennis courts.
How Can a Pet Parent Tell That Their Dog’s Paw Pad is Burned?
Dr. Bruce Bogoslavsky of the Animal Veterinary Hospital of Orlando, FL, said that your pet will be showing signs of discomfort, holding up a foot, limping, or vocalizing when walking if his paw pad is burnt. He added that the burns will be visible to the naked eye. Gibson said that, in severe cases, a black paw pad can turn red when it is burned.
“There is actually a physical burn when the paw pads are burned when the concrete is too hot,” said Dr. M. Duffy Jones, DVM, of Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital in Atlanta, GA. “These manifest themselves as blisters that rupture over the course of a few days after the burn. There might not be many clinical signs except pain expressed by the pet when it happens but, just as in people with burns, you can see blisters that can rupture and the pet might be acting painful and licking at their feet.”
Another sign of a severe burn is the paw pad actually coming off of the dog’s paw. “This normally occurs when pets are not used to running on concrete and they run very hard and fast,” Jones said. This issue normally presents right away, Jones said, with the the top, protective layer of the foot pad separating from the paw.
How Are Paw Pad Burns Treated?
Treatment depends on the extent of the burn on the dog. If a burn is severe, the pet should be taken to the veterinarian for care.
“Many times, we will bandage the feet and start antibiotics,” Jones said. “[Paw pad burns] can get infected quickly and make things much worse. Sometimes we can suture the pad back on if there is some left.”
Dogs need to rest and avoid hot pavements as they heal, and Jones added that it is of the utmost importance that pet parents keep an eye on their dogs and do not allow them to lick the injured area, which will make it it much worse over time.
While healing can be difficult for the dog because, “the feet are a high motion area,” according to Jones, it’ll just take some time and patience to get them back up and moving. While your dog’s paw pads heal, walking should be limited (and on grassy surfaces) and he should be kept inside as much as possible.
In addition to recovery and the ointments and antibiotics that may be prescribed to injured dogs, Bogoslavsky, suggested putting soft booties or children’s socks on your dog’s paws when walking to protect the damaged tissue and give him more comfort when using them.
The length of time a paw pad burn will last depends on the dog and the extent of their injuries. The most severe cases can see the effects of a burn for a few weeks, as “you are basically waiting on the body to regrow several layers of tissue,” Bogoslovsky said.
Fortunately, as long as you give your dog time time he needs to heal, there are no long-term side effects of paw pad burns, Jones said.
How Can Paw Pad Burns Be Avoided?
To avoid paw pad burns in the summer, your dog should be getting them stronger throughout the entire year.
“Walk [your dog] through the year on concrete,” Jones said. “Just like you develop thicker skin on your feet in the summer when going barefoot, the best prevention is making sure you get those foot pads nice and tough. Try to avoid not walking them in the winter and then taking them out for a five-mile jog [when the weather is warm]. Their foot pads are not ready for that type of exercise.”
During the summer months, it’s advised to keep dog walks to a minimum when it’s too hot outside to avoid burning and for dogs with pre-existing burns to be walked on a non-concrete surface.
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – What to Do if Your Pet Gets Sick or Injured on Vacation
More people than ever are bringing their pets along on vacation, supported by the proliferation of pet-friendly accommodations and activities. But what happens if your dog or cat gets sick or injured far from home and your regular vet?
Some conditions, like dehydration or overheating, you can do your best to prevent. Other hazards are not so predictable. In the blink of an eye, your dog or cat can be stung by a bee, eat a poisonous plant, or cut his paw.
“It’s scary not knowing what will happen. That’s partly why people don’t travel with pets,” says Amy Burkert, who runs the Go Pet Friendly website and blog with her husband, Rod. The Burkerts have traveled around the country in an RV full-time for more than six years with their two dogs, Buster, 9 and Ty, 12.
A little research and education—as well as some level-headed decision-making—can go a long way toward protecting your pet’s health and safety on the road.
Plan Ahead
The time and effort you put into planning ahead will pay off in the event your pet gets ill or sick while you’re on vacation. “A few hours spent preparing in advance can mean the difference between life and death for your pet,” says Melanie Monteiro, the Los Angeles-based author of The Safe Dog Handbook, and creator of The Safe Dog website.
Taking the following steps will help ensure everything you need to handle a pet’s health problem:
Research the area you’re visiting. Every area has its own hazards in terms of environmental threats and illness outbreaks, Burkert points out. Dog owners living or traveling on the East Coast, for example, must keep an eye out for ticks that can spread Lyme disease, while vacationers in the upper mid-West should be aware of blue-green algae, also known as Cyanobacteria, which is microscopic bacteria found in freshwater lakes, streams, ponds and brackish water ecosystems that can be highly toxic to people, pets and livestock, she notes.
Get recommendations for local vets and veterinarian hospitals. Recommendations may come from friends who live in the vacation area, your own vet who may know a colleague in the area, or contacts such as campground owners. Don’t wait until a problem occurs to start Googling—a little advance research can save everyone a lot of stress, advises Burkert.
Bring your pet’s medical records. As Burkert points out, in an emergency, remembering details of your pet’s medical history will be a challenge. She recommends scanning your pet’s medical records and storing them on a flash drive so they’re easy to pack, access and transfer to the treating veterinarian if needed. Also bring your own veterinarian’s contact information in case the treating vet has questions, adds Burkert.
Monteiro also advises “loading up your phone with numbers and apps” before traveling with a pet. Phone appscan help keep pets medical records organized and accessible while traveling and even give users access to vet-answered questions while on the go.
Pack a first-aid kit. This should include everything you need to handle your pet’s minor cuts, splinters or upset stomach, says Burkert. Also bring a muzzle that your dog is comfortable wearing. In an emergency situation, a dog that’s in pain and surrounded by strangers in a pet hospital could lash out at staff, explains Burkert.
Take a pet safety training course. Online or in-person courses for dog owners provide training in everything from reading a dog’s vital signs to performing CPR. A first aid course helps people become more familiar with handling their pets in different situations, says Monteiro. “It doesn’t take a high level of skill to be your dog’s hero,” she notes.
Get familiar with your pet’s healthy vital signs. Do you know when your dog is overheated or not feeling well? Knowing his or her baseline vital signs including pulse and body temperature can help you detect health issues, says Denise Fleck, the Burbank, Calif.-based owner of Sunny-dog Ink, which offers hands-on pet first aid training as well as advice on caring for senior pets and disaster preparedness for pets. Fleck recommends doing your own “weekly head-to-tail checkup” of your pet to become more in tune with your pet’s health. Routine checkups also help acclimate your dog or cat to being handled in a different way.
Crisis Control
Hopefully, none of these preparations will be necessary. But if your dog or cat does become ill or gets injured, you must decide if the pet needs emergency assistance or urgent care. If you aren’t sure what to do, call your vet for advice or to talk you through what to do in a crisis, says Burkert.
A local vet is the animal equivalent of urgent care and vets often reserve a few open time slots for emergencies. “They’ll be able to squeeze you in,” Burkert says, but be sure to call first. If emergency care is needed, go straight to the nearest 24-hour veterinarian hospital. It’s important to note that 911 responders are not usually trained in vet care, she notes.
In addition, make sure you have basic first-aid supplies with you if you’re going to be far from assistance. “Part of first aid is doing the best we can with what we have,” Fleck notes. If you can’t bring your pet’s first aid kit with you on a hike or day trip, Fleck recommends carrying the following supplies with you in a small backpack:
– Water for hydration
– Antihistamines for allergic reactions
– Chemical cold packs to reduce swelling
– Bandages for cuts and scrapes
– A blanket or tarp to protect or help transport the pet.
Above all, be sure to give your pet frequent water breaks and try to stay calm if something does happen because your pets depend entirely on you. As Fleck notes, “Pets are part of the family and it’s our responsibility to keep them safe.”