Now and Then – We’re all still here
by Jean Martin
It was a warmish and blustery day when the dog and I set out to learn whether we and the Presque Isle lighthouses had survived the winter. Spoiler alert: We all made it.
Bills heading to the governor would protect children with special needs
Legislation sponsored by State Sen. Rick Jones and Rep. Ben Frederick to help lost or injured people with special needs will soon be on its way to the governor’s desk.
“This is about ensuring the safety of Michigan’s children with special needs and the peace of mind of their families,” said Jones, R-Grand Ledge. “If children with special needs are injured or wander away, they are often unable to help law enforcement contact their caregivers.
“This legislation would give parents the ability to have photographs and fingerprints of their special needs children entered into a statewide system that could be used by law enforcement officials to reunite families when someone with special needs is unable to assist them.”
House Bill 4137 would allow parents and guardians of special needs children to voluntarily add children with special needs to the Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) database and the statewide network of agency photos maintained by Michigan State Police.
Senate Bill 38 would allow guardians to make the same requests for adults with special needs under their care.
“This program would be completely voluntary, and there would be no cost to taxpayers,” Jones said. “Caregivers would pay the state police for the costs, and the photographs and fingerprints would be removed from the databases at any time if requested by the parent or caregiver.”
On Wednesday, the Senate approved HB 4137 and the House approved SB 38. The measures now return to their respective chambers to be enrolled and sent to the governor.
Michigan Day celebrates real things, places and stories of Michigan – May 6
Michigan Day is a new twist on a tradition that began more than 60 years ago. On Saturday, May 6 the Michigan History Center in Lansing debuts a new signature event celebrating our Michigan pride. Michigan Day features free admission, special guests, activities, hands-on explorations, demonstrations and make-and-take projects highlighting the full range of Michigan’s diverse history.
Although Michigan Day is new, the idea behind it is not. In 1950 a group of Michigan business leaders formed a task force to promote Michigan as a great place to live and start a business. Michigan Week was born out of the initiative and first celebrated in 1954. The inaugural celebration ended with the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Mackinac Bridge.
“We are honoring Michigan Week’s original mission of promoting pride in all things Michigan with this new Michigan History Center signature event,” said Michigan History Center Director Sandra Clark. “Our focus is always on getting people curious about Michigan and sharing its history in new and interesting exhibits, programs and activities. Michigan Day brings an incredible range of stories together for a fun, one-day extravaganza.”
Michigan Day will have a special focus on the 60th anniversary year of the Mackinac Bridge, a tribute to that first Michigan Week celebration. Visitors can take part in a family-friendly bridge engineering activity and see original documents from the Mackinac Bridge Commission. Other Michigan Day highlights include:
The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Michigan History Center, located at 702 W Kalamazoo St. in downtown Lansing. The Michigan History Center and visitor parking are on the north side of Kalamazoo Street, two blocks east of M. L. King Jr. Boulevard. Weekend parking is free. Learn more at www.michigan.gov/michiganhistory.
A Look Back – 1920 Tornado
by Barry Clark Bauer
This is the aftermath of the 1920 Tornado that struck the Fowler & Ball Hardware store and removed the third story and depositing the debris on E. Walker St. That story was never replaced. This building was later occupied by Merit Shoe store.
Fowler & Ball moved to the building occupied by Kurt’s Appliance today. That business later became Wieber Hardware.
The bank clock on the other corner says, “Clinton County Savings Bank.” The time, 7:20.
This building was later bought by Robert Conn who was involved with what was then called the biggest commercial real-estate sales of five buildings downtown. The Wilson and Ball families were the owners.
Today Rehmann’s occupies this building and the one to the south of it.
Benny and Jessie’s Pet Info – Excess Phosphorous in the Blood in Dogs
Hyperphosphatemia in Dogs
Hyperphosphatemia is an electrolyte disturbance in which abnormally elevated levels of phosphate are present in the dog’s blood. It can occur at any age but is more common in puppies or old dogs with kidney problems. Additionally, dogs with bone diseases and calcium deficiency are susceptible to hyperphosphatemia.
Symptoms and Types
Although there are no specific signs directly attributable to the condition, symptoms will depend on the underlying cause of hyperphosphatemia. In acute cases, painful muscular spasms and tremors may be seen due to low levels of calcium.
Causes
Vast quantities of phosphorous are located in the bones and teeth, bonded with calcium. Therefore, bone diseases or problems such as bone resorption can cause excessive phosphates to be released in the dog’s bloodstream. Other underlying factors for hyperphosphatemia include:
Bone cancer
Osteoporosis
Kidney disease
Thyroid disease
Excessive dietary supplementation (e.g., vitamin D overdose)
Diagnosis
As no particular symptom is related to this condition, most cases are diagnosed with routine laboratory testing such as complete blood count, biochemistry profile, and urinalysis (which should show abnormally elevated levels of phosphate). Additionally, bone X-rays are performed to rule out any potential bone diseases or maladies.
X-rays are also used to evaluate the size and symmetry of kidneys, which will help the veterinarian identify abnormalities related to the disease. Calcium levels, meanwhile, are frequently found to be abnormally elevated (hypercalcemia), although in some cases the levels are abnormally low, as in vitamin D intoxication.
In case of diseases related to thyroid gland, your veterinarian may also conduct tests to evaluate thyroid gland functions and hormone levels for diagnosis.
Treatment
Hyperphosphatemia should be considered a medical emergency, requiring immediate treatment of the underlying cause. Your veterinarian will begin by administering fluid therapy to correct electrolyte imbalances. In some cases, certain chemicals with the ability to bind to phosphorous (e.g., aluminum hydroxide) are also administered.
Laboratory testing, meanwhile, is conducted during and after treatment to evaluate the levels of phosphorous and other vital electrolytes.
Living and Management
In addition to regularly monitoring the dog’s phosphorous levels, your veterinarian will restrict phosphorous-rich diets. It is important to follow your veterinarian’s guidelines to prevent excessive levels of phosphorous to build up.
Prognosis in patients without any underlying disease is excellent with initial treatment, whereas dogs suffering from an underlying disease require treatment to prevent recurrence.
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Signs of Pyometra in Cats
How do you know if your cat has pyometra? Sometimes the symptoms are straightforward, but at other times the disease can be tricky to diagnose. Knowing the signs of pyometra can, quite literally, save your cat’s life.
What is Pyometra?
Pyometra is defined as an accumulation of pus within the uterus, which can develop because of the hormonal, anatomical, and physiological changes that occur after a cat has gone through a heat cycle but does not become pregnant. Bacteria then take advantage of the situation, resulting in a potentially fatal infection.
What are the Symptoms of Pyometra in Cats?
Some cats with pyometra show no signs, or may show vague clinical signs like lethargy, fever, dehydration, and poor appetite, even if they are suffering from very advanced disease.
Vomiting may also be present. Because the signs of pyometra can be mild and/or ambiguous, abdominal imaging (x-rays and/or ultrasound) is sometimes the only way to definitively diagnose or rule out cases of pyometra in cats.
If a cat with pyometra has an open cervix, pus (often tinged with blood) will drain from the cat’s vagina, but fastidious feline groomers often clean it away before owners can observe it. Because the pus has a way to get out of the body, these cats may not show many signs of systemic illness.
In comparison, when a cat with pyometra has a closed cervix, the pus will accumulate within and distend the uterus, leading to pain, abdominal enlargement, and more obvious signs of illness. The uterus may eventually rupture, leading to peritonitis—infection of the abdominal cavity—which is fatal without aggressive treatment.
While increased thirst and urination are classic symptoms of pyometra in dogs, these clinical signs are rarely observed in cats.
What Puts a Cat at Risk for Pyometra?
The probability of a cat developing pyometra increases with age, and affected cats have often gone through a heat cycle roughly a month before falling ill.
Intact females are at highest risk for developing pyometra, but the condition can be diagnosed in spayed female cats, as well. Here’s how:
When a cat is spayed in a traditional manner most of the uterus is removed, but a small portion attached to the cervix is left within the abdomen. This is called the uterine “stump.” An alternate form of spaying is becoming more popular in which the entire uterus remains in the body and only the ovaries are removed. Pyometras are extremely unlikely with either of these two surgical procedures, as long as the cat is no longer under the influence of reproductive hormones. Unfortunately, this can occur under certain circumstances.
Sometimes, ovarian tissue has been left behind within the cat’s abdomen. The tissue may be microscopic and therefore invisible to the surgeon’s eye, or a mistake may have been made and a larger piece of ovary remains.
Some spayed female cats also develop pyometras after coming into contact with their owner’s estrogen-containing topical products or after being treated with progestins for skin problems, a practice which is no longer in wide-spread use.
Treating and Preventing Pyometra in Cats
The best way to treat a cat with pyometra is to spay her as soon as her condition has been stabilized. The ovaries, entire uterus, and cervix are removed as one unit to minimize the chance of pus leaking into the abdomen.
When a spayed cat develops pyometra, the uterine stump is removed (or the whole uterus if only the ovaries were previously taken out) and any remaining ovarian tissue must be identified and excised. If an owner plans to breed the cat in the future, medical treatment is available that may eliminate the need for surgery that inevitably leads to infertility.
Spaying a female cat when she is young and healthy is the best way to prevent pyometra. The spay procedure is much more risky once the disease has damaged her uterine tissues and weakened her ability to withstand surgery and anesthesia.