Sparrow Clinton Hospital announces BEE Award
Sparrow Clinton Hospital is pleased to announce that Lead Phlebotomist Mary Gardner has received the BEE Award for her patience, professionalism, and continuously going above and beyond.
The BEE Award recognizes excellence among non-clinical support caregivers who contribute to Sparrow Clinton’s quality, compassionate care. The acronym BEE stands for Being Exceptional Every day.
Mary’s nomination reads, “Mary is by far the sweetest, most caring team leader I’ve ever known!! She goes above and beyond the call to demonstrate how to care for others. Through what could be considered the hardest year of one’s life, she still manages to always show up and lead this team with patience, professionalism, understanding and the utmost concern for us all. Mary deserves to be recognized for being the best.”
Other nominees included Sloane Bingle, Laboratory; Diane Dvorak, Nuclear Medicine; Carroll Hagerman, Environmental Services; Emily Ladiski, Nursing; Tracey Powelson, Radiology; Dr. Katie Ryan, SMG St. Johns; and Marisa Williams, Patient Access.
For more information about Sparrow Clinton’s compassionate care, go to Sparrow.org/Clinton.
SJACF recognizes studio owner
Congratulations to Heather Reed of Heather’s Dance Company in St. Johns. She was nominated for the St. Johns Area Community Foundation’s Community Service Award for selflessly dedicating her time and passion teaching youth in and out of the studio self confidence, team building, strong work ethic, and self expression through dance. Thank you for your role in making the community a better place.
Tournament fundraiser supported Fantasy Forest
The Rotary Club of St. Johns and Kiwanis of St Johns recently held a Euchre Tournament, and Rotarians brought home the Champions certificate.
The fundraiser/donation was organized to support the future Fantasy Forest. A very special thank you goes out to the Emerald Golf Course.
Remember when? – School retirees recognized in May, 2018
On May 21, 2018 the Board of Education recognized this year’s retirees. THANK YOU for years of dedication to the students and families of St. Johns Public Schools.
Front Row (L to R):
Jill Loznak, Renee Lewis, Cindy Irish, Rita Dambrun
Back Row (L to R):
Marcia Schauer, Pat Steinhoff-Lokey, Julie Kochensparger, Ann Den Herder
Not Pictured: Sally Stone, Patricia Karek
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Human Foods That Are Dangerous for Cats
Cats are part of the family, so you may be tempted to share a few pieces of food with them here and there. Even if you never share your food, plenty of cats help themselves to something they shouldn’t.
But the truth is that many human foods are toxic or even deadly for cats.
Here’s a list of human foods that you should keep away from your feline family member, along with some advice on what to do if your cat does get ahold of one of these types of food.
Human Foods That Are Harmful for Cats to Eat
Any food not specifically formulated for cats can affect the digestive system, causing vomiting, diarrhea, or loss of appetite.
These human foods can cause serious illness in your cat.
Alcohol
Alcohol is not safe for your cat.
Cats can not only get drunk, but it can also easily cause severe liver and brain damage.
As little as a tablespoon of any form of alcohol can put an adult cat in a coma; more than that can kill them.
Chocolate
The compound in chocolate that is of major concern is theobromine. It’s in all forms of chocolate, and most concentrated in dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate.
Consumption can cause heart arrhythmias, muscle tremors, or seizures. Chocolate also contains caffeine.
Caffeine (Coffee, Tea, Energy Drinks)
Coffee, tea, energy drinks, chocolate, and other caffeinated drinks and foods can cause your cat to become restless and have rapid breathing, heart palpitations, and/or muscle tremors.
Dairy Products
Cats can become lactose intolerant when they become adults. Their bodies no longer produce enough lactase to digest milk—especially cows’ milk. If ingested by cats, dairy products can cause vomiting and diarrhea.
Fat Trimmings, Raw Meat, Eggs, Fish
Please consult your veterinarian or a veterinary nutritionist first before adding these foods to your cat’s diet.There is risk of vomiting, diarrhea, Salmonella or E. coli with these foods for some animals, especially when given improperly.
Fat trimmings can also cause pancreatitis in cats.
Onions and Garlic
All members of the onion family can cause problems if eaten in sufficient quantity.
A small amount of onion or garlic in some sauce is not likely to cause problems. However, eating a clove of garlic or a green onion may cause digestive upset.
Eating any type of onion on a regular basis could cause anemia.
Baby Food
Baby food made from meat is often seasoned with onion or garlic, so it should not be fed to cats.
Tuna
Tuna as an ingredient in commercially produced cat food is perfectly fine for cats.
However tuna sold for human consumption may cause digestive upset when given as an occasional treat in small amounts.
It can even cause a painful condition called steatitis, or inflammation of the body’s fat, when fed to cats on a regular basis. Tuna has too much unsaturated fatty acid and does not have sufficient vitamin E or other antioxidants, whereas commercial cat foods usually supplement vitamin E.
What to Do If Your Cat Eats a Food That’s Toxic
If you suspect your cat ate any of these foods, try to determine how much they may have eaten.
Call your veterinarian for specific advice; in some cases, small quantities are not likely to be a problem, but larger quantities may require you to take her in to see your veterinarian.
If your veterinarian is unavailable or unequipped to handle the situation, call the nearest animal hospital or the Pet Poison Helpline at 1-855-213-6680. This is especially important if your cat is displaying symptoms such as muscle tremors or repeated vomiting.
Treatment for Cats That Eat Harmful Food
For cats, treatment involves supportive care until symptoms resolve. This may involve hospitalization, intravenous fluids, monitoring of organ function via repeated blood testing, and other measures as indicated by the specific circumstances.
Tips for Preventing Your Cat From Eating Dangerous Foods
The best prevention is to keep human food out of reach of your cat.
If you feel the urge to give your cat a food treat, then give them one that’s actually made for cats, and in moderation. There are plenty of exciting food treats, like freeze-dried meat, that your cat will love. Just remember that treats are part of your cat’s daily calorie intake.