5th graders explore Middle School
Teachers, principals, and the entire fifth grade of St. Johns Public Schools visited the Middle School the other day for their fifth-to-sixth transition day. These soon-to-be 6th graders did a fantastic job watching the presentation about course offerings and enrollment, eating lunch in the Middle School lunch lines, participating in tours hosted by the student council, practicing using Locker combinations, and trying out instruments in the music department.
St. Johns in bloom
by Maralyn Fink
I decided to go out and about the other day to see some spring flowers in bloom. This is what I found, and they were very pretty. Hope you enjoy them.
Relay for Life schedule
Opening Ceremony 6:00 p.m.
Time to get started. We kick off the event by honoring everyone who’s been affected by cancer and everyone who has contributed to the success of this year’s Relay season.
Survivor/Caregiver Walk 6:30 p.m.
Survivors and Caregivers are the heart and soul of Relay For Life events. We honor their strength and courage with every step they take. It doesn’t matter if you were diagnosed 10 days ago or 10 years ago, you can walk while everyone gathers together to cheer you on.
Luminaria Ceremony 9:00 p.m.
During this ceremony we represent everyone touched by cancer with a Luminaria. Each light represents a life—a life taken by cancer, a survivor of cancer, or a support for a person still fighting the disease. It’s a powerful demonstration that gives people the opportunity to grieve but also offers comfort and hope.
Closing Ceremony 2:00 p.m.
Our closing ceremony is the time to commit to take action and help lead the fight for a world free from cancer. It’s a time to celebrate what we’ve accomplished together and a time to unify for the work that needs to be done moving forward.
Every Dollar Makes a Difference At Relay For Life no donation is too small, each and every dollar counts. Your donations help fund groundbreaking cancer research, patient care programs, and can make a difference in communities like ours. With every donation, you are helping the American Cancer Society save lives.
A Look Back – Rehmann’s Expand
by Barry Clark Bauer
This photo, circa 1968, shows the new sign installed on the newly expanded Rehmann’s Men & Boys Clothing Wear at 206 N. Clinton Ave. They moved into the vacated building next to them.
Today Rehmann’s is located at 122 N. Clinton Ave.
Bennie and Jessie’s Pet Info – Do Dogs Get Colds? Everything You Need to Know
courtesy of Jennifer Coates, DVM
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year in the United States, there are millions of cases of the common cold. The CDC states that adults have an average of 2-3 colds per year, and children have even more. So, with human colds being so common, it’s natural to wonder whether our dogs can catch colds too.
What is a Cold?
First some background about colds in people.
Many different viruses can cause the common cold, but rhinoviruses are the most common…. Other viruses that can cause colds include respiratory syncytial virus, human parainfluenza viruses, and human metapneumovirus.
Symptoms usually include sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, headaches and body aches.*
Do Dogs Get Colds?
Determining if dogs get colds depends on whether we focus on the causes or symptoms of the illness.
The viruses that cause colds in people are generally species-specific. Except perhaps under the rarest of circumstances (for example with large doses of certain types of parainfluenza), the viruses that make people sick with a cold are incapable of causing illness in dogs. So if you’re wondering “can dogs get sick from humans,” the answer is almost always “no,” at least with regards to cold viruses. On the other hand, reports of humans and dogs sharing infection with some types of influenza viruses (the cause of more serious infection we call “the flu”) have recently been published. Previously, we did not think dogs could come down with human flu, so keep in mind that things do change in the world of viruses. Practicing common sense hygiene like washing your hands frequently when either your or your dog is sick is always a good idea.
But now let’s look at the “Do dogs get colds?” question for the point of view of the symptoms that develop. Many viruses and even a few bacterial species that do infect dogs (e.g., canine adenovirus type 2, canine respiratory coronavirus, canine parainfluenza virus, and Bordetella bronchiseptica) cause clinical signs in dogs that are almost indistinguishable from those seen in people who are suffering from colds. Dog cold symptoms like sneezing, congestion, watery eyes, coughing, runny nose, and just feeling “off” are quite common, it’s just that different infectious agents are generally involved when a dog rather than a person gets sick.
Cold Remedies for Dogs
When dogs look like they have a cold, we need to assess just how bad they feel. If a dog is still eating and drinking and wants to be relatively active, it is reasonable to try symptomatic care and home remedies. Encourage your dog to rest, drink, and eat so his immune system has the resources to fight off the infection. Wipe your dog’s eyes and nose with a warm, damp cloth to keep him comfortable. Breathing humidified air can also ease dog congestion, so why not keep your dog in the bathroom with you while you take a long, hot shower. But do not give your dog human over-the-counter cold remedies without first consulting with your veterinarian. Many are potentially quite dangerous when given to dogs.
If at any time your dog is not eating and drinking well, appears uncomfortable, has difficulty breathing, or fails to return to normal within a week or two, it is time to make an appointment with your veterinarian. He or she can rule out other causes of your dog’s congestion, sneezing, coughing, etc. These might include pneumonia, nasal foreign bodies, inhaled irritants or allergens, tumors, nasal mites, fungal infections, and more. If your veterinarian does diagnose your dog with the equivalent of a cold, he or she might prescribe antibiotics (only if a bacterial cause is likely), cough suppressants, decongestants, or anti-inflammatories to make your dog feel better and hopefully speed his recovery.
Finally, dogs who are congested, sneezing, and coughing are often contagious to other dogs. Always isolate a sick dog to help prevent the spread of disease.
Letter – Appreciate donation
Thankful Tuesday to our friends at the Great Lakes Caring St. Johns Branch. Ann and Michelle, pictured here with our Executive Director, lead their branch in a Shred for Bread Contest. As a winning branch of Great Lakes Caring they chose our agency to receive a donation. We appreciate your support.
The Voice for Clinton County’s Children
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Incoordination of the Legs in Cats
Hypermetria and Dysmetria in Cats
Dysmetria and hypermetria describe the incoordination of an animal’s limbs during voluntary movement. More specifically, dysmetria is characterized by a cat’s inability to judge the rate, range, and force of its movements — literally, an inability to measure space. Hypermetria, meanwhile, describes the action of overreaching, or high stepping, the intended location.
Symptoms and Types
Signs of cerebellar disease that may be present include:
– Head tilt
– Body swaying
– Body tremors; often more pronounced with movement
– Wide leg stance
– Loss of the menace response – the reflexive closing of the eyes when a finger is stabbed toward the eye
– Unequal pupil size (anisocoria)
– Abnormal, jerky movements
Causes
Trauma to the brain or back is often the primary cause for spinal or brain injury, leading to incoordination or overreaching of the limbs. Lesions on the cerebellum, the part of the brain that is responsible for coordinating voluntary movements and balance, or on the nerves leading to the cerebellum, are believed to be one of the causes for these symptoms. Lesions can be caused by strokes, or by tumors located near these nerves.
Diagnosis
Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam on your cat, taking into account the background history of symptoms and possible incidents that might have led to this condition. If there are no other signs of cerebellar disease, it will be important to establish whether a high-stepping thoracic limb gait is physically normal for your cat. Diagnostic imaging, such as with X-ray or ultrasound, is generally performed to review possible injury or damage to the brain and spine, and is especially recommended for older animals.
Your veterinarian will check your cat’s reactions and responses to stimulus, such as whether your cat responds when your veterinarian stabs a finger toward the its eyes. The reflexive closing of the eyes and jerking away is called the menace response, or menace reflex, and the lack of such of a response is indicative of loss of eye sight, or neurological dysfunction.
Treatment
If the condition is severe and/or rapidly progressive, hospitalization is recommended for an immediate diagnostic work-up and treatment. If the condition is mild or slowly progressive, treatment is often done on an outpatient basis. Generally, cats that are suffering from this condition are confined to ensure that they are not at risk of being injured while they are healing. You will need to set up a place in the house where your cat can rest comfortably and quietly, away from other pets, active children, and busy entryways. Setting the cat litter box and food dishes close by will enable your cat to continue to care for itself normally. You may consider cage rest for a short time, if it is difficult to keep your cat confined to one place.
However, it is important that your cat is not left alone for extended times, as this can be a very stressful time for the cat, and being alone for too long can make the stress, and the healing, worse for the cat.
Living and Management
It is recommended that periodic neurologic examinations be performed to monitor your cat’s progress.