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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2014)
8 in other words may1 2014 Creature Comforts ~ Shedding By Michal Smith Tis the season to lose your hair-- for your pet that is! One of the most common complaints we hear from pet owners is about all the shedding from their pet dog or cat. Although shedding is a nuisance, healthy shedding is a normal process that occurs every day and varies in degree due to factors like your pet’s age, diet, and the season. By controlling shedding, and dealing with its “fallout,” you can keep your pet healthier and your home cleaner. First, start from the inside out. Your pet’s coat is a reflection of what it eats. You’ll be surprised what a difference you’ll see if you insist on feeding a premium brand food. High quality diets provide optimal nutrition rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids that help soften skin and reduce excess shedding. Adding omega supplements for skin and coat can assist in the diet. Second, brush your pet regularly. Veterinary dermatologists advise that brushing a few minutes on a regular basis is better than brushing for hours sporadically. Regular brushing will greatly decrease the chance that painful mats can form or that skin problems go unrecognized. You’ll notice that sometimes it produces very little hair, and other times it produces handfuls. You are simply witnessing changes in the rate of shedding. Using the right tools, daily or weekly brushing can detangle mats, remove dead undercoat, lift away excess dander, and add shine. Mat removing tools are gentle on delicate skin and slicker brushes (which have fine wire bristles) are useful for removing tangles and mats as well. Lastly, bathing can also assist in removing loose hair and excess oils. If your pet is fussy about the bath, there are wipes and waterless bath products available that work well too. Just spritz, massage into the coat and brush away. Always brush your pet before a bath, as well as after. Mats only get worse once they are wet. Mats are painful and can damage the skin, so prevention is key. If your pet has developed larger mats, we recommend that a veterinarian or groomer remove them to lessen the risk of more damage to the skin. Shedding that results in a thin coat or bald spots should be checked by your veterinarian. This can be one of the first signs of several hormonal diseases as well as parasitic infections. Even though there seems like an endless supply of hair, the truth is, that in most cases this shedding is perfectly normal. If the coat has a good shine, and there are no bald spots or areas of abnormally sparse hair, chances are your pet is experiencing the normal hair cycle in which old hairs are pushed out as new ones form. Creatures is your one stop shop for shedding help. We carry a great line of good and supplements, waterless bath products and grooming as well as de-matting tools. Open Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Sun noon-4; 503-429-PETS (7387). Voices From the Crowd: Remembering Jennifer Warren By Pamela Daniel As time continues marching on, I would like to remind readers of the anniversary date of May 20, 2012. Many of us need no reminding, it is a day we will never be able to forget or erase from our memories. On May 20, 2012 Jennifer Warren was murdered by a client who was under the jurisdiction of the Oregon Psychiatric State Review Board while delivering medi- cation to his home. Why would I write about such a tragic loss to her family, her friends, and our community? I write this not because it is easy, not as a painful reminder, but so that we as Oregonians can help bring about a change to an Oregon law that may help prevent such a sense- less loss from happening again. House Bill 4048 which is sponsored by Representative Brad Witt and Senator Betsy Johnson would bring about a change to that Ore- gon law. With that change in place it would allow fami- lies who lost a loved one as a result of the negligence of a state employee or agency to bring a claim against the State of Oregon. This bill goes beyond the scope of who will pay or how much will be paid out, as we all know there is no amount of money that can compensate for such a loss. What it does is hold those entities accountable for the safety of their employees by hitting them where it would hurt most, the wallet. Knowing that, it is my belief that safety protocols would not only be put into place but also monitored to assure they are being fol- lowed. Many individuals believe that workers com- pensation is enough of an assurance and insurance against the loss of life. That it just needs to be increased to an amount more suitable then the approximate $16,000 that was paid for Jennifer’s death, which is a hard stretch to even cover the funeral costs. There are two flaws with this theory, the first being the placement of an increased monetary value on the life of any hu- man being is enough of a concession by state entities. The second flaw is it once again leaves nobody to be held accountable for the safety of employees. The thought process needs to change from how much money might this possibly cost in the event of another mur- der such as Jennifer’s and focus on pre- venting it from happening again. We as Oregonians have a track record of being proactive versus reactive and it should be no different on this issue as well. That ev- ery other agency in the state can be held accountable financially except for the State agency or those employed by them makes no sense. How is it possible that House Bill 4048 had its first reading on February 3, 2014 and there has barely been a blip on the screen letting us know as members of this community and voters in the State of Oregon? Why is it when tragedy happens it is all over the media and yet here is some- thing that could very well help prevent more tragedy and we are not even aware of it? I ask you as Oregonians, members Notice of Budget Committee Meeting A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Columbia County 4-H & Extension Service District, Columbia County, State of Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2014 to June 30, 2015, will be held at the OSU Extension Service office, 505 N. Columbia River Hwy, St. Helens, OR. The meeting will take place on May 7, 2014 at 12:15 p.m. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget message and to receive comment from the public on the budget. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after May 6, 2014 at the OSU Extension Service office, between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee. Co-mingle Recycling D.A.D.’s Recycling 2024 Mist Drive Tue, Thr, Sat 10am-5pm of this community, friends and family of Jennifer’s to educate yourself on House Bill 4048, tell others, open a dialogue and most of all let Jennifer’s voice continue to be heard by supporting this bill and bringing a much needed change that will protects our workers. Pamela Daniel was a friend and co-worker of Jennifer Warren when they worked together at Columbia Com- munity Mental Health (CCMH) in St. Helens.
