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.
