Page 6 The Skanner June 1, 2016
News
The Untamable Itch — Flea Allergy
Dermatitis
I
ts 5 a.m. and the jingle of the collar
tag is just beginning. The occasion-
al itching, scratching and tail biting
you noticed last week has spread
to fervor. It’s beginning to sound like
Christmas in July, but June has only be-
gun.
You decide to take a look and notice
little black specks covering your dog
like poppy seeds on a muin.
“Eureka!” you exclaim, as you grasp
the little bugger between your inger-
tips.
But what exactly is the culprit behind
the mayhem? Fleas!
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most
common hypersensitivity skin dis-
order seen in dogs and cats. The cat
lea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the most
common lea found on both dogs and
cats. Adult leas spend most of their
life cycle on the animal where they can
begin producing eggs in as little as 24
hours. Eggs of leas are found in the
environment (toys, bedding, carpets)
and thrive in warm, moist conditions.
Summer and fall are the peak seasons
for lea infestations.
The entire lea life cycle can occur in
as little as two weeks. In just 30 days, a
lea can produce up to 500 eggs.
Animals with leas display classical
symptoms. Excessive pruritis (itching)
is the most common clinical sign ob-
served by owners. Crusting, bumps,
and hair loss may appear on the back,
thighs, abdomen and neck where high
densities of leas are located.
To diagnose, your veterinarian will
run a lea comb through the fur to look
for lea dirt (excrement) or the lea it-
self.
Prevention is key and there are many
drugs currently on the market. Dips,
sprays, collars, topical and injectable
medicines are available in a variety of
prices and application frequency to
match all budgets and lifestyles. Al-
Dr. Jasmine Shanelle Streeter, Veterinarian
though over-the-counter (OTC) lea
treatments are available, they have
variable success rates and the most
efective lea treatments are found at
your veterinary hospital. Your veteri-
narian will select the best medicine for
your pet based on age, weight, breed,
and severity.
Home remedies – such as brewer’s
yeast, garlic, sulfur, thiamine, eucalyp-
tus extracts, and electronic lea collars
-- have been proven inefective and
should not be used as lea repellent.
Treating the pet is the irst step in
ridding your life of leas, but you must
also treat the environment. Vacuum
carpets, wash toys and and bedding and
have a professional exterminator treat
your home and yard.
Flea pupa can lay dormant in the en-
vironment for months, so it is import-
ant to kill the immature stages of the
lea as well.
All animals entering your home
should be on lea prevention medica-
tion. Newly acquired or visiting ani-
mals should be conirmed lea negative
before being cohoused with existing
pets.
Following these steps will help your
pet live a lea-free life.
Do you have a pet topic you’d like to
learn more about? I’d love to hear from
you! Write me at drjasmine@theskan-
ner.com
Art cont’d from pg 5
taken part in the popu-
lar and competitive pro-
gram.
Each year, members
of Congress put out a
call for students to com-
pete in the contest and
the resulting work is
displayed on the white
walls of a long tunnel
that connects House Of-
ice Buildings to the U.S.
Capitol.
The work is seen by
members of Congress,
stafers, lobbyists and
the thousands of visi-
tors to the U.S. Capitol
complex each year.
Inadvertently,
the
annual art contest has
become a relection of
what’s on the minds of
young people in Amer-
ica.
Pulphus’ work is an
acrylic painting featur-
ing a downtown street
scene with the St. Louis’
iconic arch displayed
in the background and
three police oicers
with animal heads, two
with guns in hand, and a
large group of marchers
approaching moving to-
ward the police.
The lead marcher car-
ries a sign that says the
word “history.”
Pulphus’ painting in-
cludes several signs,
one of which says “Rac-
ism Kills,” and another
reading “Stop Killing.”
On the right you can
see man being cruciied
wearing a graduation
cap holding the scales of
justice in his hands.
Pulphus,’
“visually
stunning acrylic paint-
ing on canvas entitled,
“Untitled #1” will be dis-
played at the U.S. Capitol
Complex.
Pulphus will travel to
Washington, DC, cour-
tesy of Southwest Air-
lines, to unveil his win-
ning entry. The painting
portrays a colorful
landscape of symbolic
“
Wire, Rep. Clay was
asked about Pulphus’
work.
The Congressman will
greet the artist in Wash-
ington, D.C. and be pres-
ent with Pulphus,’ when
the painting is present-
ed for display in the U.S.
Capitol complex.
“I think that the art
work selected for this
year — winner of the
Congressional art com-
petition has to be the
most creative expres-
sion that I’ve witnessed
over the last 16 years,”
Pulphus’ painting includes
several signs, one of which
says ‘Racism Kills,’ and an-
other reading ‘Stop Killing’
characters representing
social injustice, the trag-
ic events in Ferguson,
Mo., and the lingering
elements of inequality
in modern American
society,” read a May 6,
release from Rep. Clay’s
oice.
Rep. Clay represents
greater St. Louis and
Ferguson, Mo., where in
August 2014, Black teen-
ager Michael Brown, Jr.,
was shot and killed by
Ferguson Police Oicer
Darren Wilson.
During an interview
with the NNPA News
Rep. Clay said between
votes on the House loor.
“I’m very proud of the
young man who is the
artist responsible for
this work he depicts the
St. Louis community in
the way he envisions it.
I respect that and I’m
so glad that the judges
picked his work number
one as the winner.”
Pulphus’ work will
travel to Washington,
D.C. in a few weeks
where he will attend a
reception for all of the
winners around the
country.
Obituary: James H. Brown
March 27, 1943 - May 14, 2016
J
ames H. Brown is survived by
his wife, Mary Brown; daugh-
ters, Edith Michele Brown and
LeAnne Marie Owens; son, Eric
Howard Brown. There will be public
viewing on Thursday, June 2, from 4
pm to 7 pm at Terry Family Funeral
Home. A funeral service will be held
on Friday, June 3, at 1030 am at Bethel
AME Church, 5828 NE 8th Ave. Port-
land with military honors following
at Willamette National Cemetery at
1:30 pm.
For full obituary see: terryfamily-
funeralhome.com.
Arrangements by Terry Family Fu-
neral Home, 503-249-1788.