HAPPY TAILS

When it comes to exercising, Umatilla resident Rhonda McMillan has gone to the dogs—literally. Fact is, she never fur-gets to include her four-legged workout partner in any of her exercise regimens.

Ryder, her 3-year-old miniature dachshund, is not only a faithful pet to Rhonda but also is a faithful exercise partner. They do everything together— hiking local trails in Umatilla, swimming in the ocean, and walking along downtown Eustis and Mount Dora.

“Ryder is my best friend,” she said. “Exercising together allows us to have an even stronger bond and trust factor between us. Our relationship is amazing. Exercise can be stressful, but when you have a dog at your side you can walk three or four miles stress-free.”

The two companions do a unique workout together: doga, a popular fitness craze where yoga enthusiasts perform traditional exercises and stretches with their furry friends.

“When I’m lying on my back, I put Ryder on my stomach and she goes up in the air with me,” Rhonda said. “Or while I’m sitting and stretching I’ll pet Ryder and put her in a relaxed, Zen-like state.”

Rhonda and Ryder are beach buddies who frequently visit Smyrna Dunes Park, a pet-friendly beach in New Smyrna. They walk and jog along the beach and take occasional swims together. Of course, her furry friend is typically exhausted by the end of the day.

“By the time we get back to the car Ryder is fast asleep just like a small child would be,” she said. “It’s really cute because she’ll sleep during the entire ride back.”

WHAT’S GOING AROUND

A Lesson In Classroom Germs

When students go back to school, parents quickly realize their children step off the bus with more than homework. School is the perfect environment for spreading germs. Centra Care physicians write lots of doctor’s notes for an array of illnesses, but the most common ones are upper respiratory infection (URI), followed by pharyngitis, otitis media, and bronchitis.

Inflammation of the pharynx is a common medical condition and often a symptom of a URI. Sore throats can come from viruses and the streptococcus bacteria (also known as strep throat). Since symptoms of strep throat and viral sore throats are the same, a doctor will often swab the throat to determine if an antibiotic is needed. If it’s viral, antibiotics won’t help. They do not kill viruses.

Bronchitis

Typically, acute bronchitis develops from colds and other URI’s. Symptoms of bronchitis include a dry cough that becomes a cough with mucus, wheezing, fatigue, chest tightness, and a mild fever sometimes accompanied by chills. Because acute bronchitis is bacterial, antibiotics are often prescribed to clear symptoms.

When To See A Doctor

With most of these illnesses, some symptoms can be treated with over-the-counter medications, but there may be a need to take a child to a doctor:

· Temperature reaches 102ºF or higher

· Shaking chills

· Difficulty breathing/wheezing

· Chest pain

· Skin rash

· Worsening sore throat

· A cough that worsens or becomes painful

· Severe headache

· Mental confusion

· Blue or gray lips, skin, or nails

· Worsening earache

Day or night, when someone in your family is sick or injured, count on Florida Hospital Centra Care, 7 days a week. Visit centracare.org for more information or to make an online, no-wait reservation.

Otitis Media

UPPER RESPIRATORY INFECTION (URI)

URI is any type of infection of the head and chest caused by a virus. The infection spreads when viruses are passed to others by sneezing, coughing, or by touching something infected by another person.

Symptoms of upper respiratory infection include scratchy or sore throat, sneezing, runny nose, nasal congestion, cough, watery eyes, ear congestion, slight fever (99º to 100ºF), fatigue, headache, and loss of appetite.

This occurs when the ear lining becomes swollen and fluid builds up, causing ear pain and infection. Symptoms include earache (either a sharp, sudden pain or a dull, continuous pain), fever, and chills, a feeling of fullness in the ear, nausea, muffled hearing, and ear drainage. Nasal congestion may accompany or precede an ear infection. Because complications can result from ear infections, it’s important to see a physician to determine what is causing the earache. If it’s bacterial, antibiotics may be needed.

WHAT’S GOING AROUND

If you want to know more of What’s Going Around in this area throughout the year, visit CentraCare.org and sign up to receive weekly health email alerts m

CONTENT PROVIDED BY CENTRA CARE , FLORIDA HOSPITAL URGENT CARE