By Scott Berson
Humane Society By Dr. Krystal White
Why Should I Take My Cat To The Vet?
R
egardless of your cat’s lifestyle, routine veterinary care is an important step in keeping her healthy and extending her life. Routine visits give the veterinarian a chance to perform a complete physical exam. This exam provides a picture of the general health of your cat. Your veterinarian will perform a visual examination as well as listen to your cat’s heart and lungs. If issues are noted on this physical exam, they may recommend further diagnostic testing, such as bloodwork or radiographs. If your cat has been to the veterinarian for routine visits, the veterinarian is more likely to note any changes in her condition since the last visit. This will allow for early detection of any health problems. Early detection allows for establishment of an effective treatment regimen that is frequently less expensive and more successful than treating more advanced disease. Secondly, establishing and maintaining a relationship with a veterinarian for routine care makes it easier to purchase preventative and other prescription medications, such as those for fleas and ticks. Most state laws require a current veterinaryclient-patient relationship in order to dispense any prescription medication. Routine visits allow your veterinarian to become familiar with your cat’s medical history to provide the best recommendations for medications and treatments. Finally, your veterinarian will look at the overall health of your cat, her age, history, and lifestyle in order to recommend a personalized vaccination regimen. Proper vaccinations serve to prevent many illnesses that our pets can be affected by and help to extend their lives. Veterinarians should be seen as an active partner in helping to care for your pet. Routine visits, not just taking your cat to the vet when she is ill, can be a proactive step that owners can take to prevent future issues and helping her to live a long, happy life! Paws Veterinary Clinic is open to the public Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., for low-cost wellness care and spay/neuter for your cat, or any member of your four-legged family. avma.org/resources-tools/pet-owners/petcare/ importance-wellness-exams aspca.org/pet-care/general-pet-care/ vaccinations-your-petu Adoption Hours: Mon-Fri•10am-6pm, Sat•10am-5pm, 4900 Milgen Road Columbus pawshumane.org office@pawshumane.org (706) 565-0035 Vet Clinic (706) 987-8380 LocaL
faces from Columbus State University, including earth and space sciences professor Troy Keller and students. Some film topics include the stories of farmers working to produce fresh produce on military installations, the process of demolishing obsolete dams near Fort Benning, a team working to turn vacant lots into urban bee farms, and much more. “The cool thing is, there is a live chat in real time too. There’s a sidebar where people can ask questions, make comments, and chat about the films. We will have the
Get WILD & SCENIC F r o m A n y w h e r e T h i s Ye a r
ature is powerful, beautiful, and radical. It inspires N people and it speaks to people and it forces them to confront themselves. On September 20, the Wild and Scenic Film Festival will bring powerful, beautiful, and radical films about nature to Columbus — only now you can watch from anywhere you want, and support Trees Columbus along the way. The Wild and Scenic Film Festival is a yearly festival
that “inspires environmental activism and a love for nature,” based every year out of Nevada City and Grass Valley, California. The festival goes “on tour” every year as well, traveling to different cities and towns all over America. Last year, Columbus broke records for attendance as a tour location. No surprise. We know how important the environment is to us here in our river city. This year the festival is going virtual, that doesn’t mean it’s any smaller. Paige Swift, head of fundraising and events for Trees Columbus, said she believes Columbus can break records again for attendance at the virtual festival as well. “(Wild and Scenic) want to share these stories, they want communities to get inspired and involved, to make a difference. These are documentaries about things to do with the climate, endangered species, water quality,” she said. “Many festivals looked at the pandemic and
filmmakers on during the live chat,” Swift said, adding that there would be some light moderation to prevent any shenanigans. The festival will be available on demand for five days as well, meaning you don’t have to watch the whole thing in one sitting or exactly at the start time. “You’re not dealing with seats in a theatre. You can watch it virtually everywhere. If your buddies from college are scattered, you can watch the show and talk to each other in the live chat,” said Swift. Each ticket purchase also acts as a donation to Trees Columbus, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Over the decades, Trees Columbus has led efforts to protect the city’s tree canopy, promoted stewardship and environmental knowledge, and planted more than 18,000 trees. “It’s not just a fundraiser,” Swift said. “It’s outreach, its collaboration, it’s education, and it’s connecting the community through these films.” The festival goes live Sunday, September 20 from
6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tickets range from $15 - $34, depending on the number of people in your party and whether you’d like to order a tasty stir fry kit from Nonic to eat while you watch. Find tickets at EventBrite.com by searching “Wild & Scenic Columbus.”u
decided to just pull all their programming. Wild and Scenic came up with a way for us to screen virtually.” Swift said the livestream will have the feel and vibe of a live, in-person event, with a specially curated list of films that features topics relevant to the environment of Georgia and the South. One film even includes some local 4
SEPT EMBER -OCT OBER 2020
