Afternoon Book Club

Tuesday, April 14 at 1pm

Holmes Public Library

This month's selection is 

The Good House  

by Ann Leary.

New members are always welcome.

Ticks and Your Dog

Ticks can transmit dangerous diseases when they attach to a host and feed.  A tick must be attached for several hours in order to transmit Lyme disease to a host. If you check your dog (and yourself) daily, you have a chance of finding and removing any ticks before they can transmit Lyme disease.

Even if you are using an effective tick control product, you should still check your dog daily for ticks and remove any as soon as you find them. You should never remove a tick with your fingers. Tweezers work well, but be sure to grasp the tick close to the head and pull gently to avoid leaving the mouthparts embedded in the skin. Tick removal tools are also very easy to use. Avoid using lighter fluid, matches, or other products that may irritate the skin or cause serious injuries to your dog. When in doubt, ask your veterinary care team for assistance removing the tick.  

Respectfully Submitted, Dr. Karen Reamsnyder

Raynham Veterinary Hospital 

402 South Street East

Raynham, MA

(508) 823-8443.

We are open Mon-Fri: 7:00am -7:00pm

Sat: 8:00am -3:00pm.  On Sundays or after hours, for emergency care, contact the New England Animal Medical Center in West Bridgewater at 508-580-2515.

               Halifax Writes Writers Group

Thursday, April 16 at 3pm

Holmes Public Library

   Join us for a writers group for adults, sponsored by the Library and facilitated by participants. Work on your writing skills or simply get ideas. Come to the meeting and find out what other local writers are doing. All skill levels and styles are welcome.
    All are invited; no sign-up required.

Contact: Susan Scott   781-293-2271   sscott@sailsinc.org

Please click here and sign up if you're coming for the first time and would like to receive an email reminder.

A concussion is a brain injury; the only known cure is prevention. Helmets can protect against skull fractures and more serious brain injuries but cannot prevent a concussion; therefore, it is vitally important to be well-informed about prevention. Many products have claimed to prevent concussions but none have been substantiated.

Concussion Signs and Symptoms

There are a wide variety of signs and symptoms associated with concussions. No two concussions are the same and individuals may experience only some of the symptoms. Symptoms may not show up immediately; they may be noticed a few hours or days later. Exertion exacerbates symptoms. Remember: if a concussion is suspected, the athlete should be immediately removed from play!

Baseline Assessments/Cognitive Testing

Pre-season cognitive baseline testing is relatively new to youth sports. Typically a short computerized test administered prior to the beginning of the season, it measures selected brain processes and scores the test for each athlete to establish the athlete's baseline. If a concussion is suspected during the season, s/he can re-test. The computer software compares the baseline score to the re-test score and alerts the clinician of a reliable change in the score. Computerized cognitive testing can also be used during management/treatment even when a baseline has not been established. The changes/improvements in scores over time help to determine progress toward recovery. It is important to remember that computerized cognitive baseline testing is only a tool to be used by a trained clinician. It cannot diagnose a concussion and should always be used as one component of a concussion assessment.      www.sportsconcussion.com