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OGDEN -- When it comes to winning basketball games at the Dee Events Center, history tells Southern Utah it's almost easier to break into Fort Knox and steal gold.

The Thunderbirds (2-3), who play at Weber State (3-2) tonight at 8 p.m., are 12-1 in the Purple Palace, with their last victory coming during the 1986-87 season when the T-Birds pulled out a 92-90 win in overtime. WSU leads the overall series between the schools 16-3 and has only suffered one defeat to the T-Birds since the 1986-87 season.

What's more, SUU coach Bill Evans has issues with the way his team is playing right now. The T-Birds are coming off losses at Montana and Utah and have struggled at times with foul shooting and scoring.

"My biggest concern right now is our inconsistency," Evans said.

Evans' other big concern was the size mismatch between his T- Birds and the Wildcats. In last year's game in Cedar City, WSU center Lance Allred scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Evans thinks Allred, a 6-foot-10, 270-pound senior, will be the x-factor in tonight's game as well.

"Lance had a good game against us last year, and we just don't have that size," Evans said.

Weber State comes into the game following a three-game road trip, in which it went 1-2. While the Wildcats may have the advantage of playing on their home court, coach Joe Cravens is concerned about the way the Wildcats will respond when the T-Birds play their 1-1-3 trapping zone defense.

"They are a hard team to prepare for because of the defense they play," Cravens said. "We were fortunate to have shot well from the outside last season, but if you aren't making those shots, you can be in for a very long night."

The Wildcats will most likely focus on stopping SUU top players Tim Gainey and DeAngelo Newsome. Gainey is averaging 14 points per game, and Newsome is scoring 9.8 points and leading the team with 5.6 rebounds per game. Newsome had 16 against the Wildcats last year.

The Wildcats may also have problems of their own as they have struggled to score in the first half of games. WSU is averaging only 42 percent in the opening halves of their first five games.

With their size the Wildcats could have the advantage in the rebound department. No team has grabbed more than 29 rebounds against the Wildcats this season, making WSU the rebound margin leader in the Big Sky.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:09 AM  0 Comments

Scarce food sources can be hard on birds that over-winter in Kansas. Most insects are dead or dormant. And, as winter deepens, seeds and fruit gradually disappear or get hidden by snow.

But that's only one reason Kansans like to provide bird feeders during cold weather. The other is the chance to witness a colorful, daily nature show --- the antics of visiting birds can be very entertaining.

According to Chuck Otte, agent with K-State Research and Extension in Geary County: "Birds have to maintain a consistent body temperature, no matter what the temperature is outside. So, they also have to maintain a high metabolic rate. That's why most backyard birds will seek out high-calorie, energy-rich foods to stay healthy through winter."

According to Otte, who is also a board member of the Kansas Ornithological Society, commercial bird seed mixes vary in how well they meet those needs. And, as the weather gets colder, many bird species begin to need suet, too.

"To keep costs down, some seed mix companies include grains that lots of birds will simply ignore," he said. "So, the more you spend, the more likely you are to get a quality mix. The best will be straight black-oil sunflower seeds and white proso millet."

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service studies have found other foods that are not backyard birds' No. 1 choice but will get eaten. For example, birds' second and third choices among sunflower seeds are the black- striped and the gray-striped.

White proso millet has a larger array of "also-ran" alternatives. Among the millets, red proso is No. 2, and golden or German millet is the least preferred. Wheat attracts the same birds that like black- striped sunflower seeds (mostly the tufted titmouse and blue jay). Cracked corn gets eaten about a third as often as white proso millet.

Note: Canary seed not only attracts fewer birds but also costs about 70 percent more.

Only starlings find oats and peanut hearts highly attractive, but many species like peanut kernels. Native thistle seed also is a crowd- pleaser, but Niger thistle seed will attract finches and their relatives.

Just a few species think safflower seed is acceptable. Feeders stocked with rape (canola), milo (sorghum) or flax seed tend to rate the bird version of turning up your nose.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:07 AM  0 Comments

The occurrence of Toxoplasma antibodies in domestic outpatient cats in the city of Sao Paulo was evaluated using the indirect immunofluorescence assay.

A total of 248 blood samples obtained from male and female cats seen at the Veterinary Teaching Hospital at the University of Sao Paulo between February 1996 and January 1997 were tested. Of these, 17.7% were positive, with a 64 titer being detected in most animals.

The frequence of Toxoplasma antibodies was significantly higher in older cats, those fed raw meat and those with free access to the outdoor environment. There was no significant difference in reactivity between males and females. We conclude that diet and free access to the outdoor environment were equally important as predisposing factors to the risk of Toxoplasma infection.

INTRODUCTION

Felids play a major role in the epidemiology of toxoplasmosis, since they are the definitive hosts of Toxoplasma gondii. Cats are also the only domestic animals in which the parasite completes the sexual stage of the life cycle, producing oocysts that are excreted in the feces and infect other hosts9.

According to FRENKEL, 1973" and AMATO et al., 1982', toxoplasmosis is a major public health concern, because this zoonosis is an important cause of neonatal defects such as microcephaly, hydrocephaly, brain calcifications, and psychomotor and mental retardation. This makes the primary infection of pregnant women and, consequently, the transplacental infection of the fetus the most important aspect of human toxoplasmosis.

In general, indoor cats become infected by ingesting tissue cysts found in raw meat, while wild cats become infected after weaning, when they start hunting for small rodents and birds*'3.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:06 AM  0 Comments

BALDWINSVILLE - Holly R. Reid, D.V.M. is a busy small-animal veterinarian. With her partner Dr. Sandra J. Fitzpatrick, she owns the Beaver Lake Animal Hospital at 1528 West Genesee Road in Baldwinsville. On March 22 of this year, Reid opened a new business the Veterinary Emergency and Critical Care Center (VECCC) at 2115 Downer Street, also in Baldwinsville.

VECCC provides emergency and critical care to dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and "pocket pets," which are hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, and rabbits. Reid has worked as a small-animal veterinarian since she graduated from Cornell University in 1995, with experience in small-animal and exotic medicine, as well as emergency medicine and surgery.

Lest you think this capable veterinarian is also capable of being in two places at once, note that the Beaver Lake Animal Hospital is open during regular, day-time hours, while VECCC has overnight hours (open Monday through Thursday, from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m., and from 7 p.m. Friday through the weekend to 8 a.m. Monday). Reid explains, "I'm an adrenaline junkie. I thrive on emergencies. Recently, a client brought in her dog; the animal's heart and lungs had stopped working. We were able to revive it. That was very satisfying."

In addition to her satisfaction in being able to cope with emergency situations, Reid says she opened the emergency clinic to fill a market void. "The only local emergency clinic [for pets] was on Erie Boulevard in Syracuse." The nearest clinics outside Syracuse were in Rochester and Albany. "Our clinic pulls clients from Auburn, Fair Haven, south of Oswego, and west of Baldwinsville. It's accessible for people from southern Oswego County, western Cayuga County, and northern and western Onondaga County." She notes that it is located near Route 690.

The VECCC facility is 2,500 square feet in size.

"We employ one other full-time veterinarian, Dr. Kristen Grau," Reid says, "but we'll need to add another soon" because of the increasing amount of business. Five or six relief veterinarians help out at night and on the weekends.

There are two full-time veterinary technicians, and three to four technicians work at the clinic part-time on weekends. Three receptionists, four assistants, a practice manager, and an office manager, "who does just a little bit of everything," fill out the roster.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:05 AM  0 Comments

Dear Heloise: My new kitten has 23 toes! His name is Baxter, and the seven toes on his front right paw and six toes on his left front paw are not considered unusual for a New England cat. The five toes on both hind paws are considered rare. It is thought that extra-toed cats were brought over on sailing ships in the early 17th century because they were better mousers.

Cam, the picture you sent shows that your kitty is one darling cat! Cats with extra toes are called polydactyl, and usually it is considered a fault in a breed and a genetic variation. Most of these cats have 18 toes -- five on each front foot and four on the back -- and the cats can have additional toes on the front and the back. They look like they are wearing big, furry mittens, and I think they look adorable.

We thought we would ask our readers to send in pictures of their polydactyl cats. Tell us how old they are and how many toes they have. We will pick out several and send those readers a set of Heloise pamphlets, and we will feature the photos on the Heloise Web site.

Dear Heloise: You wrote that guinea pigs are wonderful pets for children. I bought a darling, big, long-haired one for my three daughters from an ad in the paper. Evidently, he had been mistreated by his former owners. He was scared of everyone and ended up biting one of my girls. Tell new owners to be watchful until they know just what their new pet's disposition is. --Beth Bell, Placentia, Calif.

Beth, this is very good advice for people bringing a new pet, young or old, into their lives. Remember, too, that many animal- rescue organizations have all kinds of pets for adoption, not just dogs and cats. --Heloise

Dear Heloise: If you have breeding birds, don't use any items in their nest except for nesting material that you can buy in a pet store. Using other items, like cotton balls, lint, etc., can be dangerous for the birds because it can wrap around their legs.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:44 AM  0 Comments

I had ridden the icy ruts up the long hill on Stones Pocket Road with only minor slippage, not bad given new snow on top of old ice, but when I reached the top and saw the road drop down and bend around, I chickened out before my car could.

There was no turn-around, so I backed down those same icy ruts, getting stuck only once, found safe parking on the flats and headed back up, this time on foot. There were still some treacherous stretches but soon I reached the point where I had stopped a while earlier, then the point where another car had given up and gone back, then crossed the little one-lane bridge where mine were the only human footprints in the clean white snow. A half hour later and I reached the place where I had intended to start walking, in Baxter's Hollow, a small and special spot in the Baraboo Hills, a huge and special place.

It was worth the walk.

If regions had resumes, this forested sanctuary called the Baraboo Hills could get any job it wanted. As early as the 1960s the Nature Conservancy recognized its vital importance and began to work on preservation. A decade ago it was named one of the 75 Last Great Places in the Western Hemisphere. For its geological significance, a 50,000-acre chunk of the Baraboo Hills was identified as a National Natural Landmark, and conservation groups of every stripe have staked claims here in order to keep it a special place.

144,000 acres

Some people hear of the Baraboo Hills and think first of nearby Devils Lake State Park, the most heavily used of the state's outdoor gems, but the hills are much bigger than that, covering some 144,000 acres in Sauk and Columbia counties here in southern Wisconsin.

The area is known especially for the extensive upland forest that sits atop a sprawling oval-shaped quartzite bedrock.

Last week the Baraboo Hills' resume got a little longer. The Wisconsin Bird Conservation Initiative and the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology recognized the Baraboo Hills as the state's second Important Birding Area, which may not impress many birds -- they don't need to be told -- but might boost ongoing efforts to preserve the region against the relentless pressure of development. Local communities won't mind if it also brings a few extra dollars from the binocular bunch, either.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:43 AM  0 Comments

Dear Readers: Thinking about getting a ferret? There are a couple of states that ban ferrets as pets, but in states that do accept them, they have become very popular.

Ferret ownership is not as simple as owning a cat -- a ferret's diet has to be rich in protein to aid in digestion. Some ferret owners feed their ferrets a high-quality kitten food, but it might not be as rich in protein as the lamb, beef liver and chicken byproducts that are in some specialized ferret foods. (Check the ingredients on the bag of the dry ferret food.)

Also, a small amount of fruit and cooked veggies may be given, but only once in a while, because these foods are a bit hard for ferrets to digest. Here's a little "ferret fact": These little fuzz balls can consume up to 8 ounces of food a day, which is a large amount compared with their low body weight.

P.S. Remember, these lovable, highly intelligent darlings are nocturnal and need daily care and companionship. They love to play! - - Heloise

Dear Readers: Nancy Furr of Von Ormy, Texas, sent a photo of her daughter Nancy Bloxham's three cats. The photo shows all three standing and facing the camera, and the calico in front has a perfect "mustache." Nancy doesn't know how she is related to Groucho Marx, the famous comedian. -- Heloise

Dear Heloise: Do you have indoor pets and find that pet hair is on your couch and upholstered chairs?

Vacuuming doesn't do a good job of picking up all the pet hair my dog leaves behind on furniture. I dampened an old sponge and slid it across the upholstery, pulled the hair off the sponge and continued rubbing across the fabric until every bit of hair was gone, then tossed the sponge in the trash. It was so easy! -- Sandy C., via e- mail

Dear Readers: Did you ever burn a pot with a nonstick coating? When burned dry, the coating can emit toxic fumes that can be fatal to birds. This is one reason why birds should NEVER be kept in a kitchen. There are other dangers, too, if you let them fly free. A hot stove, a ceiling fan or even cleaning supplies left in a pail or sink could be the demise of your pet bird.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:41 AM  0 Comments

MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin residents support a plan to legalize wild cat hunting, according to voting results released Tuesday.

At meetings across the state Monday night, residents in 72 counties were asked whether free-roaming cats should be listed as an unprotected species. If so listed, the cats -- including any domestic cat that isn't under the owner's direct control or any cat without a collar -- could be hunted.

A total of 6,830 voted yes and 5,201 voted no, according to results released by the Department of Natural Resources.

The prospect of feral cat hunting has more hurdles to clear -- and faces the considerable opposition of a number of national animal rights groups. The Humane Society of the United States called the proposal cruel and archaic.

The DNR would have to ask the Legislature to support the change. Lawmakers would have to then pass a bill, and Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle would have to sign it.

"I can assure you that the campaign is undeterred and we will still be working tirelessly to defeat this in whatever form it takes," said Ted O'Donnell, who gathered more than 17,000 signatures in an online petition to oppose the plan.

South Dakota and Minnesota both allow wild cats to be shot. Some estimates indicate 2 million wild cats roam Wisconsin. The state says studies show feral cats kill 47 million to 139 million songbirds a year.

At Monday night's meetings, animal lovers held pictures of cats, clutched stuffed animals and wore whiskers as they denounced the plan.

Few hunters publicly spoke in favor of the plan, first proposed by a La Crosse firefighter who has faced death threats over the plan.

Even Karen Hale, executive director of the Madison Audubon Society, one of the largest pro-bird groups in the country with 2,500 members, said she voted no. While the cats have reduced the population of birds in the state, she said the question was too controversial.

"The whole issue of possibly hunting them is so controversial and there has been so much misinformation that we really need a lot more discussion on this issue," Hale said. She called for another study looking at the impact of feral cats.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:30 AM  0 Comments

Animal rights activists joined with hunters Monday during hearings across Wisconsin in suggesting reasons to shoot down a proposal to legalize the killing of feral cats.

Fear among hunters that the proposal would tarnish their image, already hurt by a painful debate over a mourning dove hunt, prompted enough questions during discussions preceding an advisory vote to leave the outcome uncertain.

Final results are expected sometime today.

Emotional debate heated up proceedings in packed meeting halls in Greenfield, Waukesha, Cedarburg and Madison, as local representatives of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress met to elect new delegates and discuss conservation and wildlife issues.

The most controversial topic was Question 62, a proposal to take feral cats off the protected species list, making them eligible to be shot like possums and skunks when they become a nuisance. Currently all cats are protected under state laws that prohibit cruelty to domestic animals.

"It is not the intention to open a hunting season (on cats)," Al Shook, a Waukesha County representative to congress, told about 500 people at the Waukesha County Exposition Center.

Feral cats are hurting populations of songbirds, game birds and other small animals, he said. Feral cats are non-native invasive species that compete with owls and hawks for the same food and can spread disease to other animals and humans, he said.

The proposal drew harsh criticism from several Waukesha County veterinarians who said that cat shootings already are a problem, and that the proposed law change would only increase the carnage.

Randy Schuett, a vet and a Town of Mukwonago farm owner, said he did not want his barn cats hunted and killed.

"Every time you shoot at a cat and think you've killed it, you're wrong," Schuett said. "I'm tired of patching up these animals."

Currently it is illegal to shoot cats, Al Phelan of the DNR said before the meetings.

Waukesha psychologist Amy Schley said the idea of having a discussion about shooting cats was incredible to her.

"Mistakes will be made and I'll have to explain to the owners of Fluffy or Mittens why their pets were gunned down," Schley said.

Milwaukee County delegate Jim Wrolsted urged hunters to vote against the proposal.

"We're not the slaughterers out there in the woods that some people think we are," Wrolsted said.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:29 AM  0 Comments

Let's take the emotion down a notch on this matter of feral cats.

A vote during Wisconsin Conservation Congress meetings on Tuesday does not mean there will be a state hunting season for cats.

Put aside for the moment that the governor opposes shooting cats and that the issue is so controversial that smart money has the Legislature dodging this one.

The voting that occurred in the state's counties asks that the state merely put feral cats in the category of nuisance opossums and skunks. It is but a preliminary step.

The Conservation Congress, which advises the state Department of Natural Resources, still has to take up the matter. And if it passes on this "advice" to the DNR, the Legislature would still have to act to change animal cruelty laws, which now protect cats, feral or otherwise.

Still, in case the smart money is wrong and these bodies do ultimately act on the issue, it's legitimate to ask whether this definition of "feral" that was voted on is, in fact, overly broad.

The people voting were considering a measure that asks that Wisconsinites be allowed to kill cats not under the control of an owner or that aren't wearing collars.

OK, but does this needlessly endanger Scruffy the house cat? Will someone trying to deal with feral cats shoot first and check for the collar later? And does the problem of feral cats outweigh the risk posed to pets?

Proponents of killing feral cats have pointed to research done in Wisconsin that they've interpreted to say that cats are an undue menace to bird populations.

The authors of the research have written in published work that a Wisconsin "free-ranging" cat population of between 1.4 million and 2 million may be killing 38.7 million to 219 million birds, not including predation by urban cats. But they also wrote that these numbers represent "best guesses."

Opponents dispute the figures. They say that cats are more apt to be scavengers and rodent specialists and that a small percentage of their diets actually consist of birds.

Other questions arise.

If the feral cat population declines significantly, does the rodent population explode? Though cats are not native species, have they been here long enough to be a crucial underpinning of ecological balance?

We urge the DNR to find out so that if the Legislature is determined to act, it does so based on fact rather than emotion.

# posted by Medical Information : 5:29 AM  0 Comments

Dear Heloise: We have orange trees in our back yard, and certain birds poke holes in the oranges to eat the pulp. However, they only eat a small bit and poke holes into numerous oranges, causing waste.

I found that by cutting a couple of oranges in half and leaving them in accessible areas near the trees (like on a wall or feeding platform), it prevents more oranges from being poked. The birds preferentially feed on the "easy-access oranges" and pick the peels entirely clean. -- Karla Lodge, via e-mail

This might also help with other trees that bear fruit that birds like to snack on! Some readers have sent other hints to try to keep wild birds at bay when fruit is beginning to ripen -- here are a few of them:

1. Hang several unwanted CDs on branches throughout the tree.

2. Hang aluminum pie pans in a fruit tree -- this is an old, familiar hint.

3. The most unusual is to use a motion-activated singing fish to deter birds and critters. -- Heloise

Dear Readers: Deborah Stout of San Angelo, Texas, sent a cute-as- a-button photo of Honey, her Chihuahua, when she was only 6 1/2 weeks old, sitting in an oversized teacup (it's really a planter!). - - Heloise

Dear Heloise: My three cats love to spend the summer on my screened-in porch. I keep a bowl of dry food there for them, but within a short while it is crawling with ants.

I solved this problem by taking a baking dish or pan and putting a strip of double-sided carpet tape around the sides. I put their food bowls in this container, and now their food stays ant-free. Also, no ant gets caught in the tape, as they seem to know better than to try. -- Victor Main, via e-mail

Dear Heloise: I have trouble with dogs getting into my trash. Before closing the bag, I pour some ammonia into it.

When they tear it open, the unpleasant smell makes them leave it alone. And they seem to remember and bypass the bag the next time around. -- A Reader, via e-mail

Or you can spritz some on the outside of the bags or trash cans, but please remember the people who pick up your trash -- you don't want to cause them harm. -- Heloise

Dear Heloise: I keep my cats' litter box in the garage on the other side of a kitty door. To keep myself from forgetting to scoop each morning, I leave the plastic newspaper bag that the morning paper comes in on the counter.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:27 AM  0 Comments

The Capital-Journal

One kick, one catch, one touchdown.

One long night for Shawnee Heights.

KC-Washington scored on the opening kickoff Friday, grabbing a lead it would never relinquish in handing the T-Birds a 27-3 loss at Wetter Field.

"It's always hard when they come out on the opening play and score," said Heights junior running back Adam Cantrell. "It's hard to deal with something like that."

The fatal blow was dealt by Washington junior Ivan Harrison, normally the Wildcats' backup tailback, who fielded the kick on his own 5-yard line near the west sideline. After angling between the hash marks, Harrison plowed into a thicket of tacklers near the Wildcat 45, but bounced off and streaked to the end zone.

"Momentum's a big thing in high school football, and that gave Washington all the momentum in the world," said Heights coach Frank Crosson, whose team slipped to 2-1.

The Wildcats rode their early momentum to a 10-play, 47-yard scoring drive on their next possession, but Heights stabilized and held Washington scoreless the remainder of the half.

Down 13-0 after halftime, the T-Birds seized an opportunity when senior defensive back Daniel Ayala intercepted a James Hormann pass at the Heights 45 and raced to the 26. Two plays later, though, Hormann made up for his mistake by plucking a pass from Heights starting QB Matt Brown.

Washington broke off a 12-play, 67-yard scoring drive, and Heights was cooked.

Harrison added insult to injury in the Wildcats' first series of the fourth quarter, breaking through the middle of the line and running 74 yards for Washington's last score. Subbing for regular starter Marcellus Cage, Harrison rushed for a game-high 146 yards --- 20 more than Heights posted as a team.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:27 AM  0 Comments

We should offer gratitude for their various blessings

Almost nowhere in the common prayers and liturgies of the Christian church used for the past two millennia do we find prayers for nonhuman creatures. We discovered this when reading Animal Rites: Liturgies of Animal Care (Pilgrim Press, 2001) by Andrew Linzey. An Anglican priest, Linzey holds the world's first post in theology and animal welfare at Oxford [England] University.

October, which includes the Feast Day of St. Francis of Assisi, is a good month to rectify this omission. Francis saw all of creation as a reflection of God's love and thus deserving of reverence. He called the animals his brothers and sisters, and he was known to have once given his warm lodgings to a donkey. Many paintings of Francis show him with birds sitting on his outstretched arms or a cat sleeping in his lap.

Appropriately, one of the few times when congregations do pray for animals is during "Blessings of the Animals" services held around Oct. 4, Francis' Feast Day. But we think this isn't enough.

Animals are blessings for many of us. Our pets provide hours of companionship. They encourage us to get outside and exercise, and some even remind us to stretch. Research verifies that petting an animal can help lower blood pressure. Dogs, cats and birds make a big difference in the lives of emotionally disturbed children, withdrawn patients with mental illnesses, lonely nursing home residents and isolated prisoners. Surely we, as recipients of these gifts from animals, can say prayers of gratitude to the Creator of such caring creatures.

Here are some gratitude and compassion practices involving animals.

* Spend time observing an animal sleeping. Get close enough so you can see the rise and fall of its chest as it breathes. Synchronize your breathing with the animal's. Do this for at least five minutes as you think about your connection with all breathing things and in turn with the Spirit, the breath of life.

* Think about what you have learned from an animal-your pet or an animal you have observed in the wild. Don Holt in Praying With Katie (Andrews McMeel, 2001) describes watching his cat just sit and stare. She becomes a model of contemplation for him: "Simply to sit at God's feet and gaze, trying neither to understand nor to influence." Gunilla Norris in Journeying in Place (Harmony, 1994) watches geese fly in formation and learns that it's possible to rely on others and see them as equals.

# posted by Medical Information : 3:25 AM  0 Comments