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Identity Theft !
MSU researchers test new
diet for cats to overcome bladder disorders
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EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University
researchers are testing a special diet for cats they
hope will help the animals overcome bladder
disorders affecting more than half a million felines
each year. The team from the College of
Veterinary Medicine is hopeful the new diet will
help cats dissolve certain bladder stones and
prevent future occurrences, and prevent a disorder
known as feline idiopathic cystitis, in which cats
suffer from bladder inflammation. John Kruger, a
professor in the Department of Small Animal Clinical
Sciences, is leading the four separate clinical
studies on a new commercial diet funded by a leading
pet food manufacturer.
"The new diet is
unique in that it is designed to help manage three
common bladder disorders, which if left untreated
can cause frequent painful urinations, house soiling
and even urinary blockage and death," he said.
Specifically, Kruger and his team are looking at the
effects the diet has on:
·
Preventing feline idiopathic cystitis: This
particularly difficult disorder - the most common
bladder disorder in cats - accounts for nearly
two-thirds of all feline bladder disorders seen by
MSU veterinarians, Kruger said. Unfortunately, there
is no consistently effective treatment for
management and prevention. While veterinarians often
recommend diet changes, supplements and medicine,
none of these have been shown to be effective by
controlled clinical trials, he said.
·
Dissolving struvite bladder stones without surgery
and preventing them in the future. While these
stones traditionally have been treated by surgical
removal, some struvite stones may be dissolved using
diet.
·
Preventing calcium oxalate bladder stones: There is
no diet as of yet that dissolves this type of stone,
and removal by surgery - which can present
complications - often is necessary.
The new
diet minimizes the building blocks of bladder stones
by controlling levels of calcium, phosphorus,
magnesium and oxalate. It also has high levels of
potassium citrate and vitamin B6 to interrupt stone
formation, Kruger added, and it is high in
antioxidants to moderate inflammation and reduce
symptoms.
As part of the clinical trial, half
of the felines will receive the new diet while half
will receive a placebo diet formulated to represent
the premium quality adult cat foods on the market.
The diets look exactly the same, and as cats are
enrolled into the study they are randomly assigned.
Enrollment began in June 2009 and continues
through December 2010. The study covers all costs
related to the diagnosis and monitoring of the cat's
urinary disease and provides free food for up to two
years. For more information, call (517) 432-9902.
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Local Pet
Stories |
Hope Celebrates
Community
Appreciation Day |
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Ironwood - June 14, 2009 |
The Hope Animal Shelter held an open house today as part of a
Community Appreciation Day. The shelter was of course opened to the
public for their perusal.
There were vendors offering many pet products and more. The
local radio station, WIMI, was on hand broadcasting from the
facility. Free Brats were available for the asking.
READ MORE |
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Photo above - Mary Jo Cain points out kittens she has
brought back to HOPE. Not that she didn't want them, she has reared
them until they were old enough to put up for adoption. Mrs. Cain
is a foster caregiver for the HOPE shelter. We believe that you too
could be a foster parent for a deserving cat or dog. Call hope and
volunteer! |
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O.C.A.P.
Working to Warm Things Up |
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Ontonagon - Saturday, December 13, 2008 |
Friends and members of the Ontonagon County
Animal Protection ignored the cold weather Saturday
to install the long awaited installation of the new
geo-thermal heating system. The new heating
system will ultimately save O.C.A.P. a significant
amount of money on future heating bills. |
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in the photo above the workers spend time fusing
the lines, which begin as two large lines in and out
of the building. Six feet below the surface of the
ground the two lines become eight and ultimately 16
lines which will lay in trenches 6 feet deep
and twelve to sixteen feet wide. Pictured in the
photo are l to r Barb Kilmer, Arvo Toolanen, Sue
Basile , Steve Stackhaus, Greg Nelson, Brad Happner
and Linda Graham. |
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above Brad, Barb and Linda place the geo-thermal
lines in the eighteen foot wide ditch. |
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above Bob Graham volunteer
and O.C.A.P member, who told us that 8400 feet of
tubing would be required to complete the project. |
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In the above photo Erik Danielson finishes up
the last few feet of the three hundred foot long
ditch required for the the geo-thermal lines. The
system was obtained from Steve Stackhaus, Innovative
Geo Thermal Systems. |
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Thank You, We have all found a new home
Mama Too!
Kittens
Lost More Than Mittens
They Lost
Their Home ! |
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 |
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Homes Needed!!!!
Three little angora kittens with cute, white mittens
are looking for homes. One is black and white, one
is gray and white, and one is calico. All are litter
trained and ready to go. The one- to two-year old
mom is a black and white angora, has a great
personality, and is a good mouser. For more
information call 575-3531 (Bergland).
We will deliver within 80 miles of Bergland.
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From Our Readers |
This
explains why I forward jokes to you.
from: Ken Jacobson |
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A man and his dog were walking along a road. The
man was enjoying the scenery, when it suddenly
occurred to him that he was dead.
He remembered dying, and that the dog walking
beside him had been dead for years. He wondered
where the road was leading them.
After a while, they came to a high, white stone
wall along one side of the road. It looked like
fine marble.. At the top of a long hill, it was
broken by a tall arch that glowed in the sunlight.
When he was standing before it he saw a
magnificent gate in the arch that looked like
mother-of-pearl, and the street that led to the
gate looked like pure gold. He and the dog walked
toward the gate, and as he got closer, he saw a
man at a desk to one side.
When he was close enough, he called out, 'Excuse
me, where are we?'
'This is Heaven, sir,' the man answered. 'Wow!
Would you happen to have some water?' the man
asked.
Of course, sir. Come right in, and I'll have some
ice water brought right up.? The man gestured, and
the gate began to open.
'Can my friend,' gesturing toward his dog, 'come
in, too?' the traveler asked.
'I'm sorry sir, but we don't accept pets.'
The man thought a moment and then turned back
toward the road and continued the way he had been
going with his dog.
After another long walk, and at the top of another
long hill, he came to a dirt road leading through
a farm gate that looked as if it had never been
closed. There was no fence.
As he approached the gate, he saw a man inside,
leaning against a tree and reading a book.
'Excuse me!' he called to the man. 'Do you have
any water?'
'Yeah, sure, there's a pump over there, come on
in.'
'How about my friend here?' the traveler gestured
to the dog.
'There should be a bowl by the pump.'
They went through the gate, and sure enough, there
was an old-fashioned hand pump with a bowl beside
it.
The traveler filled the water bowl and took a long
drink himself, then he gave some to the dog.
When they were full, he and the dog walked back
toward the man who was standing by the tree.
'What do you call this place?' the traveler asked.
'This is Heaven,' he answered.
'Well, that's confusing,' the traveler said. 'The
man down the road said that was Heaven, too?'
'Oh, you mean the place with the gold street and
pearly gates? Nope. That's hell.'
'Doesn't it make you mad for them to use your name
like that?'
'No, we're just happy that they screen out the
folks who would leave their best friends behind.'
Soooo...
Sometimes, we wonder why friends keep forwarding
jokes to us without writing a word.Maybe this will
explain.
When you are very busy, but still want to keep in
touch, guess what you do? You forward jokes.
When you have nothing to say, but still want to
keep contact, you forward jokes.
Also to let you know that you are still
remembered, you are still important, you are still
loved, you are still cared for, guess what you
get?
A forwarded joke.
So, next time if you get a joke, don't think that
you've been sent just another forwarded joke, but
that you've been thought of today and your friend
on the other end of your computer wanted to send
you a smile.
You and your dogs are all welcome @ my water bowl
anytime!
Remember that prayer "Lord, please let me be half
the person my dog believes I am"?
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Cat missing for more than 13 years
back with happy California owners |
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Santa Rosa, California -
November 12, 2008
A California couple recently had an unexpected reunion with an old
housemate: their pet cat who went missing more
than 13 years ago.
The cat, named George, was last seen by Melinda
Merman and Frank Walburg in 1995. He recently
resurfaced when the manager of a mobile home
park trapped the sickly feline and gave him to
an animal hospital.
A microchip implanted in George allowed him to
be traced back to his owners.
Merman says after George went missing she
visited animal shelters and wrote to
veterinarians in search of the gray, yellow-eyed
cat, who now weighs less than half his original
14-pounds.
But Merman and Walburg say George is eating well
and displaying some of his old behavior, like
jumping at flickering light on the wall.
Cat
pictured above is not George but a file photo. |
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IronwoodInfo.com
is a Michigan, Non-Profit Media Corporation |
Contact IronwoodInfo.com |
email:
mail@ironwoodinfo.com
snail mail: P.O. Box 305 Ironwood, MI 49938
Telephone
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Fax
906-884-2544 |
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