Friday, May 1, 1987/The Battalion/Page 9 \&M vets help heal a giraffe, horses 'd Large-animal clinic treats all kinds By Susan Stubing Reporter II David has a cavity, he visits his lentist. If Jane lias a stomach ache, he visits her family'doctor. If Rex tas heartworms, he visits his veteri- irian. And if Ginger, a giraffe, has in infected joint, she visits the Texas \&M Large Animal Clinic. But treating the joint infections of large animals is not the only function if the animal hospital, located on ^M’s west campus, says Ronald J. Martens, head of the large-animal nedicine and surgery department. Martens says the primary f unction ti the 71-year-old clinic is to help ed- icate A&M veterinary students. “This is a teaching hospital,” he ays. “Training students is our main nit pose here.” The A&M veterinary school ac- :epts 128 students a year, making he school the largest in the country, Martens says. Paralleling the size of the veteri nary school is the size of the large- inimal clinic. The clinic’s expansive facilities and faculty expertise estab- ish the hospital as one of the most eputable and technically advanced nthe nation, Martens says. ‘We maintain a large faculty and taff,” Martens says, “so that we are ble to go in-depth in different and tore specialized areas.” Because the clinic does offer ad- anced facilities and testing tech niques, clients from across the state nring their large animals to the clinic o be treated. “People from all over bring us heir animals,” Martens says, “be- :ause the equipment we have at our lisposal helps us accomplish what nther clinics can’t. We have every thing a regular clinic would offer, but much more.” The clinic offers so much more, in fact, that many state zoos bring their ailing animals to the clinic. “We have had some exotic animals here before,” Martens says. “We had a baby giraffe here once, and it was the most beautiful thing you have ever seen.” If an animal has a prob lem that is beyond a zoo’s capacity to handle, it will seek the clinic’s help, he says. wormings, castrations, vaccinations or preventive maintenance. Martens says. Routine surgeries also are per formed daily. Martens says. “We do several orthopedic surge ries a day,” he says, “where you have chipped fractures to ankles and knees. We see a lot of lameness in horses, too.” Such surgical techniques for ani mals are not entirely different from those for humans. An anesthetic is “People from all over bring us their animals because the equipment we have at our disposal helps us ac complish what other clinics can’t. ” — Ronald J. Martens, head of the large-animal surgery and medicine department '1ught< ; Gov I lawnui! e Coim mint a xmetj tax bin| 'xans. mmittttl orJ« Zoo veterinarians are not the only people who trust the clinic with their exotic animals. “We also get some different ani mals from farms in the western part of the state that are into raising exotic animals,” he says. Exotic animals, however, are not frequent patients in the clinic. The clinic’s primary patients are horses and cows, with horses turning up more often than cows, Martens says. “We see a lot of emergency cases with horses,” Martens says. A woman in the hospital’s waiting room wearily says she has been up since 4:30 a.m. Her horse was found tangled in a barbed-wire fence, suf fering from dehydration. More often, horses are brought in for routine treatments such as de- administered in a similar way, and once the animal is asleep, it is put on a table which then is raised. But judging solely from the ap pearance and the positioning of hu man and animal patients, the simila rities rapidly diminish. The image of an animal lying on its back with its four legs pointed stiffly upward is hardly one that would correspond with the image of a human in sur gery. Although any large animal can be treated at the hospital, through an ambulatory service offered by the clinic, cattle and other “herded” ani mals usually are treated on the farm. Martens says it is easier to treat cattle on the farms rather than herd ing them all into the clinic for minor procedures. “Unless it is something that de mands hospital equipment and care,” he says, “we prefer to treat the cattle on the farms by ambulance.” An ambulance driven by veteri narians and veterinary students vis its local farms, Martens says, both for emergencies and for routine checkups. The service is available seven days a week, spanning about a 25-mile radius, with varying prices, depending on the service rendered. “We have regular clients,” Mar tens says, “just like a normal prac tice, and many people take advan tage of it.” Brenda Jones, a client from El Campo, says, “A lot of people I know use the ambulance service, and if their animals need treatment, they all bring them here.” Many are aware of most services the clinic offers, Martens says, but this awareness is accompanied by many misconceptions. “Some people think that the stu dents are the only ones working on the animals,” he says. “This isn’t true. A doctor is always present; the students just help.” Another misconception. Martens says, is that many people in the com munity think the clinic’s services are free. Prices for equivalent services are comparable, if not less than what local veterinarians charge. “Although we are not here for profit-making,” he says, “our fund ing base does depend on making some money. Our prices are usually less and many people in the commu nity take advantage of them and the other services offered here.” A&M sorority sponsors cycling competition to raise charity funds By Ty Walters Reporter Bicycle racers from as far as Houston and Dallas will be gath ering in College Station Sunday to compete and raise funds for several charities. Organizers say Delta Zeta so rority’s second annual Cyclefest already has signed up more than double the number of entries as last year, about 50 so far, and more are expected to register by Sunday. “Cycling has become very pop ular,” event organizer Nancy Ruggiero says. The sorority was looking for the type of fundraiser that was “new and original,” Ruggiero says. Cyclefest became the group’s big fundraiser last year after problems hindered the previous year's event. Fall lest. All of the race proceeds will go to the Gallaudet School for the Deaf, a school chartered by Abra ham Lincoln, Ruggiero says. “It’s the only college for the deaf in the world,” she adds. Donations also will go to some local charities, including Shel tering Arms in Bryan. Last year’s race raised over $2,000 for charity, Ruggiero says. That amount was enough to win an award for the sorority at its na tional convention. But the race also is designed to provide a challenge for serious cyclists from around the state. “It’s a serious race,” Ruggiero says. “We try to be as professional as possible.” Last year’s race, she says, was so successful that cycling clubs have been writing letters to ask about this year’s event. All participants will start at 8 a.m. Sunday in the Post Oak Mall parking lot and race down FM 30 toward Huntsville. Depending on the class they enter, racers can ride 10, 30, 60 or even 85 miles. The 85-mile course will go through Anderson, Plantersville and Navasota before its finish. The course is laid out carefully to avoid traffic and busy intersec tions, she says. Aid stations, where drinks and fruit are available, will be placed every 10 to 15 miles along the course. Several cars will be on the course to help riders with me chanical problems. Awards are given to all fin ishers along with special prizes for class winners and top-10 fin ishers, Ruggiero says. The Zephyr Club is sponsoring the cookout and award presenta tion after the race. Free food and drinks will be available for all rid ers. Entries are available at the Texas A&M Intramural office, Cycles Etc. and the Delta Zeta house. Unclaimed bank deposits to be auctioned by state AUSTIN (AP) — Treasurer Ann Richards hopes someone will attend the state’s auction of unclaimed bank deposits and find a family treasure that Aunt Bessie put in a safety de posit box and forgot. “That would be wonderful,” Rich ards said Thursday at a preview of some of the 30,000 unclaimed ob jects that will be on sale May 9-10. At the first auction in 1985, a cou ple identified items that once be longed to a relative. “We’re particularly interested in these two valuable rings.” Richards said, displaying a 5-carat pear- shaped diamond and a 2-carat di amond surrounded by other stones. “They were owned by a San Anto nio woman who put them in a San Antonio bank deposit box,” she said. “We know she went to Mexico City but we don’t know where from there. She just disappeared. Van ished.” The first auction of unclaimed items produced about $188,000 for the treasury. State law says if a bank is forced to open a safety deposit box because ol unpaid rental, the bank must keep the contents for five years. Then the bank gives the items to the treasury. “We are always looking for the owners but there reaches a point when we really have to get rid of contents,” Richards said. “If the owner turns up after the auction we give them what we re ceived,” she said. The treasury advertises the un claimed items once a year in newspa pers throughout the state. A profes sional locators’ firm is hired, on a commission basis, to attempt to find owners of the valuable items. Texans recover after eating spoiled Mexican cheese SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Three people are recovering from a vicious form of brucellosis they contracted after eating unpasteurized goat cheese from Mexico, health officials said. During February and March, two pregnant women and a 12-year-old boy were afflicted with brucellosis melitensis, which causes intermittent fever, headaches, weakness, sweat ing, chills and joint and muscle pain, the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District reported. The three patients, health of ficials said, are recovering, although both women required hospitalization. None of the cheese eaten by the patients was bought in stores. Either friends or a door-to-door peddler supplied the cheese, official said. “People should not buy, eat or al low in their homes cheese that is not labeled properly or packaged prop erly.” warned Justus Baird, Metro politan Health District coordinator of food and environmental services. In Houston in recent years, 31 cases of the disease have occurred after people ate unpasteurized cheese from door-to-door salesmen. BRYAN W, Customer Appreciation Weekend... Fri. May 1 thru Sun. May 3 HALF PRICE BOGK@ MAGAZINES we buy and sell anything printed or recorded open 7 days a week 20° off OUR REGULAR HALF-PRICE We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our regular customers for their patronage throughout the years and to invite those of you who haven’t visited Half Price Books to come and see us. You’ll be amazed at the huge selection of new & used hardbacks, paperbacks, records, tapes, magazines & much, much more, all at half the publisher's price or less. So, if you already know us — Thank You...and if you don’t — now is the time to discover Texas’ most amazing book and record stores. 3828 TEXAS AVENUE Bryan, Texas 846-2738 10am-9pm Mon.-SaL • noon-9pm Sun. No other discounts or coupons accepted during this sale. B. J.’s Bunch 1103 Anderson #102 (at Holleman) College Station, Texas 77840 ^nEEEEEEESBSEEEEuESl TOYS-LF.GO Bim.DING DISPLAY-BOOKS* MAGAZINES-HOUSEHOLD TIMES-GLASS LINEN-CRAFTS * DECORATIVE ITEMS COPIES .05t Mon-Sat. 10-6 409/693-1687 Books Gifts Hours: Supplies M-F 7:45-6 Sat 9-5 845-8681 i COUPON Bring this coupon to the Brazos Valley Golf Range jfor free $1.25 basket! jw/purchase of mediumj basket $2 2S or more Hours Mon.-Fri. 12 a.m.-9:00 p.m. Sat. 10a.iri.-9 p.m. Sun. 1 p.m.-8 p.m. East Bypass across from Mall 696-1220 COUPON RESORT ATMOSPHERE Now Preleasing for Summer/Fall/Spring Huge 2 Bdrm/2 Full Baths 3 Bdrm/2 Full Baths Pool • Hot Tub • Basketball Court • On Site Manager + Security 24 Hour Maintenance Parkway Circle 401 S.W. Parkway 696-6909 % SHIPPING YOUR BELONGINGS TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY? DEAN WORLDWIDE, the international ship ping professionals^ will get your personal be longings back home safely, on time and at a price you can afford. We understand your needs. In fact DEAN is the only company that offers a specialty serv ice for foreign students attending U.S. schools. That is why you should call DEAN WORLDWIDE today: DEAN WORLDWIDE | 7601 N. Loop East Houston, Texas 77028 H ^(713)678-4411 WOnLDVJEE —SAVE BIG NOW- ★ Introductory Special * 3-Year Warranty AT&T/Bell Telephones Manufactured by Western Electric Limited Quantity What is your phone costing? $2.50 Per Month For 36 Months $90°° $3.00 Per Month For 36 Months $108°° Equal Quality Telephones One Time Cost $19 95 to $29 95 All Phones Remanufactured-Most Colors Available WATSON HARDWARE 202 E. University J Phone 696-3333 7:30-5:30 Monday thru Saturday Fully Modular & FCC Registered • Compare 3-Year Warranty With Warranties on New Equipment Special Orders Avaiable On Request Satisfaction Guaranteed SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE SALE UJ Contact Lenses Only Quality Name Brands U) > m ^ (Bausch & Lomb, Ciba, Barnes-Hinds-Hydrocurve) V) UJ r* m| SALE