From:
Pam Sessoms
Date: 2001-05-03 03:10:00 UTC
Subject: Re: [Ferret-Health-list] Re: Food for Sick Ferret
On Thu, 3 May 2001, Mike Janke wrote:
> I don't have any recommendations, but I did want to say that Hill's
> A/D is not very high in protein at all. I don't have a can in front
> of me, but I believe crude protein is listed at around 8%.
Isn't this one of those deals where you have to account for the water in
order to get a percent protein on a dry-matter basis? I have a can here,
and it looks like Mike's memory is quite accurate: 8.5% protein. It says
it's 78% maximum moisture, so that's 100% total - 78% water = 22% dry
matter. 8.5/22 would be 38.6% protein. (I'm still learning to deal with
food labels, and others on the list have been very helpful teaching this,
so I'm sure someone will correct this if it's wrong.)
I don't have any especially good suggestions on food for Champ, but
perhaps some of the feline prescription diets would do? I think I might
remember that Katharine has some experience with Hill's K/D from either
Champ or another critter... So this might not be terribly helpful, BUT
anyway, here are a couple of web pages with nutritional info for chronic
renal failure kitties:
http://users.ouvip.com/tanya/tinned_food.htm
http://www.felinecrf.com/managd.htm
Maybe if those are too low in protein for a ferret, it could be beefed up
a little with some chicken baby food... Seems like I heard somewhere that
low phosphorous was about as important as low protein in these cases?
Just something else to watch out for, looks like the prescription diets
take that into account.
Best wishes,
-Pam S.