From:
rumtum99@sympatico.ca
Date: 2001-07-10 19:36:00 UTC
Subject: Mikey's Diet
I am writing to find out a bit of information on homemade diets. I
accidently misplaced how to get to BIG (?), if I remember right this
is where past subjects are archived. I did find Bob Churches files
on ferret nutrition, I copied some of it down and am about to go back
and get more information. I know that many people swear by the raw
diets, but I am still a bit leary, so want to cook it.
The reason that I am asking about it right now is on Sunday Mikey
went totally biserk biting at his chest and his legs and jumping up
and down. I was so afraid that his chest was hurting and that he was
trying to get at the pain, but my vet feels that the episode went on
too long, for it to be his heart.
The only thing that my vet found wrong in the physical when I brought
him in on Monday was his heart as usual was too slow, this time 170,
which for Mikey is pretty good. Last week it was its lowest, 140. My
vet has suggested that before Mikey is subjected to a lot more tests
to see if there is any possibility that he has severe allergies,
possibly to his food. (Just to re-cap he has had an ultrasound, x-
rays, blood tests, urine culture, EKG, and fecal) He said that it
could account for his liver enzymes being out, and he may be having
an anaphylactic type reaction that could be affecting his heart. I
know that we are grasping at straws, but will try anything.
I have found a lot of raw diets, but no cooked ones.
Should I be adding any taurine if I am cooking it? or any other type
of supplements?
How do you feed without the food going bad? If I need to feed in the
middle of the night I will, but if there is a way to schedule I would
appreciate knowing.
My vet feels that a couple of weeks without his diet being fully
balanced will not hurt too much, but that I should balance it as much
as possible. I did grind up a bit of my cats hyperallergenic diet,
Waltham's duck and rice, so that he will get some of the taurine from
there for now, and added it to mainly chicken and some brown rice,
EFA-Z, and baby food, as he likes the taste of that. He is only 4 ½
months so there is no way that I want to feed him just an adult cat
diet. I know that I also have to get some calcium in there, so will
either add bone meal or the eggshell.
Thank you for any help.
Steph and Mikey