From:
Ulrike
Date: 2001-03-03 06:28:00 UTC
Subject: Re: topic - vitamin/mineral content of food
>>Considering the lifespan
of the polecat progenitors (mean age at death = 11 months, 99% of all
age groups are 5 years old and younger, 95% 4 years old or younger),
ferrets being fed dry ferret foods are living well into their
physiological upper limits of life. This suggests that kibble isn't such
a bad food.<<
Hi Bob
Thanks for yet another brilliant post. There was a thread on a BARF list
not long ago why wild cats, wolves etc. don't live long lives (compared to
our domesticated companions) even though they eat a good natural diet
consisting of meat, carcasses etc. Me having a bad memory can't remember
all the points now (which is good, otherwise I'd write too much) but it's
because wild predators are under stress all the time, they have to hunt to
survive, they have to be on the lookout that they don't become prey. If
they get sick in any way, they can't hunt and starve or get eaten. In
summer their bodies have to work hard to keep cool, in winter they have to
work hard to stay warm. Our ferrets aren't stressed, they don't have to
hunt, they have warm, safe homes and get food and medical care as needed.
A vet on this list said that he or she saw a lot of young animals come in
with cancers and diseases that not long ago (50 or so years ago) mainly
older animals got. Blamed it on kibble mainly. I also think that kibble is
responsible for many diseases and especially pancreatic diseases/ cancers as
you pointed out. I had a 3 year old ferret die of an aggressive pancreatic
cancer. Lost another ferret to pancreatic cancer not long ago. One of my
guys has insulinoma, another one has suspected insulinoma...
From Ulrike
and Jilly, Jack, Bella, Tom, Mason, Baby, Dana, Fox, Reno, Rose, Jasmine,
Barney, Spike, Hobo and Gremlin
Missing Angel, Hope and Igor
West Wales Ferret Welfare
E-mail: ferretlove@n...
http://www.ferretlove.freeserve.co.uk
Last update 23/02/01
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