From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2002-06-02 10:59:00 UTC
Subject: fish
Okay, I am not next to my references so can't get some info from
Fox's vet text, but there are cautions for certain fish (esp. raw if
memory serves) and seafood in very large amounts (beyond what kibble
or fish as treats would cause), and there are problems with large
amounts of yellow corn (or possibly smaller amounts in some so those
with a history of blabber stones in case some are genetically
predisposed to higher urine pH, but I don't know) because it raises
urine pH and those allows minerals to precipitate out in the bladder.
In most situations, though, each has it's uses in reasonable
moderation, as per this post by vet, Dr. Jerry Murray:
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URL: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Ferret-Health-list/message/11849
Sounds like you are using one of the generic liquid preds.
Most of the generics contain alcohol (about 5%).
It is time to use the brand name Pediapred (prednisolone).
It is a dye free, sugar free, alcohol free, raspberry flavored clear
liquid.
As for diets: the higher the protein and the fat the better. Low fiber
and low carbohydrates. Unfortunately your statement about ferrets
being unable to digest corn is not accurate. Your comments about
fish are also not accurate. Fish is highly digestable and a high quality
protein source. It actually has a higher value than chicken! Plus it
contains the important omega-3 fatty acids. Yes fish does smell like
fish, but it is a good protein source! Wheat, Zupreem's main
carbohydrate source, contains about 11.5% protein (actually higher
than the protein content of corn ~9%). Wheat also has a higher
post prandial (after meal) gluose response than corn. Better than
rice better worse than corn!
As for treats: avoid raisins, cereals, bananas, and candy.
Cooked meats, cooked eggs, Hill's a/d, and Gerber's baby food
(chicken and turkey) provide the high protein, high fat, low carbohydrate
profile that we want in a snack.
Unfortunately we still do not have a perfect diet for insulinoma ferrets.
It will probably have to be a canned food, so it can have a low enough
carbohydrate level <10%.
Hope that clears up some of the confusion,
Jerry Murray, DVM
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Here's more:
Message 10399 of 13461
You are right both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty oils are needed
in the diet, but it is the ratio of the 2 that is important.
In dogs and cats, the ratio of O-6 to O-3 should be 5 to 1
to 10 to 1. It is likely the ferrets ratio would be similar to the cats.
Flax seed oil contains the O-3 alpha linolenic acid (ALA). ALA
is roughly 53% of the flax seed oil. Thus it is a good source of an O-3.
However fish oil contains 2 different O-3 oils. Fish oil contains
Eicosaletraenoic acid (EPA) and Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).
Beef fat contains mostly O-6 oils and Arachidonic acid (AA)
AA is considered an essential fatty acid for cats and likely
needed by ferrets also.
The big picture is flax seed oil is good but fish oil is probably
better. That is why Iams kitten, Eukanuba kitten, Totally Ferret,
and Marshall's ferret food all have fish oil in them. (Marshall's
also uses fish as protein source.)
Now for the biochemistry part, it is the position of the first
double bond from the terminal end of the oil that determines
if it is an omega 3 or 6 or 9 oil.
Hope that helps,
Jerry Murray, DVM
Message 10459 of 13461
Unfortunately we do not know the exact requirements
of the fatty acids in ferrets, so we have to extrapolate
from what we do know from mink and from cats.
Cats are obligate carnivores also, and their "wild diet"
would be mice, rats, and other small prey just like
a ferret's "wild diet." The problem with a diet that gets
below a 5 to 1 ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids
is clotting inhibition. A 1 to 1 ratio would likely cause
the animal to have severe clotting deficiencies and
possibly even bleed to death. That is why the recommended
ratio is 5-1 to 10-1.
Rancidity is not usually a problem as most diets use
preservatives (BHA, etc.) and/or vit E (i.e., mixed tocopherols)
to stabilize the fats in the diet.
Hope that clears things up,
Jerry Murray, DVM
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