From:
AFERRETVET@cs.com
Date: 2003-05-10 21:40:29 UTC
Subject: Re: Rickets/paralyzed ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <84.10931adb.2beecbcd@cs.com>
Hi Sandy and Dr Karin,
Rickets is not common with pet ferrets in the US
if they are fed a ferret food or a kitten food. If they
are fed an all meat diet only then there will not be
enough calcium in the food. (We still see this with
the big cats that are kept as pets. And in iguanas that
are fed an all lettuce diet. Lettuce is low in calcium)
Rickets is caused by an abnormal calcium to
phosphorus ratio. Usually too low of a calcium level.
Therefore rickets is not likely unless this kit was being
fed an all meat diet.
Juvenile lymphoma, distemper, AD, disk injury, anemia,
cardiac disease, and severe metabolic disease would all
be more likely differentials to rule out.
Hope that helps,
Jerry Murray, DVM