From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2003-05-12 18:06:04 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] supplementing calcium
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <1062001.1052762764216.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Ah, so it is a situation of an elderly one who has severe IBD, this is all =
that you found to hold her, and her remaining life wasn't/isn't expected to=
be long enough for this to have a down-side? Certainly, in very rough sit=
uations some things that otherwise aren't done just have to be tried. We h=
ad one years back near the end of multiple terminal problems whose esophagu=
s was so reduced in widths by her enlarged heart that she could only get do=
wn a thin meat slurry but did better with Sustical (like Ensure) so she had=
that as her primary food source and it worked for her till things just got=
too bad. Sometimes a person just does what bit can be done because there i=
sn't a choice.
In http://www.afip.org/ferrets/babyfood.html
Dr. Williams writes:
>As I stated before, while an excellent supplement, baby food does not cont=
ain >all of the vitamins, minerals, and other compounds (including taurine)=
which >ferrets require for long term health.=A0=A0 I have successfully mai=
ntained ferrets >on an exclusive diet of baby food for six months (and the =
ferret gained >significant amounts of weight), but I would not advise this.=
=A0 So, if you are >feeding this food for longer than 4 weeks, I recommend =
grinding the ferret?s >normal chow in a coffee grinder or blender and mixin=
g it in with the food, so >that your ferret gets all of the recommended vit=
amins and minerals.=A0 (Note to >skeptics:=A0 I have maintained one of my f=
errets with chronic inflammatory >bowel disease for over three years on thi=
s mixture of baby food and ferret >chow ? 7.5 years old and still going str=
ong.)
Since you are giving Pounce there is more being ingested than babyfood. Wh=
at else is being given? Some supplements could help greatly with things li=
ke omega fatty acids, minerals, or vitamins.
BTW, for those who aren't aware, there is an excellent reason that kibbles =
have a good portion of animal parts like fats, skins, organs, etc. Many of=
these are wonderful sources of nutrients not found in muscles (meat). Thi=
s is also why such organs are included in homemade chicken gravy.
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