From:
jbecker@dot.co.pima.az.us
Date: 2003-05-19 21:10:33 UTC
Subject: Kidney disease and diet information from Dr. Tom Willard
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2459029.1053375264285.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
One of my carpet sharks, Sherlock, (2 lb. male shelter adoptee of unknown a=
ge, at least 5 yrs.) had a few displays of return-to-male sexual behavior e=
arly this year. I took him to my ferret-knowledgeable vet, who gave him a p=
hysical and said we should base an adrenal neoplasia diagnosis on more that=
just 3 episodes in several months. I have been keeping a VERY CLOSE eye o=
n him, and he hasn=92t done =93it=94 in a couple months! He has no other c=
lassic adrenal n. symptoms: no hair-loss, palpable masses, urinary issues, =
general aggressiveness, etc. I have lost 2 other shelter adoptee males to =
adrenal n. already (one due to urinary blockage from undiagnosed adrenal n.=
and one while recovering in post op) and I don=92t want either of those tr=
agedies repeated if we can avoid them. At my vets suggestion I have been in=
vestigating giving him melatonin supplements, but it seams like it might ma=
sk the very symptoms I am looking for! I don=92t want to delay any needed =
surgery, and I am afraid that masking any developing symptoms might lead to=
that. Do any vets or others have potential adrenal neoplasia and melatonin=
experience? If anyone recommends it, please provide dosage and timing guid=
ance.
Also, while I have been keeping constant watch of Sherlock over the past se=
veral months, I have noticed him occasionally displaying very mild hind-leg=
weakness. It is mild in that he still has mobility, but he frequently seam=
s to favor one or the other leg, limping, and he may be taking breaks and=
not playing quite as much as he used to. It is so mild that it took me a w=
eek to convince myself that he wasn't just being silly, as he is a very sil=
ly ferret. There is a chance that he has a minor injury from playing with o=
ur dog, but there was no traumatic onset of Sherlock=92s problem (the dog i=
s young and excitable but has always adopted her best behavior around the f=
errets). Sherlock is eating, drinking, pooping, and peeing normally. Blood=
work was done when he got a physical a couple months ago. Everything appea=
red normal then; his glucose was boarder line low, but he had fasted for 7 =
hours. So far I have never had to deal with insulinoma in any of my eight =
past or present critters. We will see if our time may be up. =
Since he is currently not displaying adrenal n. symptoms and his weakness i=
ssue is mild and infrequent, my vet scheduled a physical (w/ non-fasting gl=
ucose) for him in one month, earlier if a change is noticed. In the mean ti=
me, I will keep Nutrocal on hand in case of =93crash=94 symptoms. We might =
have the TN panel done then as well if he still has no other adrenal sympto=
ms, but I am hesitant to invest the money in the test when the results are =
not definitive. The vet tech suggested investigating glucosamine & chondro=
itin supplements for Sherlock=92s rear end issues until his vet visit to se=
e if we notice any effect. Has anyone used glucosamine & chondroitin suppl=
ements for their aging ferrets with any noticeable results? If anyone recom=
mends it, please provide dosage guidance.
Any advice or leads are welcome. =
=
=
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com, bigcu@cunyvm.cuny.edu,
ferret-list@cunyvm.cuny.edu
From: Sukie Crandall <sukiec@optonline.net>
Message-id: <a06001203baeef7976494@[10.0.1.7]>
As you know, my habit when I don't have enough info to figure that I
can provide a definitive answer to a question or come to question
what I had accepted is to ask an expert. Below is from Dr. Tom
Willard whose doctorate is in animal nutrition. I learned a LOT from
this and hope that you also will.
>Kidney Disease and Diet
>
>This is not intended to be a complete review paper regarding kidney
>disease in carnivores or ferrets but only to bring up several points
>which are know about the kidney of different species and to make
>recommendations regarding the diet of carnivores.
>
>I would have to say in my 30 years in the pet food industry and over
>10 years in working almost exclusively with ferrets in both
>nutrition and research, that renal failure - cause and effect - is
>possibly the most misunderstood and mistreated disease in companion
>carnivore pets.
>
>First, we need to define chronic renal failure. According to Dr
>Gregory Reinhart, PhD and Director of Strategic Research, R&D, The
>Iams Co., it is the sum effect of a wide range of diseases that
>results in loss of 75% or more of the functional parenchyma of both
>kidneys. In chronic renal failure, this loss of function is
>progressive and irreversible. Further, it is associated with a
>gradual decline in glomerular filtration rate plus an accumulation
>of protein metabolic byproducts such as BUN and creatinine.
>Increased severity of histological lesions and development or
>worsening of clinical signs (pg 395)_.
>
>Dr Delmar R. Finco, DVM, PhD, DACVIM Professor in the Dept. of
>Physiology and Pharmacology Medicine, U. of GA has conducted
>extensive research on both dogs and cats regarding the influence of
>protein one renal failure over the past 20 years. In the 1998 Iams
>Nutrition Symposium Proceedings_ (pg 413), Dr Finco presents a paper
>on the Influence of Protein and Energy in Cats with Renal Failure,
>states in his summary: "It is concluded that restricting protein in
>cats with chronic renal dysfunction for renoprotective purposes is
>questionable, unless more convincing evidence of harmful effects is
>provided". He goes on to elaborate in his presentation that
>progressive renal failure is a common cause of death in cats so
>slowing its progress will prolong the life and add to the comfort of
>the animal. The same would obviously be true for ferrets. But Dr
>Finco goes on to state, "contrary to a previous study, results did
>not demonstrate adverse effects of protein ingestion on glomerular
>mesangial matrix accumulation, even when amounts consumed were
>greater that previously shown to be injurious".
>
>There have been studies on dogs that have shown that there is no
>relationship between protein intake and progression of chronic
>kidney disease seen in rats, according to Dr Gregory Reinhart of The
>Iams Company_. Dr Reinhart goes on to state that there is no
>evidence that feeding moderate protein diets to either dogs or cats
>relative to severely protein restricted diets contribute to
>progression of chronic renal failure, the rational for excessive
>protein restriction is even more questionable in these species.
>
>Most of the misinformation regarding the benefits of feeding protein
>restricted diets has come from a poorly designed study over 35 years
>ago pertaining to laboratory rats with kidney disease. Not until Dr
>Finco began his research on dogs in the late '70's and early '80's
>and later on cats, using the remnant kidney technique, which he
>developed, did factual information become available on carnivores
>regarding the effect of dietary protein levels on kidney disease.
>
>In an uncontrolled and unreported research study, which we conducted
>during the mid '90's on ferrets, we demonstrated a positive effect
>on eight-week-old ferret kits who had suffered kidney damage and
>exhibited extremely elevated BUN levels. We fed our current Totally
>Ferret diet of 37% protein and 23% fat to all nine kits and 4 of the
>5 recovered whereas the 4 kits fed a low protein, low fat diet (30%
>protein, 16% fat) all died.
>
>Based on all of the information I have reviewed plus many of our own
>studies, restricting the protein intake on an obligate carnivore
>such as a ferret is contraindicated. Not only will the essential
>amino acids not be available for tissue rebuilding in the damaged
>kidney, there will be a lack of all of the essential nutrients for
>immune system rebuilding which will open the animal up to secondary
>infection. This includes feeding special prescription cat diets
>designed for kidney dysfunction.
>
>As previously stated, this is not a lengthy review article on kidney
>disease of carnivores in general nor ferrets specifically; it is a
>presentation of some specific information as sited above regarding
>dogs and cats. There is little or no direct research information on
>kidney disease in ferrets which I am aware of so we can only attempt
>to draws some cross species conclusions. I do however, suggest that
>any veterinarians diagnosing renal disease in ferrets at least
>consider that ferrets are a more restrictive carnivore that cats and
>according to the available research in cats restricting protein is
>contraindicated for disease symptoms mitigation _.
>
>I will be happy to further discuss this with anyone involved in
>research on ferrets as our company is always interested in advancing
>the nutritional and healthcare knowledge of the domestic ferret.
>
>Thomas R. Willard, PhD
>President
>Performance Foods, Inc.