From:
"Sue Liszewski"
Date: 2004-03-31 17:19:15 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] blood glucose origins if no starch in diet
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <BAY15-F6837g7RFlz430002923e@hotmail.com>
The carbs in all carnivores come from the intestinal tract of the prey
animals they eat which are herbivores. These animals in the wild eat the
whole animal and as a result eat that which their prey has eaten, it is not
much in the way of carbs but it is there.
>From: "Ulrike" <ferretlove_@onetel.net.uk>
>Reply-To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
>To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
>Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] blood glucose origins if no starch in diet
>Date: Wed, 31 Mar 2004 17:12:35 +0100 (GMT Standard Time)
>
>"Provided the diet contains sufficient glucose precursors (amino acids and
>glycerol), the glucogenic capacity of the liver and kidneys is usually
>sufficient to meet the metabolic need of growing animals for glucose
>without
>inclusion of carbohydrates in the diet. (Brambila and Hill 1996; Chen et al
>1980)"
>
> Nutrient Requirements of Dogs (1985)
>
>"There is no known minimum dietary carbohydrate requirement for either the
>dog or the cat. Based on investigations in the dog and with other species
>it
>is likely that dogs and cats can be maintained without carbohydrates if the
>diet supplies enough fat or protein from which the metabolic requirement
>for
>glucose is derived."
>
> The Waltham Book of Dog and Cat Nutrition 2nd Edition (1988)
>
>
>Dogs and cats can do it, I should think ferrets can too, being more
>obligate
>carnivore even than a cat! Amino acids are obtained from proteins and
>glycerol from the breakdown of fats.....abundant in a carb-free diet.
>Carnivores don't have the issues with ketones that we omnivores have.
>
>I can't imagine where a ferret would get carbs from in the natural course
>of
>things...
>
>
>
>-------Original Message-------
>
>I am sick tonight so bear with me because I am doing this between
>fevers and I put down exactly what a vet nutrtionist sai dto me
>tonoght:
>
>Asked if ferrets can create blood glucose from protein (which I hadn't
>thought they could directly but someone asked the question some time
>ago so I wanted ot get it right) he said: "If they do they will be the
>only animal on Earth which can."
>
>What they can do if they don'd have any starch in the diet is they can
>create sugars from stored fat BUT breaking down fats to do that
>produces the byproduct, ketones. In high amounts or for long times
>ketones can damage the kidneys.
>
>
>
>
>--
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