From:
Ferrethealer@aol.com
Date: 2004-05-04 00:12:00 UTC
Subject: Softwood Pellets Re: [ferrethealth] Digest 3 May 2004 03:54:17 -0000 Issue 663
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <50.2b8ff71f.2dc839d0@aol.com>
In a message dated 05/02/04 11:54:47 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
ferrethealth-digest-help@smartgroups.com writes:
Out of curiosity, what is your opinion of Feline Pine, a commercially
available pet bedding and litter?
That is the brand that almost killed my ferret.
Obviously, you are doubting the validity of my statement. My suggestion, to
anyone, is to write a chemist at any of the pellet producers, asking what
the content of the pheno's contained in the pellets after the extrusion
process. Also, contact the CDC.
You say that the phenol oil content is stated to be zero - well, whether that
is actually the case, or whether the reaction was to something else present
in the litter, to me is irrelevant. The litter did result in an anaphylactic
reaction, and if I were not a veterinarian, I believe that my ferret would have
been dead. However, having also been a chemist, I do doubt that the actual
content is an absolute zero. I have done a fair number of extractions - to
reach an endpoint of zero is incredibly rare, and for those animals that are
allergic, something approximating zero does not equal zero.
Again, my suggestion is that if you or anyone else is comfortable using the
softwood pellets, then go ahead and use them. I will not, nor, as I stated
previously, will I recommend that anyone else use them.
Dr. Ruth
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Find it. Fix it. And fly again.