From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2004-07-22 19:39:25 UTC
Subject: uroliths
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <7214493.1090525165085.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
I haven't been able to follow-up as rapidly as I'd like on the urolith (urinary tract stone) stone with experts. We've been shaping life around the timing and needs of several sick human family members in recent weeks.
Today I did hear from a vet nutirtionist who has a question for members of the FHL and who also has a hypothesis to possibly explain the stones seen here.
The second first: he thinks that the cause of the problem (either than one having that congenital malformation) might have been either the source of amino acids, the proportion of amino acids, or both. Digestion fits in there, too.
First proportion: how much of any amino acid is used is partly dependent on how much is available of other amino acids. If there is a disproportion then the excess of the amino acid which is in higher proportion will be shed. Therefore, if a food is lacking in a needed amino acid it can force the urinary tract to have to deal with the shed excess of some other amino acids in which the diet has more. That means that ultimately the foods need to take into account the proportions used, rather than just think of total protein or even total animal protein. (Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins.) This part of the hypothesis means that having the proportions off too far might be able to lead to urolith formation.
The source may impact as well. Plant proteins have different proportions of many ingredients including amino acids than animal protein sources have, so it isn't just that they are harder to digest.
Plant proteins are harder to digest, though. When a polecat eats a rodent it gets some plant nutrients BUT it also gets mouse enzymes which it winds up excreting, but until it does those enzyles continue to aid in breaking down the plant matter in the mouse it is digesting, so it is like when those who can't digest milk well take a digestive enzyme along with the milk to give them an assist. The mouse, vole, or whatever simply comes also with those enzymes right here.
So, it may be that higher levels of proteins would not pose a risk to ferrets who are prone to stones IF the source is highely digestible and IF the balance of amino acids is right for ferret needs.
Finally, his question: There is a hypothsis out there right now that it may be hard to digest things which are most prone to forming food allergies (such as it being thought that carried along shell chitin proteins might be what triggers the creation of allergies to crustaceans like shrimp). If this hypothsis is correct he is wondering if those whose ferrets show allergies to foods with certain meat sources might actually have had the allergy first be started by a non-animal source or protein such as the grain type. Chicken is most commonly mentioned as a problem but it is almost always paired with corn in many foods, while some other meats are more commonly paired with rice or another carbohydrate source. How many of you with a living ferret who apparently reacts to a certain food have tried the meat source by itself instead of with the grain? Those replies can be sent to me privately at either
<sukie@mac.com> or <sukiec@optonline.net> so that I can pass them along.
I hope I expressed that clearly enough.