From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2005-07-19 01:23:57 UTC
Subject: RE: [ferrethealth] Dealing with an older ferret
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <2561982.1121736237102.JavaMail.root@thallium.smartgroups.com>
Author wrote:
> I can't stress enough how bad nutrical as a regular diet. It is full of sugar and any >ferret with sugar issues should only have it in an emergency--like a sugar crash >on the way to the vet.
When insulinoma gets beyond the point of being being able to control with medicines, or for one who is not particularly respondent to medicines it can be a very useful thing to give on a regular basis. At that point dietary sugars (always available) can sometimes give up to several extra months of quality life. It can also play a useful role this way when lymphoma or carcinoma is based in the pancreas.
There is still somewhat split opinion on giving it otherwise with insulinoma. We tend not to, usually, but we know of some ferret individuals who were managed for a substantial longer than normal with meds who got some of it each day, and others who managed for similar surprising times who did not.
There are nuances which still are not understood about insulinoma, and frankly there are even definite basics that are unknown about it -- such as a reputable idea of rate.
>makes a great treat in small doses
Yes, and it makes sense to give that way as a treat before any problem occurs so that the ferrets accept it most easily when it is needed.
>My elderlies are doing well on AD, but it was such a chore getting Buddy to like it, >that I now give small doses to the younger guys, too, as a treat. That way, when >the time comes I won't have to be forcing them to try something new.
That is a very smart practice.
>Oils other than Ferretone can be given in larger doses because they don't have the >taurine and are just as full of calories and good fatty acids.
Just two points here:
1. taurine is good and not a problem. The thing people worry about in relation to vitamin oils is over-doing the A, but that actually seems to harder to do with ferrets than it is with humans.
2. You do NOT want to give much polyunsaturated oil. Too much polyunsaturated oil causes what is known as nutritional steatis or yellow fat disease in ferrets (which you have probably read about in relation to eating a large portion of diet as certain marine fish or mollusks -- with squid being particularly bad that way).
Monosaturated oils are safer for ferrets and so are saturated fats. Some examples of monosaturated oils are olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil.
>(I don't know about nut oils--so many humans are allergic that I'm afraid to try >them.)
Good question. I don't think I've ever heard of any reacting to peanuts, but that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. What are common allergens in humans are not necessarily common allergens in ferrets. Penicillin is a common allergen in humans, but I think I know of only one ferret who ever definitely reacted to it.
>All of mine have gotten to really love the hand feeding process, too, which gives >them needed bonding time now that they're not playing as much.
YES, YES, YES! I hope that everyone remembers your point here.