From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2007-01-10 14:54:33 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Ferret w/digestion issues
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
To figure out which of the two most common urinary tract stones a ferret has requires that
the stones themselves be studied UNLESS the ferret has the urine pH markedly off, then
you can decide from the direction.
If the urine is too alkaline (number too high) then the ferret is likely to create struvite
stones and the diet has too much plant matter for that ferret. This is the more common
type and usually occurs with a low quality diet.
If the urine is too acidic (number too low) then the ferret is likely precipitating out cystine.
That happens when the ferret can not deal with the amount being eaten of any of four
amino acids, the COLA group of amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of
protein so these ferrets need the protein in their diet reduced. There is currently a stone
on this type of stone in ferrets going on in UC Davis after a rate increase in ferrets was
noticed. (BTW, Steve and I have two who have gotten cystine stones who luckily are fine
on diets of no more than 35% protein, but there are meds which have been used for a few
with cystine stones who can't be helped by diet changes alone once (if) they are lucky
enough to get past the blockages such stones can cause -- a problem Hilbert barely
survived.)
There are some more rare other types of stones.
If you would like to see a range of stone types (not all urinary) from a range of animals:
http://www.herringlab.com/
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