From:
"Sukie Crandall"
Date: 2008-11-16 17:41:47 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: No idea what's going on here...
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Just how much carbs affect ferret health is still at
least partly hypothetical. That isn't to say that one
or more hypotheses might not pan out. Some may,
some may not. Once there is a well enough designed
research, especially once it is independently confirmed,
more will be known.
Some types of kibble appear to cause dental wear, but
not all kibbles are equal. They vary in hardness, brittleness,
and how much they stick to teeth. Some of the questions
related to this that still need to be resolved were brought
up at a symposium before this year's. Some were brought
up by Dr. Cathy Johnson-Delaney in a vet journal article just
last year. Let me see if I can find that one for all so that people
can ask their vets if they can borrow it, should their vets get
that journal. It's one of two parts by separate authors next to
each other in the same journal so a person can read both
arguments and learn more about what data is missing to have
a complete argument. Okay, it is in
Exotic DVM
Vol 9 (2)
2007
There is a hypothesis that carbohydrates might increase the
risk of insulinoma in ferrets. This hypothesis was independently
developed by Doctors Jerry Murray and Mark Finkler. It was
originally built due to an intriguing hypothesis about diabetes
in cats. The hypothesis was similar to one that had existed
for humans. As far as I know the human health one never
proved out. Several recent cat studies show instead that diet
does not seem to be a predisposing factor for cats, but instead
that too little activity, obesity, and genetics appear to be the
factors that predispose some cats to becoming diabetic. Links,
abstracts, or references for some appear in a past FHL post
since they relate to the origin of the insulinoma hypothsis.
Okay, those are in
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL5414
Now, does that mean that the ferret hypothesis is invalid? No.
Insulinoma is a different pancreatic problem. The carbohydrate
hypothesis might pan out or it might not. Only good enough
study and independent verification of the key points and the
mechanism(s) involved will answer that in either direction, or
something different than either direction. (Often, instead
studies find an unsuspected direction or unsuspected answers
and those surprises and being open enough to spot them can
ultimately be the best for major breakthroughs past previous
concepts. Those studies are especially cool.) So, there is
nothing wrong with observing the hypothesis for ferrets who
do not have conflicting health needs and there might be
something good about doing so. Just remember that it is a
hypothesis (UNproven) at this time.
Whole prey like mice or chicks is typically about 50% to 52%
protein. Yes, I know some merchants of such products say
they have ones that are higher yet in protein. Perhaps they
use a special diet, or remove some body components from
their final product, or perhaps some exaggerate. I checked
references and I asked two people who have doctorates in
veterinary nutrition and was told that the 50-52% is the
correct range. Some kibbles reach that. Some don't. Some
of the ones which reach that use potato as part of their
ingredients. Potato has a high glycemic index, but i don't
know if the potato component(s) used do. Anyone know?
Some people whose ferrets have IBD find adding fiber
(ex: pumpkin) helps. Remember that in adding fiber you
also reduce the total protein proportion, total fat proportion,
etc.
Some ferrets may have chronic kidney problems for which
a lower protein kibble is healthier -- in some case with
cooked egg added to the diet.
Why?
If the ferret is prone to cystine uroliths then the amounts
of four amino acids need to brought down for the ferret to
survive and for them the egg is not added last I checked.
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/FHL5862
On the other hand, when there is chronic kidney disease
the point is to decrease the phosphorous in the diet. That
can be done usually by decreasing protein levels but not
all proteins are equivalent in terms of the amount of
phosphorous. Egg, BTW, has very accessible protein.
Z-D is the food that is processed down to amino acids to
reduce and usually eliminate the allergy problem. There
have been some ferrets with extreme IBD for which one
or another Z-D was not sufficient. To read about the
ferret who may have been the most extreme IBD one
discussed here read about Rinkydink:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
I personally prefer foods that have been designed by
people who know ferrets and have doctorates in veterinary
nutrition. That includes the Totally Ferret Foods, obviously.
Nothing replaces that degree of focused education, and I
am a big one for picking the brains of the experts.
If it comes down to needing to create a cooked at home
food to help this ferret, here is a wonderful resource with
just such a specialist:
http://petdiets.com/
Hope this helps!
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
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