From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2012-02-12 21:45:59 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Re: Insulinoma Question
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
The thing about hypotheses is that some look good and then never pan out while others look good and do pan out. Heck, even some which look unpromising at one time wind up later with enough evidence. For now knowing that the POSSIBLE dietary cause of insulinoma is only a hypothesis can not only prevent heartache when people who stick to high protein diets or raw or cooked whole animal diets wind up with insulinoma (which certainly happens often enough with each), but it can prevent such people from missing the onset of insulinoma. Neither hypotheses -- like the carb-insulinima one -- which are not demonstrated nor well demonstrated biological laws such as evolution should be confused with faith which just believes or disbelieves in things because they are encouraged by certain authors/people/speakers. Faith says, "Just believe it." Science says, "Prove it" which has happened for a range of things but not yet for the carb-insulinoma hypothesis.
People can argue their heads off, but without good hard data that has been sufficiently challenged behind an idea it is still only a hypothesis. With a hypothesis is it best to use that all important grain of salt, knowing that it may be possible but it may not pan out. Debates, popularity contests, and shouting do not amount to hard data.
So, one of the best things a person can do is to wait for expert studies in juried journals because otherwise claims are empty (though the two originators of the concept, Doctors Murray and Finkler, know enough to not make claims) and alternatives have not been sufficiently studied. Why? Mostly because ferrets on the diets that don't contain many carbs or contain no carbs have also gotten insulinoma and if a person does not jump fast enough in the right direction with that disease the ferret pays, and in the pain of guilt the person then also pays.
Until more is known it is safest to try one's best but to always remember the difference between what has only been hypothesized and is possible (or not), and what has been well demonstrated in rigorous ways.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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