Diane wrote:
>Just a quick note on my experience as an asthmatic and pet owner. ..
>The specialist told me they MUST go.  I said that was NOT an option.
 
If you are allergic to them I'm glad that it's controllable for this to be
an option; have known some people whose allergies got very out of control.
My allergist was more sensible and my allergies more amenable in part.
When he asked about pets I told him about the seven ferrets and added that
I'm not allergic to them, but I am allergic to my hubby's scalp (sort of)
and that I wouldn't be getting rid of Steve either.  He asked how I know
that I'm not allergic to ferrets.  Mentioned some times taking naps with
my face in a ferret belly the entire time.  He asked how I know that I'm
sort-of allergic to Steve.  Well, I am very allergic to leaving of skin
mites (which EVERYONE has in their skins) and Steve has psoriasis so he
sheds at a fantastic rate and I get to change and wash some parts of the
bedding daily and others every 2 to 4 days.  Not about to give Steve up for
the world, though.  Like Diane mentioned there are things a person can do
to reduce allergic responses.  I also swear by hepa filters; we have three
here in our small condo.  Remember to have heating and A/C vents and ducts
cleaned by a pro every 10 years or so, too.  Now, if only ragweed pollen
and pine spores were as easily managed as mites... Anyway, if you spend a
lot of time with your ferrets and know it's not them, then -- like Diane --
don't let that be an easy elimination.  Allergists can be logical <G> if
they hear decent reasons.  Diane had wonderful tips; if you missed them
re-read yesterday's FML.
 
Furtulsa wrote:
>The 8in1's food that is sold in the small boxes at WalMart has:
>Minimum 28% Protein
>Minimum 8% Fat
 
Their "Ultimate" food is
38% protein and
19% fat
 
We mix about 5 foods and have had fine results that way in terms of
health, flexibility, etc.
 
Diane and Bill wrote:
>You are aware then of what is being called Waardenburg Syndrome (though
>perhaps incorrectly) in ferrets.
  and
>Blazes (badgers, shetlands), pandas, "wannabes", dark eyed whites (black
>eyed whites), mitts (on all non-black and some black ferrets) and several
>other oddly marked with white ferrets seem to be the result of the
>Waardenburg gene.
 
But very LIKELY correctly called WS; it's throughout a very wide range of
mammals and might, like some other neural crest disorders, be in other
vertebrates as well.  Although I don't know of it definitely being checked
to be sure that is the actual cause in ferrets, the extremely wide spread
nature, the great age of neural crest disorders in general, and the match
of symptoms makes it a more than just reasonable supposition, though not
a confirmed actuality.
 
I disagree about mitts.  There are marked feet which sometimes show up with
WS head markings though I don't know if they are caused by the same things,
but have seen clean mitts along with clean bibs and such reverse markings
which seem to very possibly not be at all related to WS.
 
The simple fact is this: NO ONE REALLY KNOWS what is going on out there.
There are breeder observations, but there are NOT the numbers needed to
know for sure on most things.  Nor is there enough understanding to be
assigning designations, yet.  Till there are the number needed in great
enough amounts any genetic statements have to be taken with a grain of
salt.  Let's not get ahead of ourselves.  That causes no end of troubles.
 
Mike Janke is one of the people we sue for advice.  Knows his stuff and is
constantly learning.
[Posted in FML issue 3162]