45% should be fine for most ferrets, but not for one who has had cystine
stones in his or her history.  If there is a past of cystine stones in
your ferret or that ferret's relatives avoid such a high protein food
which other ferrets can eat.  We are among the FML members who have
ferrets who have had to have cystine stone surgery whose ferrets do
wonderfully on about 35% protein but not higher.  There are two cases
that I have read (one in a journal article of Dr. Mike Dutton, and then
an FHL member whose ferret was treated by Dr. Tom Kawasaki) who needed
the meds for this instead of just dietary management.  Dr. Michelle
Hawkins of UC Davis is currently leading a study team looking into the
recent increased numbers of ferret cystine stones seen so here is some
info to pass on to all ferret vets for their files:
2108 Tupper Hall, University of CA, Davis, CA 95616,
1-530-752-1363 (phone), [log in to unmask]
 
I have been told that new formulation is very low fat and that could be
a potential problem for ferrets.
 
(For those who do not know 8 in 1 was at first a small company, then was
purchased and combined with several other companies, then rebought by
the original owners and resold.  These days it is part of the Rayovac
conglomerate and the 8 in 1 section itself has 300 employees and an
absolutely huge number of products (some of which appear to more be
inappropriate relabelling than anything else -- for instance some of the
ferret treats would be fine for some other types of animals but pose
health risks for ferrets -- and it is certainly not the only company to
just relabel things that are unsuited to ferret health as being "ferret
products" now that the industry is so very aware that the ferret and
ferret care industries add up to 2 billion (with a "B") of the $32
Billion annual pet and pet care economy in the U.S.  as per Ken Wells of
the Wall Street Journal).  Heck, there are budding pet stores and pet
product makers all over the place with ferret products (or "ferret
products" in some cases), some inventive and wonderful, some scary, and
some a mixture; even some shelters and past shelter locations carry
anywhere from dozens to hundreds of product items making the few with a
huge number of products actual pet stores in my personal perception at
least -- just from knowing how very much time sales, shipping, and
inventory control take once there are hundreds or more items for sale
since I have a retail management background.  Of course, computerization
used well must greatly reduce the work involved for the retail needs.  I
was in retail management back in the more hands-on days before computers
became wide-spread, so that what would once have been a full time job
would take much less time than my old-timer's mind-set lets me at first
realize.  Yeah, I am an old fart.)
 
Anyway, it is a "Buyer Beware" market; I wish I could recall the Latin
phrase, but it slips my mind.  Anyone here want to post it?  [Caveat
Emptor!]
 
Read, inquire, look things up, don't take statements at face value, suit
your purchases to the needs of your individuals as best as possible, and
participate in the multi-prong effort to get rid of bad products.  I do
NOT want to leave you feeling helpless or lost, though, because there is
less and less reason to feel that way.  For years and years (and years
and years and years) we all tried working with just ferret owner
education, writing to manufacturers, and teaching those in pet stores
when possible.  Progress was virtually non-existent then (except for a
few cases where death or great expenses occurred and law suits were filed
or threatened) but all that has changed recently because the corporate
vets and owners of some store chains have developed an interest in
dropping dangerous products, or in trying to get the manufacturers to
stop making them, or both.  PetSmart and the Ferret Depot have really led
the way in this regard.  PetSmart was the first to begin removing bad
products and has made a commitment to continue.  The Ferret Depot has
already begun removing such items.  Meanwhile, the corporate vet at Petco
is trying to convince the business people there to follow suit.  Trying
a different approach, TFS is going with an education effort that doesn't
involve removing products at this stage but instead involves talks with
manufacturers and an on-going labeling effort to try to educate
consumers.  So, anyway, now that progress has suddenly happened in such a
pronounced way after such a long, long, long time where there was almost
no progress at all because the other parts of the effort simply did not
have a "big stick" we all have progress to celebrate and this means that
the market is becoming over time less and less a "Buyer Beware" situation
as people who are involved in any of the ways to tackle this problem now
have voices which are heard so very much more.  Yes, we all finally have
things to celebrate!
 
Sukie (24 years of watching things change for ferrets)
[Posted in FML issue 4900]