I wrote this company that was advertising their food on the web for
ferrets which is strictly vegan.  I wrote to them explaining that ferrets
have a short digestive tract of four hours and that ferrets do not have a
cecum, so they can not digest vegetables or vegetable proteins.  This by
far is the worst response I have ever had, and they told me I basically
have no clue about ferret nutition.  Now I may not be an expert, but I
have read a lot of articles by experts.  At this point I don't know how
to respond to these people.  Here is their reply to me about their food.
 
Thank you for your interest regarding ferret health and well being I
think you are well intentioned but you have had no experience feeding
ferrets a strict vegetarian diet that is high in plant based proteins
(30%) and high in pure vegetable oil (14%) with added live prodigestive
bacteria, enzymes and added protein isolates with higher than normal
doses of vitamin supplements.  We have 18 years of experience with
records and observations regarding ferrets being fed the Evolution Diet.
My last ferret lived to 13.5 human years and we routinely get client
ferrets living into their early teens.  We have the proof that the
propaganda articles you are referring to, come from the meat industry.
The meat industry gets rid of their byproducts (waste) by using them for
ferret food and other pet food products.  They circulate propaganda
articles written by vets and other so called experts that would give the
impression that ferrets could not live adequately on a strict vegetarian
diet.  They are simply protecting their turf and most people like
yourself fall for it.  Again, this is the same picture that permeates
the pet food industry.  Evolution Diet is now fed to tens of thousands
of dogs, cats and ferrets.  On the Evolution Vegan Diet they are living
the very longest and healthiest lives and not having to depend on highly
contaminated meat based pet foods.
 
All Evolution Diet have about 1/4 or 25% of the chemicals found in a
conventional or premium meat based diet for ferrets.  Your current pet
food is going to be responsible for killing your ferret prematurely and
your vet is going to tell you that it is because of its genetic heritage.
Vets have little or background in formal nutrition training: Instead
they receive virtually all their training from pet food company
representatives that give them free samples in vet school and encourage
them to sell highly chemical laden prescription diets that are of
questionable clinical value.  If you have a ferret, please consider
the tainted ingredients that are in your current food.  Virtually all
fish meal and fish oil is contaminated with mercury, PVC's, cadmium and
many other chemicals.  Fish meal and fish oil and animal fat are all
byproducts (waste) of the fish slaughter industry much like poultry
meal is a waste product of the chicken-turkey industry (feathers, dried
blood, intestines, fecal matter, dried urine, heads, feet etc.)
 
If what you were suggesting about the Evolution Strict Vegetarian Diet
were true, we would have many ferrets being reported dead prematurely.
That is simply not the case: In fact the opposite is true.  They are
living much longer, with much less health problems when they consume the
Evolution High Plant Protein Diet that is strictly vegetarian with some
added supplements.  If you have additional questions or issues please
call my office at 651-221-9056
 
Sincerely: Eric Weisman, Doctor of Health Sciences, Director of Health &
Nutrition, Evolution Diet Pet Food Corporation, Director of Evolution
Holistic No-Kill, No-Cage Home Style Rescue Shelter for Dogs, Cats &
Ferrets
[Posted in FML issue 5345]