Sukie wrote:
> Whoa! Let's separate out some stuff now to be most fair!
>Bedding material blockage happened in some peoples ferrets due to the
>TYPE of material used: fake fleeces which do not break down, again,
>not a food issue."

This is absolutely a food issue! Ferrets that are fed a natural diet
have their desire to chew satisfied and will NEVER, ever, in a million
years chew bedding. Even if they eat their food on fluffy bedding that
sheds, a natural diet is enough to carry the fibres through the
digestive tract without causing harm to the ferret by a blockage.

One of my saddest times on the FML this year was when a young lady
posted that her mother's ferret had developed the LIFE-THREATENING
habit of chewing bedding. She was ultimately persuaded that natural
food was life threatening to her mother and chose to ask for a
different type of help.

And:

>IBD is suspected to be caused by certain infections with ECE (even
>silent ECE during kithood) being a big one. Not all parts of the world
>have ECE. Now, AFTER it is present some of the individuals have a
>harder time with starches, but vets don't suspect dietary causes; they
>suspect infection causes.

Sukie, I'm shocked! When was vets' OPINION worth anything if it wasn't
backed up by peer-reviewed investigation? Suspicion by vets is not
enough to pinpoint a cause. To my knowledge, naturally fed ferrets have
NEVER suffered from IBD. Some cases of IBD have been *cured* when
grains have been removed from the diet. Sadly, I was prevented from
being able to communicate with a vet in the US recently about whether
or not a grain-free diet worked on all ferrets.

And:
>Just as there are diseases which look more and more (some virtually
>proven and others suspected) like they can be caused by periodontal
>disease, there also are diseases which themselves cause periodontal
>disease.

Apart from starvation, in the words of one of our most respected
politicians (not) "Please explain."

I wish I could address more of the points that Sukie raised, but I am
really short of time. Stop CHEERING!

Cheers, huh?

Shirley

PS
And Sukie wrote:
>So, all it boils down to is to never assume that any one food choice
>is going to be perfect. All have upsides and all have downsides.

Small whole prey from a reliable source IS perfect. :-)

Shirley

[Moderator's note: I'm going to have to start sending some of these
posts back if they are quite so repetitive.  :-)  Please let's end
the topic if we've said it all.  BIG]

[Posted in FML 5432]