Bill Gruber (long time friend and the FML moderator) sent me a chart on
how much of the phosphorous in eggs is in the yolk so I did a little
search ing but I lack time right now and will be "off my game" for a
few weeks ahead.

Below is what I sent to Bill in case it is useful to anyone here. For
humans there are phosphorous binding meds, BTW, but I do NOT know if
those have been safely or effectively (or both) used in ferrets.

>That's interesting, Bill.  Phosphorous is a major component of bodies,
>though, so I guess it makes sense.
>
>I wonder how it compares to the meats and organs food component the
>vets wanted displaced?  (I.E. I wonder if it really does make sense
>in that situation)
>
>One thing I know is that part of their argument was that the nutrients
>in egg are so very accessible that less is supposedly needed.
>
> http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=101
>
>says that for those who need to reduce phosphorous due to kidney
>disease the real problem non-dairy animal origin foods are:
>
>>Protein  carp        crayfish
>>         beef liver  chicken liver
>>         fish roe    organ meats
>>         oysters     sardines
>
>
>and lists other foods to avoid and dietary tips for people
>
>I lack time today; tomorrow is my surgery -- if the Nor'Easter
>doesn't prevent it.
>
>Guess I should share that info, huh?

Now, I DO know that to have enough of a RANGE of minerals in the diet
many pre-made foods of a variety of types (from raw to soft cooked to
kibble) contain some liver. Some also contain not only fish oil (a
great source of the Omega 3 Fatty Acids that are good for liver health)
but fish flesh.

Also, I don't know if any ferrets with chronic* kidney disease who need
phosphorous reduced have ever been tired on Feline Z/D but here is the
ingredients page for that just for those who want to compare:
<http://www.hillspet.com/zSkin_2/products/product_details.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441760666>

If that doesn't work:
http://www.hillspet.com/hillspet/utilities/selectLanguage.hjsp
and you can work from there, hopefully with success, or take a peek
when at a vet hospital.

Canine foods are not as well matched to ferret dietary needs as those
for the more obligate carnivore, the cat, even though ferrets are much
more closely related to dogs.

(*Acute kidney disease is managed differently from chronic kidney
disease according to past pers. coms. with many vets and a veterinary
nutritionist when Hilbert had his. There is an oft-cited kit kidney
disease paper on acute kidney disease in ferrets.)

Sukie (not a vet)

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5851]