>From: Dawn Heckler's <[log in to unmask]>
>Subject: Salt for ferrets
>
>So is it possible that ferrets should have some added salt to their
>diets too? Ok, I tasted a little of the kibble (Ed Lipinski, back off
>and I MEAN it!!!!!) and it has no salty taste at all.

OK, OK, OK, Dawm . . . Jeeeez I'm backed off and squatting down in the
corner way over here and covering my head and shoulders with my arms to
deflect those blows of stalwart indignation you are about to rain down
on little ole Edju.

*Edju* is the diminutive form of *Edward* in the language of the
Warzawians who populate the country known for golubski, perogies and
kielbasa, not to mention sauerkraut ice cream. Well, I guess I did
mention it, didn't I.

Let's talk about the chloride of sodium, known all over the place as
sodium chloride and in chemical script, NaCl. Salt. Salt is a general
term and there are thousands of different salts.

In the human diet it's darn near impossible to avoid ingesting salt. In
sea foods and many vegetables there is salt. In ferret kibble, unless
stated in the ingredients list that salt is added, then most likely
none is added. However salt additives may be incidental by products in
the manufacture of kibble.

Of greater importance than salt itself is the compound of iodized salt,
wherein the basic element of iodine is added. When you buy salt, I
recommend highly that you always select the *iodized *salt, since its
health benefits are tremendous and well known in the human being.

In the ferret the dosage and quality of salt intake is unknown, so the
best we can do is to approximate the feeding of salt, based on what we
do know in reference to homo sapiens.

Listed below are informations on the deficiency and over dosing of
iodized salt.

*Deficiency symptoms:*

Deficiency of iodine can have deleterious effects. The symptoms of
iodine deficiency include frustration,depression, mental retardation,
poor perception levels, goiter, abnormal weight gain, decreased
fertility, coarse skin, chances of still birth, constipation and
fatigue. In severe cases mental retardation associated with diseases
such as cretinism characterized by serious physical malformations,
could be the result. According to WHO reports, iodine deficiency is
one of the leading causes of mental retardation.

*Important Sources:*

Iodine is present in large quantities in both marine plant and animals,
including shellfish, white deep-water fish, and brown seaweed kelp,
which can absorb iodine from sea water. Make sure to include abundant
quantities of canned sardines, canned tuna, lobster, oyster, clams,
cod, haddock, halibut, herring perch, salmon, sea bass, and shrimp.
Dulse, kelp, and seaweed also contain dietary iodine. Garlic, lima
beans, Swiss chard, summer squash, sesame seeds, soybeans, turnip
greens and spinach are rich in iodine. Iodized salt is another
important source of iodine. Bakers add iodine to bread dough as a
stabilizing agent.

When it comes down to your ferret, I suggest that a tiny pinch of
IODIZED salt be added to water, mixed well, and poured over your
kibble.

This is the advice of an Old Salt (Another name for a mature sailor,
USN)

Edward Lipinski

[Posted in FML 6236]