If someone had endured an infection from Salmonella they would be on
guard against a repeat performance. Meryl admits she contracted the
infection, not from eating raw meats (unless she downed a frog or two
when the lab super wasn't looking), but from simply handling the
animals. Most likely not using proper hand washing techniques
afterward. Maybe Meryl didn't use a mask or wash the lab coat properly?
If Meryl was the only one in the lab that contracted a salmonella
infection then either there was a personal dereliction in preventive
protection or a depression in the personal immune system.
Meryl's subsequent copy and paste from the CDC only reveals what has
been said before; that simple hand washing and common sense cleaning
of utensils will eliminate chances of salmonella infections from the
plethora of salmonella bacteria present on a wide variety of foods and
animals.
The human digestive system takes 24 hours from start to finish so
salmonella have plenty of time to set up shop to reach detrimental
levels. Ferret digestive systems work much more quickly.
Meryls blog link discusses eliminating raw fed animals from
participating in meeting immunocompromise patients at health care
facilities. The blogger attempts to say that raw fed animals shed
salmonella bacteria that could harm the patients. Apparently they
never read the same CDC link Meryl posted that explains how prevalent
Salmonella bacteria are and are already IN human intestines as well
as cats and dogs and ON them too ( from their self grooming habits).
People that never learned to swim tend to fear water. Those of us who
can swim see this as an irrational fear. But if the fearful person take
the time to learn to swim, they not only lose their fear but often
actually enjoy more water sports! There is a definite parallel with
people who have never fed raw.
Disappearing chicken wings! Where DO they go? How does something so
large get devoured and then practically nothing comes out? Just one
more perk to feeding natural! Natural items going in to a ferret are
more completely digested than kibble and this equates to less poop to
pick! That in itself, you'd think would get more folks considering
natural foods.
Livestock feeds often have TDN quantities listed. TDN means "Total
Digestible Nutrients" because livestock need to reach optimal market
weights quickly and the rancher wants to do this economically to create
the most profit, TDN becomes important when selecting feeds for the
food animals. I have yet to see a TDN listing on any pet food label.
and very few even bother to offer a caloric value of their food. TDN is
fairly easily figured out - you measure what goes into an animal and
measure what comes out. The difference is TDN! Feed a ferret a handful
of kibble, and you'll get a handful (ewww) of poop! Feed a ferret a
plump mouse that fits in the palm of your hand, weighs a few ounces
and what comes out is a poop as big as your pinky finger and light as
a feather! Feed them a chicken wing tip and all that comes out are a
few teeny pieces of bone and some ligaments and maybe a few feather
stubbles. What comes out from anything ingested is UNdigested. Its
preferable to feed things that CAN be digested to offer optimal health!
Not just preferable for the animal, but for the person's wallet.
Considering the high cost of quality kibble, its disheartening to see
so much of it going literally to waste. Kibbles have a high amount of
ash, fibers and of course plant matter that doesn't even break down in
the gut, much less get digested.
Consumers do have power and if people who feed kibble would insist on
BETTER ingredients for their ferret foods the manufacturers would
respond! Some are at least moving away from abrasive grains but still
the starchy binders could be eliminated. The large quantites of plants
could be eliminated. Adding plants to the recipe allows the mfr.. to
obtain a "guaranteed analysis" but that doesn't mean the kibble offers
a guaranteed digestibility. The protein percentage in the kibble is a
total from all proteins - plant and animal matter - the ferret's system
only utilizes the animal proteins. so if a kibble says 35% protein -
how much of that protein is from animal? and of that animal protein how
much is digestible? Feathers, fur and claws are 100% protein at the
molecular level but these items are indigestible.These items are in
the "meal" and "By products" of that recipe. So while there may be an
analytical protein of 35% of the total recipe how much of the 35% is
actual digestible protein? 10%? 5%? let's for argument sake say 20% is
digestible protein - so that means 80% of the kibble is worthless for
your ferret! This again begs the question - how can the label
truthfully claim to be "Nutritionally Complete", "Completely Balanced"
if 80% of the food cannot even get digested?
If more people would write to and challenge the kibble companies then
its likely the market will show more digestible products appearing. Ask
8 in 1 why they insist on putting raisin juice in their foods. This, I
must say, raises many questions - the last time I ate a raisin - it was
pretty dry - wasn't juicy at all. so are they grinding up raisins,
adding water then straining this "juice" or simply adding the slurry
to the mix? Why add chicory - which is commonly used as a coffee
substitute and or additive. Corn, wheat, barley, rice, peas, tomatoes,
blueberries, carrots have great nutrients in them that humans can
utilize - but not ferrets. Kibble isn't going away unfortunately. But
people can insist upon better recipes and can opt for better quality
choices (or change altogether to natural).
Cheers,
Kim
please visit :
for ferret help and info:
http://holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi
yahoo groups Natural Ferrets
[Posted in FML 6892]
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