In short: Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. You will notice that some are called "essential". Those are the ones the body MUST get from food. ****That differs among species.**** Why? Because bodies can create some of the amino acids from others but which ones they can do that with differs among species, given different ancestral histories. For example, you will remember that cats and very possibly ferrets require dietary taurine whereas some other species like dogs can manufacture it. (I can't recall if that is still postulated for ferrets or if it has been studied and results if it has been studied, nor do I have time to look.) Yes, I know that ferrets are descended from the dog branch, but the mustelids have had something like 35 million years+/-a few million (since I am working from memory only right now) acquiring their own variations and that is a lot of generations. If you use Google Scholar to look up search terms like taurine +ferrets or "amino acid" +ferrets you will also notice that some of the proportions needed may change at different ages or with different demands on the body (ex: pregnancy). There are 22 amino acids which play a major role in mammal (including human, of course) health from about 300 known amino acids. Who knows what else will be found as studies continue? These will help understand: http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/organic/essam.html http://www.peptideguide.com/amino-acids/index.html http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/nutrients-your-dog-needs.html http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/nutrients-your-cat-needs.html <http://books.google.com/books?id=LdFjecaFqOkC&pg=PA60&lpg=PA60&dq=amino+acids+essential+ferrets&source=bl&ots=S31-EsxOwl&sig=3_wQTXJZZAfuD-gLo8WhYswEtX0&hl=en&ei=o7WoTJmhMMH38Ab5r8HgDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=amino%20acids%20essential%20ferrets&f=false> etc. 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/ http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/ http://www.ferretcongress.org/ http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html all ferret topics: http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html "All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow." (2010, Steve Crandall) On change for its own sake: "You can go really fast if you just jump off the cliff." (2010, Steve Crandall) [Posted in FML 6840]
