In the FML there has been a discussion of whether peas might increase
the risk of uroliths.

The hypothesis that peas in the diet are tied to uroliths first began
with a very public statement by a midwestern (if I recall location and
identity right) vet. And if I recall the identity right that vet has a
long history of making claims too strongly with too little evidence
and then going very public with them. Again, IF my memory serves about
which vet in my generation that was, then the same vet previously also
mislead people in the past and had to backpedal of several things like
thinking -- incorrectly -- that lymphoma could be clearly diagnosed in
ferrets by blood work, later the same person made several incorrect
assertions about Aleutians, and about the same time frame as the person
made the assertion about peas and cystine uroliths about the same time
as making an assertion that raw feeding is healthier and completely
overlooked all the multiple causes of food poisoning ferrets have been
documented as having from raw foods except for salmonella -- which is
kind of silly since that is the only one of the bunch to which ferrets
have strong resistance (though they can get salmonella -- only it
typically takes a large exposure or a compromised immune system --
and then it is just as hard to treat as in humans).

I have since looked up peas for animo acid content and discussed them
with a now retired professional whose doctorate was in veterinary
nutrition who said that peas do not digest very completely and that
cuts down the chances of them being a cause of such stones -- which is
logical because seed foods are selected for poor breakdown because then
some of the seeds survive in animal dung to result in new plants in the
future, so all seed foods. Also, IF the resource I read is correct then
the hypothesis does NOT make sense because that resource had relatively
low levels listed in peas for cystine, ornithine, lysine, and arginine.
At least one of those has to be too high for the individual for cystine
uroliths to form.

Yesterday I looked up uroliths in relation to peas with nothing coming
up so just now I had a brain storm and looked them up in PubMed in
relation to legumes in general because it would be best to be safe.

If you can get it this study looked at different foods in relation to
calcium stones: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22649959

I am not sure -- only having time to skim what this is about:
J Anat. 2007 January; 210(1): 89--97.
doi:  10.1111/j.1469-7580.2006.00670.x
PMCID: PMC2100263
The lectin Dolichos biflorus agglutinin is a sensitive indicator of
branching morphogenetic activity in the developing mouse metanephric
collecting duct system
Lydia Michael, Derina E Sweeney, and Jamie A Davies

Okay, there is actually a legume that is used to REDUCE a type of
urolith:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21117346
QUOTE
J Assoc Physicians India. 2010 May;58:286-9.
Litholytic property of Kulattha (Dolichous biflorus) vs potassium
citrate in renal calculus disease: a comparative study.
Singh RG, Behura SK, Kumar R.
Source
Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-
221005.

Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
Renal calculus disease is associated with recurrence after its surgical
removal in large number of cases. Kulattha is acclaimed to have
litholytic property in ayurvedic literature. We decided to compare the
litholytic property of Kulattha with potassium citrate, an agent used
to reduce stone recurrence in modern medicine.

METHODS:
Forty seven patients with diagnosis of calcium oxalate renal calculi
were taken in study. Twenty four patients received Kulattha (Group I)
and 23 patients were given potassium citrate(Group II) for a period of
6 months. The size of renal calculi was studied by periodic ultrasound
assessment in both groups.

RESULTS:
Mean size of stone in group I at 0 month and at 6 month were 5.42 +/-
1.55 mm and 4.26 +/- 1.2 mm. mean size of stone in group II at 0 month
and at 6 month was 6.46 +/- 3.08 mm and 4.64 +/- 1.40 mm. Statistical
analysis showed that P value of less than 0.05 was seen in the first
group from 0 to 6 month. There was no significant difference in the
stone size within group II when the 3rd month and 6th month visit was
compared with initial visit.

CONCLUSION:
Kulattha can be used to reduce the recurrence of calcium oxalate stone
and it is shown to have a better result than the use of conventional
potassium citrate in such patients.
END QUOTE

Also:  DASH diet reducing uroliths in people:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20847091

Some other recent:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20187996
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20108098
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19679672

and others.

******So, I can not find ANYTHING which indicates that the hypothesis
that peas might cause uroliths in ferrets might be an accurate one and
look forward to seeing is anyone else has any refs with actual reliable
data******

That said, when we had one with cystine uroliths very shortly after the
hypothesis came out we did make sure they were not in Hilbert's diet
and later not in Mornie's diet just in case.

Sukie (not a vet) Ferrets make the world a game.

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
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)

A nation is as free as the least within it.

[Posted in FML 7657]