There is an overview of the history, precautions, methodology, and
current status of such work -- which in modern times began again with
veterinary applications -- in humans in the most recent issue of
Science that we have gotten. Given the difficulty treating IBD in
ferrets, and the variations in cases thrown into that catch-pot, there
may be vets wondering about fecal transplants from healthy ferrets or
specific bacterial species by nasal tube, or by deep colonoscopy
equipment (if the right size equipment currently exists for either
approach -- and maybe it does given the mouse experiments).

Science, Vol 341, 30 August 2013, pp 954-957

Also, on page 957 there is mention of Kenya Honda of U. Tokyo recently
reported curing mice of both allergic diarrhea and colitis with 17
harmless Clostridium species that have been shown in previous studies
to be good at utilizing T cells, regulating overactive immune
responses. Since inflammation appears to play a role in a number of
the ferret cases, and allergy in some that caught my eye.

Note, these are NOT oral administrations under discussion in the
article. Fecal transplants carry potential hazards. The sources
used are screened for a range of diseases and conditions. (In some
conditions, like autism, arteriosclerosis, and a number of others
the microflora populations often differ from those of similar human
populations that do not have those medical problems. Oh, and the
intestinal "zoos" of healthy thin people tend to differ from those of
healthy overweight and obese ones not only in proportions but also
in types with healthy thin people having a wider number of types of
organisms, and recent mouse work has shown that microbiome transplants
in those study mice can cause thin mice to become heavier and heavy
mice to become thinner. The thin microbes win out if the two
populations are allowed to war in mice but ONLY if the diet is one
containing enough healthy fibrous foods low in fats (especially
saturated fats); the microbes associated with thinness lose when a diet
of "junk food" -- high fat foods, low fiber diets like white bread
ones (rather than whole grain breads) and/or ones low in fruits and
vegetables, etc. is provided. That was not in the article but in a
new study that received attention this week or last.)

Anyway, I can not help but wonder when a vet will begin trying these
sorts of approaches -- which are as different from giving oral
probiotics as a modern Ferrari is from a Model T -- for ferrets who
are not responding well enough to other approaches.

The aim with this field of study is figure out the most beneficial
organisms and for which conditions they have the best chance of being
beneficial and then to eventually move into targeted additions of
specific types of microflora for specific needs -- like Honda's work
in Tokyo with those 17 harmless species that can reduce inflammation.

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/
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 7905]