This is not about ferrets per se, it is about Aspartame and the newly found
dangers.  If you feed your ferrets any treats however that are "Sugar-Free"
this includes diet soda, please consider this.
 
A friend of mine has just returned from lecturing at the World Environmental
Conference on Aspartame.  (Marketed as NutraSweet, Equal, and Spoonful.
 
This is a lengthy article so I will not be including it here, but anyone
can e-mail me privately @ [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>
and I will forward the who letter to them.
 
In essence, when the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F the
wood alcohol in Aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic
acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis.  The methanol in Aspartame
converts to formaldehyde in the retina of the eye and can cause blindness.
 
Now, I know we are all intelligent people and we are not about to start
scourging our cupboards of artificial sweeteners, but please take this into
consideration if you are a giver of treats to your fuzzies that may contain
this substance.
 
Happy Holiday Seasons to All,
Cherie
 
[Moderator's note: I'd be interested in the letter.  It's my understanding
that the dry form is quite stable -- it's once it's in liquid, such as in
diet sodas, where breakdown becomes an issue, if I understand it.  BIG]
[Posted in FML issue 2528]