Inge asked:
>Okay, I have read the pros and cons of raw feeding.
>
>My question is, is there anybody out there that had serious health
>problems, confirmed by a veterinarian, with their ferrets because
>of it?
Oh, gosh, yes! That is exactly why I posted that there are something
like a half dozen vets whose posts I have found in the past in FHL and
FML archives who have said that they don't raw feed themselves and
advise against it (though some other vets like Susan Brown weigh things
differently and do raw feed). You can find those in the two sets of
archives. Also, you can find descriptions of some of these illnesses in
ferrets in some of the ferret veterinary texts. _Biology and Diseases of
the Ferret_ has the most detailed info as I recall from when I needed to
look up salmonella after one report of that situation. Anyway, if you
look in those places you will find vets' own mentions.
Honestly, it is not a clear call necessarily. Both have their upsides
and downsides, so different people -- including different vets -- will
weigh things differently. We personally prefer to avoid any risk of
illnesses that can get so completely out of hand and which can have
long term consequences even when they don't, but others will come to
the opposite conclusion and go with raw because the rate of serious
infection is low.
Here are some past posts for you, but I am just looking roughly so
you can get more specific:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG6258
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG6619
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG12118
(in this one Dr. Bruce Williams did not encounter as bad a case as
was described by one vet in _Biology and Diseases of the Ferret_ and
speaks of more usual presentations)
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG12104
(quotes and paraphrases from that vet text)
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG11357
(from a human medical professional)
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG11178
(Among other things notice treatment for ferrets from Dr; Jerry Murray:
> Now to clear up the aminoglycoside antibiotic(gentomicin, neomycin,
> streptomycin, amikacin, tobramycin,and kanamycin) questions.
> You can add Amikacin and Tobramycin to that list of aminoglycoside
> antibiotics. Tobramycin can be used for eye drops, but you do not
> want to use Amikacin or Tobramycin by injection unless there is no
> other choice. In general, aminoglycoside antibiotics are used for gram
> negative bacterial infection (ie E. coli, Salmonella, Pseudomonas,etc).
> Ferrets seem to be prone to kidney (and hearing) damage when amino-
> glycosides are used. Dehydration {and/or using a cephalosporin
> (Cefa drops, Keflex drops)} will increase the risk of kidney
> damage, so you do not want to use aminoglycosides for cases of ECE.
> In ferrets, we generally use Baytril (enrofloxacin), a fluoroquinolone
> antibiotic, for gram negative bacteria. Another choice would be
> Cipro (ciprofloxacin). Plus there are 3 other veterinary
> fluoroquinolone antibiotics.
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG8628
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=SG6601
but that is just a smattering, and there is more in the archives from
more ferret vets, so look more widely yourself, please, if you need
more. Hope that helps answer your question, even if you do need to
search more widely.
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List co-moderator
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives fan
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
replacing
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress advisor
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5159]
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