See:
http://nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/Ferrets06/feed_nutrit_metab.htm
for a number of ferret nutritional studies.

Now, for some veterinary ones:

on diabetes:

<http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1255590>

The FULL article is present at this location.

BEGIN QUOTE
Can Vet J. 2005 October; 46(10): 895=96897.
Copyright This is an Open Access article: verbatim copying and
redistribution of this article are permitted in all media for any
purpose, provided this notice is preserved along with the article's
original URL.

Histopathologic lesions of diabetes mellitus in a domestic ferret
Marie-Odile Benoit-Biancamano, Michel Morin, and Isabelle Langlois

DEpartement de Pathologie et Microbiologie (Benoit- Biancamano, Morin);
Clinique de MEdecine Zoologique, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire
VEtErinaire (Langlois), FacultE de MEdecine VEtErinaire, UniversitE
de MontrEal, 3200, rue Sicotte, St-Hyacinthe, QuEbec J2S 2M2.

A 2-year-old ferret was referred with a diagnosis of diabetes mellitus.
The animal died despite insulin therapy and was submitted for necropsy.
Light microscopic examination revealed a mild hepatic lipidosis and
pancreatic lesions consisting of a diffuse vacuolation of the
Langerhans' islet cells with a periodic acid-Schiff positive material
compatible with glycogen.
END QUOTE

Being unable to produce images here I can not provide that entire
article above for you in the messages, but you can get it at the URL
given and the pdf is here:
<http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1255590&blobtype=pdf>

You will LOVE this; it is a 25 page, highly comprehensive list of
ferret medical studies from 2002 into 2006:

http://nal.usda.gov/awic/pubs/Ferrets06/veterinary.htm

I'd love to get this article by Tom Willard whose doctorate is in
veterinary nutrition. If his name rings a bell he has Performance Foods
which makes Totally Ferret:

BEGIN QUOTE
>Willard, T.R. (2002). Ferrets. Exotic DVM 4(4): 36-37.
>ISSN: 1521-1363.
>
>NAL Call Number: SF981 .E96
>
>Descriptors: ferrets, anatomy, physiology, diets, feed formulation,
>nutrient requirements.
END QUOTE

Given Hilbert's repeated bouts with allergic dermatitis, sometimes
with complications, I'd enjoy gathering this, too:

BEGIN QUOTE
White, S.D. (2006). Rabbit, rodent and ferret dermatology. In: Ahead of
the curve: OVMA Conference Proceedings., January 26, 2006-January 28,
2006, Ontario Veterinary Medical Association: Milton, Canada, p. 102-115.
Online: http://www.ovma.org

Descriptors: ferrets, rabbits, rodents, dermatology, etiology,
alopecia, clinical aspects, diagnosis, drug therapy, ectoparasites,
pruritus, skin diseases.
END QUOTE

Intriguing:

BEGIN QUOTE
Schoemaker, N.J., J. Wolfswinkel, J.A. Mol, G. Voorhout, M.J.L. Kik,
J.T. Lumeij, and A. Rijnberk (2004). Urinary glucocorticoid excretion
in the diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism in ferrets. Domestic Animal
Endocrinology 27(1): 13-24. ISSN: 0739-7240.
NAL Call Number: QL868.D6
Abstract: Hyperadrenocorticism in ferrets is usually associated with
unaltered plasma concentrations of cortisol and adrenocorticotropic
hormone (ACTH), although the urinary corticoid/creatinine ratio (UCCR)
is commonly elevated. In this study the urinary glucocorticoid
excretion was investigated in healthy ferrets and in ferrets with
hyperadrenocorticism under different circumstances. In healthy ferrets
and in one ferret with hyperadrenocorticism, approximately 10% of
plasma cortisol and its metabolites was excreted in the urine. High-
performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) revealed one third of the
urinary corticoids to be unconjugated cortisol; the other peaks mainly
represented cortisol conjugates and metabolites. In 21 healthy sexually
intact ferrets, the UCCR started to increase by the end of March and
declined to initial values halfway the breeding season (June). In
healthy neutered ferrets there was no significant seasonal influence
on the UCCR.

In two neutered ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism the UCCR was
increased, primarily during the breeding season. In 27 of 31 privately
owned ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism, the UCCR was higher than the
upper limit of the reference range (2.1 x 10(-6)). In 12 of 14 healthy
neutered ferrets dexamethasone administration decreased the UCCR by
more than 50%, whereas in only 1 of the 28 hyperadrenocorticoid ferrets
did the UCCR decrease by more than 50%. We conclude that the UCCR in
ferrets primarily reflects cortisol excretion. In healthy sexually
intact ferrets and in ferrets with hyperadrenocorticism the UCCR
increases during the breeding season. The increased UCCR in
hyperadrenocorticoid ferrets is resistant to suppression by
dexamethasone, indicating ACTH-independent cortisol production.
Descriptors: ferrets, hyperadrenocorticism, disease diagnosis, urine,
glucocorticoids, cortisol, excretion, metabolites, creatinine, breeding
season, seasonal variation, dexamethasone, urinary corticoid-creatine
ratio (UCCR).
END QUOTE

Well, I could quote on and on, but I think many will want to make a
copy of the list at that URL and retain it.

Sukie (not a vet)
Current FHL address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth
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/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5579]