I see a lot of posts regarding "proper" ferret diet & acceptable treats
(including the recent "raisin controversy") & feel compelled to give the
FML readers something to think about.  Although I am not a Vet, I have a
college degree in a medical field & 20years of practical experience with
human medicine.  Here we go:
 
Did you know that WATER can be harmful to humans?  A condition called
"hyperhydrosis" is the result of excessive water intake & can cause
dizziness, nausea, hallucinations, coma & even death!  Is water
"poisonous"?  No, but too much of ANYTHING can certainly be harmful.
The finding of the Vet was that a large quantity of raisins appeared to
be the cause of kidney problems.  The key word here is "quantity".  I
often read these posts & wonder how many "treats" some people are feeding
their critters.  Our ferret eats just about anything, & while we allow
her to sample our "people food", she never gets more than a ferret-sized
bite of anything.  Even "approved" treats are limited to 3-4 per day, &
usually no more than 1 "sugary" treat like a raisin or dried apple.
 
I urge all those who care for their fuzzies to just exercise some common
sense & not to worry needlessly.  (Incidentally, although we feed
high-quality ferret food now, when I acquired my first ferret in 1982
there was so little info on them that the "ferret care" book I found
recommended kitten chow.  That ferret lived a long & HEALTHY 10 years
on kitten chow supplemented with the occasional human food treat).  I'm
pretty much a supporter of the theory that a lot of the health problems
we currently see in ferrets are genetic (the result of overbreeding to
meet demand) & not the fault of the caregivers who do their best to
provide a healthy & happy life for their pets.
 
In summation, take a clue from the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" -
"Don't panic!"
 
Best wishes to all,
Lisa (RPh)
[Posted in FML issue 5190]