Anyone know if turmeric is safe for ferrets?  (There is a reason I am
asking, and there is not an emergency of any type.)
 
There are multiple interesting studies in Pub Med on turmeric.  Thanks
for mentioning it, Pam!  Have also found studies on adenoma in mice (in
which related anemia was also reduced if I read right), mammary tumors,
oral squamous cell carcinoma in hamsters, etc.  Have found two cautions
so far; in rabbits fed a high cholesterol diet it was found to worsen
fatty deposits in one study (but ferrets are not prone to vascular
disease of this type, though they do get a high cholesterol diet), and
this one mentions that turmeric can lower blood glucose levels:
 
>Efficacy of turmeric on blood sugar and polyol pathway in diabetic
>albino rats.
 
>Arun N, Nalini N.
 
>Department of Biochemistry, Annamalai University, Annamalainagar,
>Tamil Nadu, India.
 
>Administration of turmeric or curcumin to diabetic rats reduced the
>blood sugar, Hb and glycosylated >hemoglobin levels significantly.
 
Everything has it's pros and cons:  have to try to weigh them out.
[Posted in FML issue 3886]