Ashley, I recommend the following (and the first also will answer part
of one of Shona's questions):
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/Clin_Path/ClinPath.html
and this (but take into account the note at the beginning of the
message above)
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/physiology.htm
Mild anemia can be caused by a range of things.
Notice in the first, a veterinary pathology resource, which liver enzymes
are thrown off just by not eating often enough and what that can do
(besides other effects such as not eating often enough also dumping blood
glucose if the time frame is long enough, etc.).
(BTW, going too long without eating can also kill cats; an elderly couple
we know recently lost a cherished cat because they figured that the cat
would alright in a few days, but going several days without eating caused
so much liver damage that the cat died from complications of hepatic
lipidosis despite a 6 week fight to try to save her.)
Remember that ferrets, like polecat relatives, STASH food, a behavior
which reduces the time that either one goes without eating. Polecats'
main activity times are crepuscular ones (dusk and dawn) but even if not
every hunt is successful (and not all will be) the stashed food has to
be taken into account when considering how often they eat, also smaller
food sources possibly not noticed (such as insects, worms, or eggs) have
to be taken into account. It is inaccurate to base when polecat has
eaten solely on times when one drags back a carcass. The two things
are not the same, a salient point which is too often missed.
>>In fact, the posters who have bordered on rude and closed minded have
>>all been pro kibble.
>>
> - I couldn't agree more.
Oh, I don't know. It got bad on both sides, privately as well as
publicly. I was tempted to point out one of the strangest things I got
after reading the above, but heck, that is yesterday's news. Yes, the
pun IS intended, and with more respect for the litter than for fighting.
Honestly, there was more than enough rudeness on both sides, and I think
that which got noticed more by any individual depended on which digests
the person read most closely and what any individuals own relationships
and preferences are.
So, let's all let bygones be bygones. PLEASE.
It achieves nothing positive by saying that one side was more rude than
the other (and could cause yet more problems --which is exactly what no
one here needs), but it achieves a lot when people stick to topics and
discuss those civilly and with respect because then we all learn, and
when the topics are ones for which there are not clear answers with
existing knowledge (and huge aspects of food discussions fit exactly
there) then badgering people who prefer to have more and better data
for any side is not fair, and rudeness achieves nothing except to cause
people to skip posts.
On the other hand, when *both* sides feel that they are *not* going to
get bashed if they say, "Boo." and feel free to discuss points (for
example, the next time someone has a ferret who was fed raw and has a GI
sickness a piano should not be dumped on the heads of those who provide
the needed treatment information and health links ;-) Again, PLEASE. )
then everyone has a chance to realize that information and the choices
we all make are in flux over time rather than expecting miracles or
stagnation.
A sense of humor doesn't hurt, either. Thank goodness for some pers
coms I had during that with some people on both sides who could laugh
at the rudest posts on each side that we all suffered through or were
embarrassed by.
-- Sukie (not a vet, and not speaking for any of the below in my
private posts)
Recommended health resources to help ferrets and the people who love
them:
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
AFIP Ferret Pathology
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
Miamiferrets
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
International Ferret Congress Critical References
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 5205]
|
