Sorry about missing a day of the diet 101 series.  I shipped it but didn't
realize it was just a tiny bit long and it bounced back.  Normally I would
have noticed, but I was spending the day deep in the bowels of some caves
and didn't get home until after the FML was posted.  The cave was cool, my
legs are covered with non-ferret scratches (or a change) and my neck feels
like someone has tested a baseball bat for cracks on it.  In other words, I
couldn't feel better!  I got an awesome picture of me scaling a cliff face
(unprotected; I'm such a dummy), but alas, no ferret in the picture.  ;-(
 
I heard some people spoke sharply to my friend Dale about his Modern
Ferret/Bob remarks. I hope by my response that people realized I thought
it was wonderfully funny and enjoyed the humor tremendously. We can all be
the object of humor from time to time, and I was honored to the the point
of Dale's wit. Very good, Dale! More! More!
 
I was saddened by SUkie's revelation that she recieved a letter about my
mention that Vitamin D can be toxic in large doses.  That's too bad, for
although I have missed meeting Sukie by what seems like minutes, anyone who
sends me a Viking cap to underscore my Bhoring status can't be all bad.
Thanks for the cap, Sukie.  Now if ANYONE has a problem with what *I* have
to say, well, I'm a big boy and can take it.  Send it to me, not people who
haven't even met me in person.  As for my point that Vitamin D is toxic in
large doses, I challenge the person to eat a bottle of Vitamin D and see
what happens.  The livers of some marine animals are so loaded with Vitamin
D that they are poisonous, and some animals can poison themselves by eating
too many plants that stimulate Vitamin D production (enzootic calcinosis).
Now, if you ate an entire bottle of something like Vitamin C, you would just
wash the extra stuff out, showing the Tidy Bowl man that blue isn't nearly
as cool as florescent orange.  But Vitamin D can be so toxic that one of
the leading hypotheses regarding skin pigmentation is that the reason you
generally find people with darker skin near the equator is because the dark
pigmentation protects the body against the overproduction of Vitamin D.
Likewise, light skin allows the body to make more vitamin D, which, can be a
problem in the northern latitudes because of sun angles and shorter days.
 
Here's a quote the person can argue with: "Excess doses of Vitamin D for a
prolonged period will cause hypercalcemia with anorexia, nausea, vomiting,
polyuria, polydipsia, weakness, anxirty, pruritus, and altered renal
function." Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary (1989) p. 2002.
 
And another: "The intake of Vitamin D in amounts considerably in excess of
requirements leads to a toxicity termed "hypervitaminosis D." In the early
stages calcification of bone may be accelerated, but in later stages bone
resorption is increased leading to a demineralized and weakened skeletion.
Extensive calcification of soft tissues takes place, such as in the
joints, kidneys, myocardium, lungs, arteries, and other locations. The
kidney damage is particularly serious, and most fatal cases terminate in
uremia." Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals (1984) p. 436.
 
A more complete understanding of the vitamin can be undertaken by reading
Lee Russell McDowell 1989 "Vitamins in Animal Nutrition: Comparative Aspects
to Human Nutrition." Academic Press (see pages 87-92-"Toxicity.")  Two other
good references are Marshall H.  Jurgens 1993 "Animal Feeding and
Nutrition." (7th ed.) Kendall/Hunt Publishing, and Melvin J. Swenson 1984
"Dukes' Physiology of Domestic Animals." Comstock Publishing.
 
My comments on each vitamin were extremely short; they had to be that way or
the Diet 101 series would go on forever.  Entire books have been written on
Vitamin D and its role in body physiology.  In my desire to fit the FML
format, limit the post to 126 lines, and still get out basic information,
there is the strong possiblity I might misquote something, make a typo, or
just plan screw up.
 
I have made some wonderful mistakes in my life, including several here on
the FML.  But when I do make a mistake, I freely admit it, make the proper
corrections, and get on with things.  Its no skin off my teeth, and since my
goal is the betterment of ferrets, so I ready don't care if I have to admit
a mistake or not.  Einstein once said, "Only fools fail to make mistakes,"
and George Washington Carver said "The most important things I know, I
learned from mistakes."  They were (are) absolutely right.  If *anyone* sees
me made a mistake, write me and let me know.  If true (and you can be sure I
will check it out), I will fix it.  No flames, no hurt feelings.  You don't
need to enlist someone else to point it out.
 
Bob C and 20 MO Neck Nipping Ninnies
[Posted in FML issue 2319]