Suki sets off the salmonella bacteria siren as if feeding ferrets
naturally will poison ferrets; as if kibble is safe from salmonella.
Fact is, Salmonella bacteria live on a wide variety of foods including:
vegetables and fruits, dry pet kibble, animal feces and carcasses of
animals. As of Aug. 2010 there were 6 recalls by pet food mfrs due to
salmonella contamination. In 2008 there were 70+ people infected with
salmonella across 21 US states and those traced back to DRY pet foods!
<http://www.emaxhealth.com/1506/dry-pet-food-linked-salmonella-infection-both-pets-and-kids>

Salmonella are present on dogs, cats, reptiles and amphibians, THEY ARE
EVERYWHERE! There are over 2000 strains of salmonella. Salmonella on
dry pet food live longer too, especially on the extended shelf life
products. Kibble is made from the scraps and carcasses of animals
(diseased, dying, dead, decayed)and the discards of fruit and vegetable
markets. Pet food manufacturers are not held to the same standards as
human food processing plants:
<http://www.aafco.org/Portals/0/Public/Q-AND-A-REGARDING-PETFOODREGS.PDF>
"There are specific process control regulations for medicated article
production, medicated feed manufacturing and low acid canned products;
however, there are no specific process control regulations for feed,
including pet food if it is non-medicated"; it is likely there is MORE
chance of bacterial contamination from kibble manufacturing than from
natural diets.

Meats intended for human consumption which is a good portion of natural
diets are under strict controls. It takes about 6 hours for an internal
bacterial colony to grow to a detrimental level and the ferret's
digestive system from start to finish works in about half that time --
since a ferret fed naturally IS healthy -- this red flag Suki tries to
wave can be folded up and put in the drawer! Common sense care such as
hand washing and utensil cleansing is all that is necessary.

Bob Church pointed out the entire mustelid family of animals evolved
eating not just fresh killed animals, but also scavenging carcasses
and leftovers from other predators not items straight out of the
refrigerator!

www.petdiets.com is a "reputable source"? According to Suki? That site
is opposed to feeding raw natural diets, instead are dedicated to
combining scientific approaches with veterinarian recommendations.
Site's founder has degrees and written a few books, however: "Her
interests primarily lie in the area of nutrient utilization as altered
by disease processes." Wouldn't it be more prudent to investigate
nutrient utilization that provides optimal health to AVOID disease
processes? Science for the sake of science is NOT good science.
Evolution has eliminated the trial and error already. There is no
"hypothesis" of what the ferret is intended to thrive upon -- it is
written in the animal's dentition and skeletal make up!

Suki attempts to intimate that an evolutionary diet will be derelict
in vitamins and nutrients fails to acknowledge to date there are NO
studies ( the scientific studies she always expounds upon) to define
the exact nutrient requirements for ferrets! Even though ferrets have
been utilized by the scientific community as research models for human
digestive upsets and nutrient imbalances as well as viral infections!
With NO standards imposed upon pet food manufacturers for unmedicated
foods just exactly WHERE do the pet food manufacturers get their
"Totally balanced", "complete food" requirements and recipes?

Fresh eyes often see solutions to ongoing problems. Suki says she
has kept ferrets for some 30 years, putting her 10 years ahead of
Marshall's dog food cereal based original diet made in 1980 and 20
years ahead of their Premium diet made in 1990! What did ferrets
survive on eons before Marshalls and Agway came into the picture? Hmmm,
could it have been rodents, rabbits, birds, eggs, bugs, invertebrates,
amphibians, fish and carrion? Eons of evolution, a couple thousand
years of domestication without kibble and Suki refers to a present
day study as a SINGLE source of information? Not hardly!

Suki cautions people to read and make decisions for themselves but
berates posts describing natural success; she tries to convince those
considering switching that there are too many risks involved. What are
these people supposed to read -- the pet food labels? Should they
believe the ones making profits? Feeding naturally can be done simply
by visiting a local butcher or grocer, or bait shop; whole prey may
require a visit to a pet shop or an online supplier or some people
raise their own whole prey. Some progressive veterinarians that
recognize the benefits of feeding an Evolutionary diet have posted
online like: Dr. Susan Brown DVM
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=3&A=479

some Vets in other countries have also broached the subject, writing
books, offering online blogs or forums and have come under heavy fire
for going against the accepted norm. They persevere because they SEE
the proof of feeding the animals their evolutionary diets. Does sharing
my ferrets improved health make me a Missionary? Possibly. Missionaries
ventured in to remote, often hostile areas and are credited with
bringing better ideas to many cultures aren't they? Guess I'm in good
company!

Suki recommends Brewers Yeast added to the ferret's diet to combat
diabetic issues -- when brewers yeast use in ferrets is contraindicated
by more current Veterinarian's advice:
http://www.wellvet.com/insulinomaferret.html

Cooking does not "predigest" food -- predigestion occurs from chewing!
Chewing physically breaks down the fibers in food and saliva starts
in on the starches. Chewing requires multiple sets of molars and some
ability to move the jaws horizontally, which ferrets cannot do and they
don't have true molars. Ferrets also don't have amylase in their saliva
(evolution didn't map them for starchy foods) they don't masticate
their food -- they cleave it and swallow it whole. Bob Church pointed
out that the ferret has an exceptionally large pancreas for their
size, in order to neutralize quickly the strong acids generated in
the stomach to digest meats quickly as it passes through the short
digestive tract. Cooking makes VEGETABLES more digestible (IF the
consumer has the system to digest veggies) but meat is most nutritious
when consumed raw. Cooking meat causes nutrient loss, and can toughen
the tissues (especially when the cooking time is extended) thereby
reducing its digestibility.

Nutrients come in various forms from several sources of animal
proteins. Feeding a wide variety and ages of these sources -- will
easily offer your ferret a full range of vitamins, minerals and
nutrients. Going to www.nutritondata.com lets you see exactly what
nutrients you are feeding according to current data. You can create
your own recipes, adjust for quantities and project what nutrients
your ferret will ingest when fed raw meaty bones. Basic nutrient make
up of whole prey can be found here:
http://www.rodentpro.com/qpage_articles_03.asp
venturing in to the evolutionary diet requires a bit more time than
opening a bag of kibble -- but the rewards are well worth it!

If, as some people would like to persuade us, the kibble manufacturers
had all the requirements down pat and the appropriate recipes worked
out to offer ferrets optimal health -- then there wouldn't be any
reason for them to offer "New and Improved" or "Better Formula" or
"Grain Free" would there? Feeding naturally is NOT a fashion statement
nor a fad -- it is an evolutionary proven formula to offer the ferret
exactly what it needs to thrive! All we have to do is allow access to
this diet for our captive companions!

Cheers,
Kim

please visit :
for ferret help and info:
http://holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi
http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi
yahoo groups Natural Ferrets

[Posted in FML 6890]