So, I will try once again to help people learn about these. There is so
much out there which people can find by using the onsite FHL Archives
at Yahoogroups and the FML Archives that I figure it is only kind to
my eye if I do not have to do this yet again.
Three points on which there tends to be repeated confusion are
Vitamin D
Vitamin A
Nobivac vs Neovac
Humans OFTEN need more D than they get, esp. w aging.
Remember, our ancestry has been diurnal for a long time and we lack fur
so we humans are geared to not optimizing all the D we get.
Ferrets are descended from crepuscular (twilight) activity mammals who
lived in burrows, so they optimize D, which makes it much easier for
them to get too much. That results in hypervitaminosis D, as also
happens with dogs much for easily than for humans, and from too much
Vitamin D calcium deposits in organs like the kidneys and heart can
occur.
Humans and ferrets therefore differ A LOT in relation to Vitamin D.
We also differ A LOT in relation to Vitamin A, but in the other
direction. Humans can easily overdo that, but ferret ancestors ate many
livers so they did not have to optimize Vitamin A. That means it is
easier for ferrets to get too low in Vitamin A, but easier for humans
to get too much.
In relation to some of the types of confusion that surround Nobivac vs
Neovac:
One person (not a vet) has been saying that Nobivac contains parvovirus
vaccine and that person says it will therefore kill ferrets. All the
early CDV vaccines we used to have contained parvovirus vaccine and
did not kill ferrets. Ferrets just do not need it. Parvovirus vaccine
has never killed any ferrets as far as I know though, and a number of
ferret expert vets currently use Nobivac for ferrets with no unusual
problems reported. Nobivac is a descendent drug of Galaxy. Yes, it is
best to minimize unneeded vaccines when possible, but since Merial
tends to regularly have shortages of Purevax there is often no choice.
Neovac, which is an entirely different product, HAS NOT BEEN TESTED to
even see if it works in ferrets, and the one tiny and very short term
safety study was insufficient to know anything except that it does not
outright kill young male kits on its first use. That is the ONLY
testing reported for that product and is woefully insufficient.
From personal communications I know that Neovac had a few respected
vets and shelters offer to conduct REAL, WELL DESIGNED safety studies
but unless things have changed recently then as far as I know the maker
has so far refused such offers.
Here are some references but my eye is giving out so you will have to
do your own searching for more info:
Yahoo has modified URLs to be like the one above so alter the
Yahoogroups ones in the following to fit that format but notice that
there are nonYahoogroups URLs in there, too:
<https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ferrethealth/conversations/messages/19749>
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/137/8/1916.long
Remember that Dr. Heller has actually conducted a related research
project:
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ferrethealth/conversations/messages/16844
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/ferrethealth/conversations/messages/16855
Sukie (not a vet) Ferrets make the world a game.
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html
"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)
A nation is as free as the least within it.
[Posted in FML 8050]
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