Two great postings were made recently about ferrets and lactose intolerance
and I just wanted to comment.  (I'm very much interested in dietary issues.)
 
"About ferrets and milk" from A. Abate/C. Kinsey showed some great
alternatives to regular milk products.  Thank you!  Not everyone knows
there are alternatives.  One addition - dairy products that are high in
fat tend to be lower in lactose than others (heavy cream vs ordinary milk,
for exampel), also, yogurt actually contains a lactase that will help with
breaking down the small amount of lactose it has.
 
"dairy products and ferrets" from Troy Lynn Eckart was about the fact that
lactose intolerance develops when someone don't GET any milk products!
Very informative!
 
This was something I've heard before, and with that in mind and I've been
giving my ferrets small amounts of cheese whenever I eat cheese sandwishes,
they get small amounts of heavy cream once in a while as a treat, sometimes
ordinary milk, etc.  Neither of them have become ill, and I believe it's
because I've gradually introduced it in their diet.  (The fact that it's
VERY small amounts each time helps too, I guess.)
 
I know a few hoomans that are lactose intolerant, and the degree of
intolerance varies.  Not only from person to person, but over time some
get more or less intolerant.  (One weren't intolerant until a period in
her life when she stopped drinking milk for one year, then wanted to start
again, but discovered she got sick from it.  Now, several years later, she
can drink it - in small amounts...)
 
Just my personal experience... :)
 
Millan (Drinking lots and lots of milk every day.)
Ozzy (Cheese, cheeeese, more cheese for meeee!!)
Obelix (What is this great tasting stuff, and why do we get so little of
it??)
 
For those that wants to read more about it, here are two sites about
lactose intolerance:
http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/5b57e.htm
http://www.gastro.com/lactose.htm
[Posted in FML issue 2599]