Margaret Merchant <[log in to unmask]> wrote on 3/22/2006, 2:00 AM:
> She has now changed this to:
>
>>Now, as to raisin toxicity - even before the ASPCA's Poison Control
>>Center had issued any warning about raisins being a possible problem
>>for canines, ...
 
Margie, I am not looking to start an argument with you, but you have
somewhat misinterpreted the comment that you quoted.
 
The statement, "even before the ASPCA's Poison Control Center had issued
any warning about raisins being a possible problem for canines," refers
to something that happened back in the late 1990s.
 
If you will look at current information, you will see that the
veterinary community has pretty much accepted that grapes and raisins
can cause problems for canines, and therefore, should not be fed at all.
And they have apparently done this based on anecdotal evidence and not
scientifically proven facts.  If you need them, I can provide you with
links to some of these articles.
 
If you go out and search PubMed, you will find at least 7 articles,
several of them published in JAVMA, that discuss raisin toxicity in
canines, and at least one that also talks about the problem in cats.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=pubmed
 
You can also find a slew of articles by various vets that say raisins
and grapes should not be fed to pets, period.
 
The following is a quote from this page, which belongs to the University
of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine
http://www.cvm.uiuc.edu/ope/enotes/showarticle.cfm?id=160
 
>The exact mechanism by which grapes and raisins cause kidney damage is
>not known. It is not clear whether all dogs or only susceptible breeds
>or individuals are affected, whether other species may be susceptible
>to this toxicosis, or whether ingestion of grapes and raisins over
>time lead to the same effects as large, acute or single ingestions.
>
>Because there are still many unknowns, the APCC advises not giving
>grapes or raisins to pets in any amount.
 
Those are pretty strong words for a university that teaches veterinary
medicine to make is it is just a theory.
 
The fact that you and others (myself included) have fed or still feed
raisins to ferrets without renal failure occurring does not change
anything.  Do you feed a single ferret 7 or more raisins at one time?  I
doubt that.  It is not, and this is about the 4th time I have posted this
statement on this list, IT IS NOT THE SINGLE AND OCCASIONAL RAISIN THAT
CAUSES THE PROBLEM.  The damaging effects of the raisins do not appear
to be cumulative.  IT IS WHEN AN ANIMAL, BE IT DOG, CAT OR FERRET EATS A
QUANTITY OF RAISINS AT ONE TIME THAT THE PROBLEM OCCURS.
 
Finally - I am not saying nor have I ever said that Dr. Kawasaki has
scientifically proven that raisins can cause renal failure in ferrets.
He has stated, and is trying to spread the word, that he has seen several
cases where a quantity of raisins has appeared to be the cause of sudden
renal failure and death in a young and otherwise healthy ferret.
 
And, while many of the reported cases in canines did not result in death,
we all know that ferrets can slide downhill at a much faster rate then
dogs, especially large dogs.
 
And yes, I agree that people should take the time to do their own
research, look things up and make up their own minds on an issue like
this.  However, after looking at all the mounting evidence, I suspect
most people will agree that it is not worth the risk.
 
Raisins are not a part of a natural ferret diet, and if you don't teach
your ferrets to eat them when they are young, they will not eat them.
 
I stopped feeding raisins over 10 years ago.  The ferrets I have now
were never taught to eat them, and if offered a raisin, they will turn
up their noses at it.  Many of my kids will not even chew on the raisin
flavored Chewweasels, because raisin flavor is not something they were
imprinted on.
 
There are many healthy things we can teach our ferrets to regard as
treats.  With mine, it is Gerber turkey baby food and pieces of cooked
chicken or beef.  I would much rather use something that is healthy for
my kids as a treat.  I can buy a package of chicken thighs to fix a meal
for my family, and pull out one and boil it for the ferrets.  That
provides me several days of a healthy treat for the ferrets, and they
love it.
 
For me, feeding something I know is good for them is better then taking
a chance feeding them something that might harm them.  But, that is me.
--
Danee DeVore
International Ferret Congress Health Issues Coordinator
http://www.ferretcongress.org
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit: http://www.ferretadv.com
You can help fight ADV!
Visit: http://help4adv.terrabox.com/
[Posted in FML issue 5190]