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Subject:
From:
Sukie Crandall <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 13 Nov 2003 16:51:36 -0500
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http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?
gid=1423922&messageid=6619&startid=6629
 
Hi
There are sevral problems with BARF diets.  You brought up one of the
main problems: ie infections from the raw food.
 
A. Tuberculosis: The ferret appears to be highly susceptible to starins
of Mycobacterium avain, bovine, and human.  They can be infected through
unpasteurized milk, raw poultry, and raw meat.  Chicken offal could be a
source of infection.  Yes, this is a zoonotic disease.
 
B. Salmonella: Salmonella is very common in chickens.  In a Canadian Vet
Journal there was a study testing BARF diets for Salmonella.  80% of the
food samples were positive, and 30% of the dogs on the Barf diet had
positive salmonella fecal samples.  Yes, this a zoonotic disease.
 
C. E. coli is also very common in chickens.  This is also a zoonotic
disease.
 
The other main problem is wether the BARF diet is a complete and balanced
diet for long term use.  Thus I would recommend Hill's a/d, and/or
Gerber's baby food instead of BARF diets.  If you still want to feed the
BARF diet please cook it first.  Jerry Murray, DVM
 
[PLease, note that baby food is advised for preferably no more than a
set time frame for sick ferrets; more info is available in the section
"Feeding the Sick Ferret" at
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html .
 
I mention this solely because the context leading to this vet post is
lost in bringing it to the FML and I feel certain that Dr. Murray would
prefer that I mention that it needs to be taken in context or the
limitations understood. -- Sukie]
[Posted in FML issue 4331]

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