The CAUSE of cystine stones in ferrets remains unknown, and is part of
what is being studied so it is premature to assume a genetic cause must
be at the base of it, let alone a shared genetic cause, though that is
certainly a strong possibility. There is also investigation into certain
food types -- for instance, the vets on at least two of these cases have
noticed that the individuals had dried peas in part of their high protein
diet. Might those or certain other specific foods be ones that ferrets
(some ferrets?) don't handle well? No one knows, yet, but that is among
the possible causes postulated and is being investigated.
Again, don't draw conclusions until the study is done. Setting opinions
before having enough facts isn't a very grateful mind-set; it has a
tendency to bite people over and over since not all hypotheses pan out.
So, if a high protein diet is what you have decided you want to use,
then -- sure -- go ahead, but do like everyone should, anyway, and
periodically test urine pH. It's no biggie.
Anne used to use this saying: " 'Assume' makes an 'a$$' of 'U' and 'Me'."
So, patience while the study goes on, and just read all sides, make your
own choices, and don't feel guilty about them or make others feel guilty
about theirs. None of us has enough data to warrant coming on strong.
It would be silly to repeat this in detail: here are the pros and the
cons of both sides of the kibble vs. raw debate:
http://www.smartgroups.com/message/viewdiscussion.cfm?
gid=1423922&messageid=15060
(and there were some related topics recently there so read them since
this is just the most recent)
with summaries or vet links to both sides in these two posts (and I
will mention upfront that both are mine):
http://www.smartgroups.com/message/readmessage.cfm?
gid=1423922&messageid=15107&startid=15108
(summary, including what is hypothetical)
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org/browse.php?msg=SG14923
(links)
OR go to BOTH the FHL Archives (See my sig; I use that resource daily
thanks to Pam and Eric's hard work.) and the FML Archives (See each
day's FML header) which is also excellent and search for "raw".
[I suggest also searching for BARF in quotes. BIG]
Also everyone who is interested in diet should definitely ask your vets
to let you read a copy of the Dec 2004 "Journal of Exotic Mammal Medicine
and Surgery" article by Dr. Mark Finkler on the carbohydrate- insulinoma
hypothesis which he originated. It's a great read and up to date; he
keeps a very open mind about how little in actually known on that regard
even though he personally likes the hypothesis. it could still go either
way or even veer off in an unexpected direction depending on what is
learned.
Ferret diets and their related hypotheses have such an unpleasant
tendency to have too many people treat them like what is important is
belief, so I think it is important to write in ways that discourage that
response to a post, though I certainly have not always been good about
that myself, and a few times have been downright emotional in a misplaced
fashion (though understandable in the circumstances, so place those past
posts in context). More and more, though, as it comes out over and over
and over how very little is actually known I have decided that usually
in diet conversations there are more bad and more good points to either
side than most posters say, that posters often treat diet as a religion
or a debate instead of as a field of study. What will eventually be best
once enough study is done is still unknown, and no debate or belief will
ever change that -- only the eventually uncovered facts will.
-- Sukie (not a vet)
Ferret Health List
http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/ferrethealth
FHL Archives
http://fhl.sonic-weasel.org
International Ferret Congress
http://www.ferretcongress.org
[Posted in FML issue 4976]
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