EG: Do you mean Eosinophyllic (sp?) Gastroenteritis (again sp?)? If so, that is separate. ----- >I know ferrets aren't the same as humans...but..I was wondering if there >are any antioxidants marketed for ferrets. Cancer is cancer and free >radicals occur in all animals...so maybe there's something like our >Vitamin E that ferrets can have that might give them a better chance. This is actually part of why darkness to allow the body to produce more of its own melatonin, turmeric as a possible additive with risks also discussed as is only logical, and some other things have been under discussion. *****Actually, there are HUNDREDS of forms of "cancer"*****, and what hurts one can actually nourish another, or protect it in some way. For instance, high levels of Vitamin C are bad if radiation is used for some breast cancers because those malignancies actually are shielded as a result. In addition, what is good at one stage of life or one stage of illness is bad in another. Two examples: betacarotine might be useful to take before some types of lung maligancies start but if they have begun then it helps them grow faster. Ditto soy for certain hormonal tumors; there seeems to be a protective effect if they are at higher levels in the diet early in life but later on introducing high levels can backfire. This is a newly emerging field of inquiry and it turns out to be anything BUT simple or straight forward. There are a number of very fascinating and convoluted results being reported in journals. BTW, oils are good sources of E. I recommend looking in the FML archives under "Golden Oldie" to read veterinary pathologist, Bruce Williams' write up on what is and what is not "cancer". There is a huge amount of confusion out there in this regard. http://listserv.cuny.edu/archives/ferret-search.html ----- One thing that amazes me in discussions of foods is the omission that recent evidence indicates that one of the things which can cause toxins and carcinogenic substances to form is the temperature of cooking. The risks of charred meats have long been known, but this year it has been docuemtned in several studies that starches cooked at high temperatures (chips, fries, some breads, donuts, some breakfast cereals, etc. -- which makes me wonder about some kibbles and their cooking temps) form a compound which is not found in such starches beforehand and not found if they are cooked at low temperatures. Acrylamide is better known as a carcinogenic and neurotoxic compound used in making plastics, and when it was first found in such studies it was thought to be a contaminant, but it wasn't. Starches form it when all by themselves if the cooking temperature is high enough. There are now multiple studies confirming this. I know that when folks worry about foods they worry about other aspects, but for anyone's food: our's or ferrets the temperature of the cooking may matter more than some other oft-discussed aspects. [Posted in FML issue 3890]