Sukie wrote: >"***reduce*** protein (a person here recently had a NON-vet give >wrong advice on this score but the individual had already had spoken >with enough vets and kidney experts to know better)" My vets maintain that a diet that includes good quality protein and no carbs is best for chronic and acute renal failure in ferrets so I'm not convinced that a sweeping statement that encourages restricting protein is very safe advice. I guess the important thing is that there are *degrees* of renal failure and people need to listen to their vets and, depending on the ferret's blood tests, follow a diet that improves its particular condition. Unfortunately, the following links refer to dogs because there are no studies available for ferrets. Because both are carnivores, I would presume that the same principles apply. http://web.archive.org/web/20010308065032/http://www.jivaonlinecom/html/dietary_management_of_clinical.html [Neither full nor partial link doesn't work for me. BIG] Dietary Protein and the Kidney Recent research on dietary protein and the kidney has shown that a.. dietary protein does not cause renal failure b.. dietary protein does not appear to be involved in the progression of chronic renal failure c.. inappropriate restriction of dietary protein may actually have an adverse effect on the normal or compromised kidney http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=0&articleid=1104 "The myth that high-protein diets are harmful to kidneys probably started because, in the past, patients with kidney disease were commonly placed on low-protein (and thus low-nitrogen) diets. Now we often put them on a diet that is not necessarily very low in protein but contains protein that is more digestible so there are fewer nitrogen by-products." http://www.purina.com/dogs/magazine.asp?article=256 "In contrast, research over the past 10 years or so has shown that protein does not harm the kidney of dogs. In studies conducted at the University of Georgia in the early 1990s, both in dogs with chronic kidney failure and in older dogs with only one kidney, protein levels as high as 34 percent caused no ill effects. . . . In other studies, David S. Kronfeld, Ph.D., indicated that compared with high- or low-protein diets, moderate-protein diets, those with up to 34 percent protein, had no ill effects in dogs with chronic renal failure and were associated with general improvement." http://web.archive.org/web/20011215124346/acmepet.petsmart.com/content/health/senior.html "Because of certain biochemical requirements, the healthy geriatric dog requires about 50 percent more protein than the young adult, and depending on the quality of the protein, it should make up 20 percent to 30 percent of the total calories ingested. . . . Until recently, protein restriction was recommended in an effort to protect renal function. Limiting protein fails to prevent urinary filtration problems associated with glomerular hyperfusion and hypertension in the nephrons (where filtration occurs). Indeed, newer research shows dietary protein is not detrimental to kidney function.7 On the contrary, protein restriction can result in impaired wound healing, diminished immune function and lowered enzyme activities and cellular turnover. Those dogs with impaired renal function do better with dietary phosphorus restriction; however, limiting this mineral is unlikely to delay the onset of renal disease or to benefit healthy geriatric dogs." http://www.purina.com/images/articles/pdf/NutritionandRenalFunction.pdf "Dietary Protein and Renal Function: Results of multiple studies indicated that there were no adverse effects of the high protein diets." [Posted in FML 5436]