I haven't been posting much lately, mostly because I have been very busy with ferret projects and family business. Also I had a bit of a medical problem. In one of my hospital visits (I had surgery immediately prior to the NAVC vet conference), I caught a nasty hospital-bred bug (MRSA). I got it in my throat and upper bronchial tubes, probably during intubation or in recovery while on oxygen. I was feeling the effects of it when I traveled to Idaho, but thought it was just a cold and I treated it as such. However, it really kicked in like a Missouri Mule soon afterwards and finally became impossible for me to ignore. I've been in and out of the hospital for the last few weeks because of it. Because of the MRSA, I was unable to go to Michigan, and I offer my profound apologies to my friends up there. It is very unusual for me to miss any ferret event. I've fought blizzards, white-outs, and ice storms, attended events less than a week after surgery, and go well out of my way to see people who ask me to stop, so missing the people in Michigan was very unusual. Again, I am sorry and I'll give your club preferential treatment the next time you ask. Also, because it makes you feel really really bad, I haven't been reading much email. I'll catch up later this week. Anyway, please don't worry about the MRSA problem. Once the cultures came in, I was placed on the correct antibiotics, the little beasties are dying by the millions (I can hear them scream), and I am well on the road to recovery. MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) is a staph bacteria that is highly resistant to certain antibiotics and evolved in the hospital environment. It has since spread into more public forums, including gyms and places where people sweat a lot and touch stuff. I didn't know I had MRSA; I was in fact wrongly diagnosed at first and it was only when I -- being very grumpy and dead tired of being ill -- snapped at a doctor and implied he was so incompetent that I should see a vet, did anyone consider doing a culture. All this time, I had been playing with my ferrets and other animals. Once I got the "Oops Call" from the doc, I had to carefully inspect ALL my animals for any chance I could have spread MRSA to them. This was especially important for Kahlua and Rummy, who are currently pregnant, but with the scratches and bites ferrets can give to each other, I had placed them at risk for a nasty staph infection. Thank God, Darwin and the stars that I practice excellent hygiene, because not a single animal was infected. My trip to California is coming up soon. I will be in Pasadena CA March 24 and Sacramento CA March 31. I will be driving through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona on my way out (I-70W to I-35S to I-10W), and if weather allows, Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, and Kansas on my way home (I-80E to I-25S to I-70E). For ethical reasons, I cannot show the presentations I will be giving in Pasadena and Sacramento, but I can show others, or just give a short talk on a subject of your choice. I could even give the presentations I gave at the veterinary conference if you like. As always, first asked, first accepted. If interested, ask and I can give you a visitation day and approximate time. My last posts on the Diet 201 series are in my fact-checker's hands and when they are returned, I will start posting them. I didn't want big gaps in posting, and since my new fact-checker is a bit slow, I elected to finish everything prior to posting anything. I will be doing it a bit differently compared to Diet 101 where I just went through everything from A to Z like a lecture. This time, I will be borrowing from my Q&A format. The basic format will start with a question (I had to ask some questions myself because I've never been asked them before), a short complete answer, and then a more detailed explanation. Each post will be on a specific topic, such as a "The Raw Truth About Foods," or "A True and Honest Assessment of Risk from Various Foods." I will not answer ANY question while the posts are being posted, but will save them to the end and answer all at one time. Part of this is because many questions will be answered in later posts, but also because it makes it easier on me. Because of FML post-length restrictions and a continuing problem of plagiarism, I will pull out the references (it makes it hard to ready anyway). However, I will have a referenced copy that I will make available to bona fide researchers or vets, deciding each request on a case-by-case basis. I am protecting the material because there is a good chance it will be published later after some reworking and expansion to a few other species. One last thing about the diet posts. I WILL NOT ARGUE WITH ANYONE! I will, as I've said, answer questions, but I will not get drawn into a sophomoric argument based on supposition or opinion. You can either believe the stuff I post or not. I have spent four months writing these posts and I have done my homework to the level of a thesis. I use proof-readers, fact-checkers, and the newest books (one book alone cost me $247, and I bought 4 books for this project) and the latest journal references (some from 2007). Do not misunderstand; I heartily encourage and support true open debate. Good debate, where people are polite and offer opposing and supported arguments, always HELPS a discussion. Poor debate, such as when someone ignores hard questions, or calls duplicated research "an hypothesis" while promoting supposition and opinion, HURTS a discussion. If FML members debate the subject and it remains positive, I will NOT get involved. This is because I don't want to intimidate FMLers, I am saying enough already, I know other people have good things to say, I don't actually have to comment on everything on the FML, and because I plan to answer questions after the last posting. However, if the debate turns negative, I will energetically and rapidly point out the discussion has taken a wrong turn. I sincerely hope people will debate what I have to say. Just be nice to each other, back up your opinions with some published facts (just because a vet or a kibble maker said so does NOT make it a fact!), and allow others to express their opinion without fear or verbal reprisal. Bob C [log in to unmask] [Posted in FML 5534]