SUKIE Noted Regarding dental health: >scientists have discovered a genetic link between the dental disease >periodontitis and coronary heart disease, according to a new study. > >German researchers said they have found a genetic variant situated on >chromosome 9 that is shared between the two diseases. ... >"These factors already indicated a possible mutual genetic basis >underlying the two diseases. Now we know for sure that there is a >strong genetic link, patients with periodontitis should try to reduce >their risk factors and take preventative measures at an early stage," >Dr. Arne Schaefer of the Institute for Clinical Molecular Biology at >the University of Kiel in Germany was quoted as saying. > >SOURCE: Study presented on May 25, 2009 at the annual conference of >the European Society of Human Genetic Please before you chalk up any ferret's dental health issues to, "Oh its just simply bad genes." Realize that the study was one done regarding HUMAN genetics: last I knew ferrets and humans did not share similar genetic coding. It serves no purpose to extrapolate studies done on human genetics and then make the leap that the same or similar thing happens in ferrets! This is a premise consistently repeated by many noted professors, scientists. veterinarians and pathologists like Dr. Bruce Williams, Dr. Nico Johannes Schoemaker to name just a couple! Ferrets are their own unique species, neither info from cats NOR dogs and especially not humans applies when trying to determine causes of disease or health issues. Something to keep in mind regarding ferrets and dental health. Something that Bob Church has noted speaks about surface area of the teeth. Ferret teeth just simply do NOT have the smae surface area of a dog or a cat - so this means there would be less time for bacteria to invade tooth enamel and cause problems. Anytime calculus or tartar is scraped from the teeth the enamel gets scratched, this only sets up the tooth for more bacterial harbors, and runs the risk of actually cracking the enamel too. Saliva is well known to keep teeth in good condition. Saliva washes the teeth and has natural bactericides. An interesting anatomical fact about ferrets is that unlike dogs and cats that each have 4 pairs of salivary glands - ferrets have 5 pairs! Ferrets have TEN salivary glands in their mouths compared to the 8 glands of dogs and cats! These extra glands are near the back teeth of the ferret. Saliva is triggered from many inputs - smells and sight of food nto to mention chewing and gnawing. The chewing and gnawing required when eating a raw meaty bone is definitely a more lengthy process than the crack, crunch and gulp of kibble or the grab and swallow of mushy foods or the lick and swallow of soups; so more saliva gets produced to keep the teeth clean when eating a natural diet. Ferrets (dogs or cats) do not produce amylase - a digestive enzyme necessary for carbohydrate digestion. Humans DO produce amylase in their Salivary glands as well as their pancreas - but ferrets do not produce amylase at all. Something else to note regarding saliva and its benefits to oral health are that during sleep less saliva is produced - so it's likely ferrets that sleep a lot and that are on kibble or soft diets just are not producing enough saliva to keep their teeth clean naturally! Ferret's teeth are designed to chew and gnaw raw meaty bones and whole prey, apparently their saliva glands respond to this too and that keeps their teeth healthy! Cheers! Kim please visit: for ferret help and info: http://holisticferret.proboards80.com/index.cgi http://ferretopia.proboards51.com/index.cgi yahoo groups Natural Ferrets [Posted in FML 6588]