Lest anyone think that learning the types of microbes ferrets have in their intestines is only relevant to dietary limitations and digestive abilities, please, think again. There is work linking over-represtation of some types of bacteria to increased rates of inflammatory disorders and to increased rates of autoimmune diseases, possibly to mood and some mental illnesses, and recent work indicates that a dearth of certain intestinal microbes causes some types of chemotherapy to work less well. For the last see the most recent issue of Science. I have read descriptions of some of the work, but the journal just arrived today so no chance to read it yet. I looked up descriptive articles for you: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131122115758.htm http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-11/ind-cwo112213.php The representation of microbial types is affected by diet (with some types being unable to set up shop in rodent studies if the rodents have diets low in fiber and high in fat), so unlike us omnivores the hypercarnivores and the subset of hypercarnivores who are obligate carnivores may be unable to utilize some types of chemo very well, depending on which bacteria are needed for their optimal use. (That said, even with one aggressive type of lymphoma that humans get recent work indicates that a milder maintenance chemo gives better survival than a hard hitting approach, so there is a lot to rethink in relation to chemo, anyway.) http://www.nih.gov/news/health/nov2013/nci-13.htm Oh, and I shared this with Heather after her question and with the FHL moderators earlier: http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/encyclopedia/carnivore/ but it looks like the zoo journal papers I had giving the percentages of protein and other nutrients in things like mouse and chick whole carcasses might have been lost when my hard drive overheated years ago. If i am lucky I will find them in a weird place on the computer (which has happened with several things) but my eye is not up to intensive searching. Sukie (not a vet) Ferrets make the world a game. Recommended ferret health links: http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/ http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ http://www.miamiferret.org/ http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/ all ferret topics: http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html "All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow." (2010, Steve Crandall) A nation is as free as the least within it. [Posted in FML 7973]