Becoming Natural

[sherrylynne]

I love hearing about how far she's come in such a short time. As far as she's concerned, she's in ferret heaven . Hopefully, she'll be able to integrate soon!

[JosiesMom]

Just thought I'd add an update about Mimzy. SHe continues to devour raw offerings and her activity level is good. Unfortunately no one in my "Bruiser Crew" has decided she could be a new friend. BUT, I have acquired another rescue as noted in another thread here. Kosmo - he is a sweetheart of a ferret and gets along with Mimzy. She is learning that not every ferret is out to kill her. Even when we recently visited another ferret friend, Mimzy got snuffled and investigated by other gentle ferrets so she got a chance to realize that not every one is out to eat her! I have to swap out times now from the cages - Mimzy & Kosmo get out when I put the hooligans up. The elderly two will play for a couple hours each night and when they settle down I put them back in their apartment and turn the youngsters loose again. They tumble out of the cage as if they'd been cooped up for weeks! The goofey guys!

Mimzy & Kosmo went on an excursion to Petsmart and I spent entirely too much money on yet MORE ferret toys and cozies.... but how can you resist?

I'm happy to be able to offer at least a few ferrets a forever home. ANd it really is nice to see what can happen when they get to be true to themselves!

Cheers!
Kim

[sherrylynne]

I love reading about how far Mimsy and Kosmo have/are coming! I noticed in the pics on another forum, and posted a question, about Kosmo's fur. I know he's likely adrenal, but would diet alone trigger the fur regrowth if it's adrenal causing it? I'm wondering about his fur/condition being related to his severe malnutrition, rather than adrenal, and the likelihood of that.

[JosiesMom]

Well,
I'm practically convinced Kosmo's coat issue (or lack of a cot) stems from many combined factors:

A) Housing ( cage stress - some caged animals will self groom until they are bald in places they can reach with their tongue, teeth or beak -as in the case of dogs kenneled for long times, birds and even horses will rub themselves raw from stress of being enclosed for extended periods of time.

B) Fleas - incessant scratching and itching will remove fur and hide as well some animals do have allergic reactions from flea bites.

c) Lighting _ Kosmo was found on Daytona's beachside. Most of the homes there and occupants are bona fide sun worshippers; the houses are designed to bring in as much light as possible and most beach side dwellers are happy to brighten their homes with sunlight. This is completely contrary to an animal who's nature is to keep to the shadows of a forest and travel down burrows and tunnels in search of prey! IF Kosmo's original cage was kept next to one of these sunny windows and IF he never had the chance to get to a completely dark area for manny hours a day - this can cause havoc with his internal clock and result in aberrant coat issues.

D) Mal-nutrition: a diet lacking bio-available protein, proper minerals and vitamins as well as proper fats will NOT promote a quality coat! Zinc deficiency will cause hair loss as well as some muscle wasting and incoordination and loss of appetite. Vitamin E, Calcium and Vitamin D are crucial to good skin and coats. Skin, hair, fur, nails are made of protein molecules (keratin) - if the animal isn't getting enough protein to supply the innards - then the external uses for protein will suffer too!

E) Adrenal disease of course causes extreme hair loss.

So without cutting him open and peeking inside I'd say Kosmo suffers from a LOT of things that can or could contribute to his hair loss. A blood test MIGHT reveal adrenal issues and/or vitamin and mineral issues and I probably will still go forward with a blood test from him just to get some sort of baseline.

Thankfully a natural diet offers him nutrients no kibble can and in forms easy for his system to utilize which is why I do believe we can see such dramatic changes! Within the first week he was voluntarily eating raw items and by that I mean he ignored the kibble dish and selected a raw chicken wing or cornish hen part and ate his fill of that. Yes, I am STILL offering him kibble, as well as his mash mixture but every day I can see he is eating LESS of the dry kibble, MORE of the mash ( Mimzy eats this too) and he is eating a fair amount of raw food just by itself!

Housing Kosmo in an area away from direct sunlight but still in a room that offers natural lighting to shine through ( one North facing window has no curtain so the natural light filters through but not directly on or near him. Much like what light would be available in a forest. Picture yourself standing in a forest during the daytime vs. standing on the beach in the day time. The beach is more direct sunlight and will have a much more intense effect upon you - while in the forest under the same sun the light is more indirect; now picture yourself in a cave where you can see the sunlight outside, but it is not directly upon you. THAT is what Kosmo and Mimsy have - a cave that they can see the daylight but not be forced to be in it all the time! PLUS they have places they can burrow in to to get completely dark. THIS, from what I've read, has a TREMENDOUS impact upon the pinneal gland in the brain which influences the pituitary which influences a plethora of other hormones.

Something else I am practically convinced regarding Kosmo is what his PAST diet MIGHT have leaned towards and that was a vegetarian diet! I've been eating much more salad items and he will REALLY try to take them from me to eat them! This is NOT just a mere curiosity thing - he is responding as if the salad is a familiar food item! I of course am NOT about to even let him succeed in getting any; but I can't help but wonder did his former owners attempt to make a vegetarian out of him? It has been attempted and apparently yields a ferret in the same condition as Kosm was found in; check this out on Google books "Ferret Husnadry, Medicine and Surgery in the Contents, go to nutrition and view the poor ferret there that was documented being fed a vegetarian diet! Looks amazingly like Kosmo and that one recovered once fed a meat based diet!

I imagine, I'll soon be able to completely phase out the kibble and they'll both be on completely natural!

[sherrylynne]

I just tried the google books, found the book and section, but page 54 isn't accessible! Drat it
I have to admit, I'd wondered about his fur regrowth with the diet. I didn't think if it was advanced adrenal that diet would have made that much of a difference with his coat, since it seems only meds or surgery will do that, and sometimes not even then.

[JosiesMom]

Sorry the link didn't work. Google books is weird that way. BUT I was able to snip the photo I referenced! I've inserted a pic of Kosmo and there is a striking resemblance in condition! but without knowing EXACTLY his history - all I can do is guess! Ferrets Husbandry, Medicine and Surgery" By John H. Lewington is one book I'll be adding to my ferret library!

I was able to get to the nutrition section of the contents of that book on Google books - there is some VERY interesting information in there regarding ferret diet and the development of the kibble for them!

Here is the photo: (The black and white is from the book - the inset is of Kosmo):

[sherrylynne]

Oh my gods! Wow, does Kosmo ever look like that! I'm thinking you may have hit the nail on the head with the vegetarian thing. Do you mind if I crosspost this thread?

[JosiesMom]

By all means - please do!

I've also unearthed some MORE interesting info regarding diet. Currently I'm trying to put it all together but some key points can be shared and maybe other folks will do some research too.

If we go back to our basic biology class we'll remember that amino acids are the building blocks of protein. Using the human body as an example (mainly because its tough to find specific info related to ferrets) the body is not only made up of a significant amount of protein for structure, it also utilizes proteins for functions within the body from everything to carrying oxygen in the blood, creating hormones (like insulin), acting as neuro-transmitters, making antibodies for the immune system, even blood clotting factors like fibrinogen; skin, hair, claws, muscles are all made of protein!

The body can synthesize about 20 amino acids but there are 8 amino acids that can NOT be synthesized and these are called "ESSENTIAL" amino acids. These 8 essential amino acids are found in MEAT! the body metabolizes the proteins after digesting the meats and VOILA essential amino acids get utilized for innumerable process, structures, hormones and protections for the body!

While plants do make proteins they do NOT make proteins in forms that are readily, easily digestible for ferrets and there-in lies the issue for most kibble fed ferrets!

Does protein play a large role in adrenal issues? Quite possibly if you analyze how important proteins are to the entire body!

Deficiency of protein for humans ( which are omnivores) causes:a large number of problems including irregular hormonal activity, hair loss, decreased muscle mass, fatigue, resistance to insulin,poor immune responses, slow healing of wounds, poor digestibility, diminishing of blood protein, draining of fluid from blood (edema), liver damage, and decreased body temperature.

Humans have a digestive system with the ability to obtain protein from plant and milk sources in addition to animal protein sources - although the essential amino acids are MOST bioavailable FROM animal sources; so protein deficiencies in humans is relatively rare if they are eating a decent diet.

Imagine what problems a diet deficient in protein can cause for the ferret which is an OBLIGATE carnivore! Ferrets simply do NOT have the digestive apparatus to glean proteins from plant sources and this CAN become a problem!

I still suspect that Kosmo is adrenal and am learning that while my vet wants to do a blood test at his next visit - and she has an in house lab, so the results can be determined immediately - information I've pulled up on the web indicates there is only ONE specific blood test for adrenal issues and even that isn't definitive - PLUS the blood needs to be sent to Tennessee!

IN the mean time I'll continue to encourage him to dine on things an obligate carnivore should and so far he is responding and it seems his system is too!