Holiday Photos

[2016] Fancy Floof

Info: Christmas photos taken at Bacchus Marsh Veterinary Centre by

Bacchus Marsh Photography. Portion of the funds raised from purchases went to supporting the Greendale Wildlife Shelter.

First meet my business. From left to right in this photo we have Amy (female), Beavis (male), Yuuki (male), & Haru (female.) Holding them all together while trying to stop them from jumping to their deaths on the table was quite a challenge. Yuuki wasn't in focus much but close enough, still looks amazing.

Now onto my Business, one on one.

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Amy

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Beavis

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Yuuki

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Haru

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Dont'cha just love dem raw fed coats.

Please do not copy or redistribute my photos elsewhere. I saved money and paid $200 for these digital copies so I appreciate if they stayed on my blog and my other accounts only. You are free to share the Link to the original posts though!

6 Poisons: Their effects on ferrets and treatment.

Here is 6 dangerous foods, along with their effects on the health of the animal and the treatment advised. This was partially written for an assignment that I did during 2016 Animal Studies. I hope that these are useful to any ferret owners reading, or pet owners in general. Take care!

Toxins:	Effects On Health:	Treatment:
Xylitol	This toxin is pretty universal, it can affect the health of multiple animals like dogs, cats, ferrets and so on. It is found in candy, sugar-free chewing gums, toothpaste and baked goods. In dogs, xylitol is a strong promoter of insulin release, which results in a rapid decrease in blood glucose. This can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar then results in depression, ataxia, seizures and collapse. It can cause liver (and other organ) damage, and death. Clinical signs of xylitol toxicity can develop in as few as 30 min.	Induced vomiting soon after ingesting before clinical signs develop. Frequent small meals or an oral sugar supplement to manage dogs who have not shown clinical signs. Intravenous dextrose to control hypoglycemia. Administration of fluids; plasma transfusions.
Nicotine	Nicotine is found in a variety of sources, primarily cigarettes, cigars, snuff, chewing tobacco, nicotine gum, nicotine inhalers, nicotine patches nicotine nasal spray and nicotine insecticides. Nicotine is toxic to cats and other animals. In cats, the toxic level is 5 mg per pound of body weight. May cause tremors, weakness, ataxia, depression, hyperactivity, lethargy (high doses), tachypnea/dyspnea, Drooling, dilated pupils, vomiting,diarrhea, possible seizures, collapse, bradycardia, tachycardia, and or cardiac arrhythmias.	Induced vomiting, bathing patient using mind dishwashing soap (if exposure is dermal), gastric lavage (for large doses), repeat doses of activated charcoal, Ventilator, Intravenous fluids, supportive care like oxygen, seizure control medications like diazepam (valium).
Chocolate, caffeine and other methylxanthines	Chocolate is derived from the roasted seeds of Theobroma cacao and its toxic principles are the methylxanthines theobromine (3,7-dimethylxanthine) and caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine). Theobromine is also found in tea, cola beverages, and some other foods. Clinical signs of toxicosis usually occur within 6–12 h of ingestion, e.g. nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, dyspnoea, thirst, and increased urination. These can progress to dehydration, restlessness, hyperactivity, cardiac arrhythmias, internal bleeding, heart attacks, tachypnea, ataxia, tremors, seizures, weakness, coma, cyanosis, hypertension, hyperthermia, and eventually death. The high fat content of chocolate products may trigger pancreatitis in susceptible animals. Toxic to a majority of pets, cats, ferrets, dogs etc.	Administering medications to induce vomiting and administration of activated charcoal to block absorption of theobromine into the body.  Provide supportive treatments such as intravenous fluid therapy to help dilute the toxin and promote its excretion.
Grapes, raisins and sultanas	Ingestion of grapes or raisins has resulted in development of anuric renal failure in some dogs. Cases reported to date have been in dogs; anecdotal reports exist of renal failure in cats and ferrets after ingestion of grapes or raisins. It is not known why many dogs can ingest grapes or raisins with impunity while others develop renal failure after ingestion. The condition has not been reproduced experimentally, although raisin extracts have been shown to cause damage to canine kidney cells in vitro. The exact mechanism of toxicity is unknown, although the primary injury appears to be in the proximal renal tubular epithelium. Affected dogs develop anuric renal failure within 72 hr of ingestion of grapes or raisins. A clear dose-response relationship has not been determined, but as few as 4–5 grapes were implicated in the death of an 18-lb (8.2-kg) dog. Signs of toxicity: Vomiting is usually seen within 12 hours of ingestion. Other signs that may occur within 24 hours include: Diarrhoea, Lethargy, Lack of appetite, Decreased urination, Weakness, Abdominal pain, Possibly death. Grapes and raisins are delicious and healthy snacks for humans, but can be potential health threats for your pets. Eating grapes and/or raisins can cause the sudden development of kidney failure in some pets - particularly dogs - but also in cats and ferrets, too. Not every pet that eats grapes or raisins will show signs of kidney failure, but to be on the safe side, don’t offer grapes or raisins as treats and keep them out of your pet’s reach.	Emesis or gastric lavage. Emesis can be induced with 3% hydrogen peroxide (2 ml/kg; no more than 45 ml), followed by activated charcoal.  Aggressive i.v. fluid therapy for at least 48 h for rehydration and support of renal function is important
Alcohol (Ethanol is the mechanism of action, also can be found in various dyes, inks, disinfectants, mouthwashes, paints, perfumes, pharmaceuticals, gasoline, and certain beverages.)	Alcohol is toxic to dogs, cats & ferrets. Exposure to seemingly harmless amounts of alcohol can kill a pet. As in humans, when a pet is exposed to alcohol it causes depression of their central nervous system. Its effects on a pet's nervous system are similar to those of humans in many ways. A pet begins to slow down, becomes drowsy and loses coordination. If they're exposed to higher levels of alcohol it can depress their nervous system to the point that their breathing and heart rate slow down. Their body temperature drops. Their blood chemistry is also altered, leading to a dangerous condition called metabolic acidosis where the blood becomes too acidic. At this point, without treatment, death soon follows usually due to cardiac arrest. Even if a pet doesn't die from the acute effects of alcohol poisoning, the toxin can still harm their kidneys and liver, reducing quality of life over time.	Intravenous (IV) fluids should be provided for dehydration, and medication may be administered to alleviate central nervous system depression, as well as to inhibit the metabolism of alcohol. In more severe cases, artificial ventilation can be used to aid breathing, such as with an oxygen mask. If a heart attack has occurred, cardiac therapy should be attended to first.
Avocado	Avocado fruit, pits, leaves and the actual plant are all potentially poisonous to dogs, along with other pets like cats, ferrets, mice, rats, birds, rabbits, horses, cattle and goats, among others. Avocados will trigger fluid accumulation in the lungs and chest, leading to difficulty breathing and death due to oxygen deprivation. Fluid accumulation can also occur in the heart, pancreas and abdomen (Buoro et al., 1994). High fat content of avocado can lead to pancreatitis in some animals. May cause myocardial damage in dogs.	Treatment is symptomatic and non specific.

Lesson: Taurine & Cooked Meat

Taurine & Cooked Meat

Taurine, an organic acid which is found in all animal tissues, is not degraded by the freeze-thaw process when it comes to raw meats, however it is degraded when it is cooked or exposed to heat of some kind. 

Cooked Meat

Feeding cooked meat, especially if you have made it homemade is a huge risk to your obligate carnivore since Taurine is essential for your ferrets overall health and is lost during the cooking process. Cooking in general causes a loss in many nutrients. Enzymes are destroyed by cooking.

Digestive enzymes are produced primarily in the pancreas and released into the duodenum to help digest food coming from the stomach. However since Digestive enzymes are destroyed during cooking, the chore is left to the intestines or the pancreas themselves to secrete amylase and other digestive enzymes.  Enzymes are important. They don’t just help to digest the food – they are living proteins that help repair DNA, make hormones, prevent clotting and so on. Eating a diet of cooked and processed foods would put incredible stress on our ferret's bodies. The pancreas in particular, since it has to produce massive quantities of digestive enzymes after consuming a food that is devoid of enzymes.

Long term consumption of a diet consisting of completely cooked meat can lead to alot of over worked organs, which can then lead to very horrible diseases. This does not mean that you cannot feed cooked meat though. It is recommended to be only a treat, not something that is the entire diet. Never feed cooked bones to your ferrets as they can pose a serious risk. Once the bone in meat has gone through the cooking process, it can remove the nutritional value of the meat and the bones become more brittle, increasing the risk of splintering.

Can Ferrets synthesise Taurine?

Obligate carnivores are not able to synthesise all the taurine they need from other amino acids (such as methionine and cysteine) unlike some other carnivores and unlike herbivores or omnivores.  This means that it is essential to their diet and must be fed to the ferret.

What is the role of Taurine?

Taurine is a major constituent of bile and can be found in the large intestine. Taurine has many fundamental biological roles, such as conjugation of bile acids, anti-oxidation, osmoregulation, membrane stabilisation, and modulation of calcium singling. It is essential for cardiovascular function, and development and function of skeletal muscle, the retina, and the central nervous system. 

Is Taurine an Amino Acid?

Taurine is unusual among biological molecules in being a sulfonic acid, while the vast majority of biologically occurring acids contain the more weakly acidic carboxyl group. While taurine is sometimes called an amino acid, and indeed is an acid containing an amino group, it is not an amino acid in the usual biochemical meaning of the term, which refers to compounds containing both an amino and a carboxyl group. 

What may happen if Taurine is not in the diet?

A diet that does not have enough taurine can cause the heart to stretch and enlarge (dilated cardiomyopathy). This can lead to congestive heart failure and in worse cases, death. In the eye, a low taurine diet can cause blindness from central retinal degeneration. 
In order for any issue to arise, a Deficiency must drag on for a certain length time. It may take months, it may take years, it all depends on the ferret. 

Can I feed too much Taurine?

Taurine is a water soluble nutrient, so that makes it incredibly rare that a ferret would overdose on Taurine. If a ferret eats something and there is too much taurine in it, the excess is simply excreted VIA urine. 

I will give you another lesson on Water Soluble and Fat Soluble Vitamins another day. 

So where can Taurine be found? 

The main source of Taurine for our ferrets in the Frankenprey menu is Hearts. Taurine can also be found in other types of meat, but hearts are essential to insure they get an appropriate amount of Taurine in their diet. If you cannot find hearts or need another option, brain, and tongue also have a high amount of Taurine. Raw (beef) tongue is also the next best option to hearts as it is very high in Taurine. In fact, Tongue has a higher amount of Taurine than that of Heart and is also quite fatty. Beef tongue is a good option if you can find it or if it is in your budget. 


If you cannot locate a Heart, or Tongue, Supplementing with a Taurine powder can be used short term until you can find alternative sources for Taurine. A health food store should have Taurine powder. It may be handy to have stored away for emergencies.  Supplementing Taurine is 500mg/Day  per ferret.

This thread has some good information on Supplementing with Taurine Powder/Capsules.

holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/13404/little-education-on-taurine

Lesson: Bacteria & The Risks Of Raw Feeding

Bacteria & The Risks Of Raw Feeding

Carnivores, are built to handle a large amount of bacteria. They are carnivores so it makes sense that they should be able to handle bacteria.  Carnivores even contain bacteria in their guts (we call this "gut-flora") . Even us humans, contain bacteria in our guts.  Bacteria is everywhere, whether it be good bacteria or bad bacteria. Good bacteria aids digestion and even helps the body in many unique ways. Bad bacteria or even Normal bacteria may cause havoc by becoming overgrown, and begin competing with the good bacteria.

A good example: Air or bubbles in the bowel movements (stool) can mean that there is a gut or flora imbalance and that gas producing bacteria are overgrown and competing with the healthier flora.

For the case of this lesson, I am speaking more on the "negative/bad bacteria" side of things, since that is the main concern that we raw feeders are faced with when it comes to family, vets and so on.

Back onto the topic of ferrets. They can handle a great deal of bacteria when it comes to diet, most are not susceptible to salmonella and efficiently pass it without infection and kibble fed ferrets are even known to shed salmonella in their stools.

A ferrets digestive system is very short (only 3-4 hours) so that leaves no time for the salmonella which needs 12-72 hours, or even e.coli, which needs 3-4 days (72 - 96 hours) to incubate. That makes it highly unlikely that these illnesses would affect the ferret. Its not impossible, just very very very very very very unlikely. If carnivores were not designed for handling a wide range of bacteria, we would be seeing a whole lot more issues not only in animals who are domesticated, but their wild counterparts also.

For more information in regards to Bacteria, I recommend you check out this file from HFF.
It is a long read, so you can read it when ever you would like to. 

As for humans, the risk is there. When ever you are faced with the concerns about bacteria and raw feeding, its more humans that is the concerns, rather than the animal. However as long as you take simple precautions, it would be highly unlikely that you, or those around you would get sick.

To prevent any bacterial contamination, be sure to throughly clean anything that may come into contact with raw foods. Things such as: Shelves, Counter tops, Refrigerators, Freezers, Utensils, Sponges, Towels, etc.

It is especially important to wash all utensils and your hands with soap and hot water after handling one food and before handling another. This helps prevent cross-contamination in which, for example, bacteria in raw meat could be transferred to other foods, such as vegetables. It would be wise to use a different board for cutting different foods such as produce and meat. Wash cutting boards with hot, soapy water after each use; then rinse and air dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels.

Note: Do not use tea-towels or towels for drying as those are perfect for cross contamination and easily spread bacteria from one place to another.

Most raw feeders, feed human grade meat and as we all know already, Human grade meat is less likely to be contaminated with something like salmonella or E.coli than lets say, commercial raw pet food. Not saying it's 100% safe, because it can happen even with human grade, but human grade is a lot safer than pet grade because the handling and inspection of the meat intended for human consumption is a lot more strict. 
A majority of the time, commercial raw pet food, is classed as pet grade meat. Forget the "Organic" this or "Human grade" that, If Its commercial pet food, its most likely containing pet grade pet food somewhere in it.

“To date, raw pet foods have not been associated with salmonellosis in humans. ”

According to Dr. Becker, Pet owners have been feeding raw diets to their dogs and cats for decades, yet to date, not one documented case of raw pet food causing illness in humans has been reported.

Lesson: Fat-Soluble & Water-Soluble Nutrients

Vitamins or nutrients are classified as either Fat-soluble (vitamins A, D, E and K) or Water-soluble (vitamins B and C).

The Fat-soluble vitamins / nutrients are soluble in lipids (fats). Fat-soluble vitamins, especially vitamins A and E, are stored in body tissues. They are stored primarily in the liver and in fatty (adipose) tissues. Extra care must be taken to not consume these vitamins in excess because they stay in the body longer and can more easily lead to toxicity. A well-balanced diet will not lead to toxicity, but vitamin supplementation might. An example of a Fat-soluble nutrient is Vitamin A. Vitamin A can be found in high concentrated amounts in the Liver. This is why we discourage any unnecessary treats or supplementation that contains Liver or Vitamin A due to the high risk of Toxicity. If you have a well-balanced menu and diet planned out for your ferret, then you have no need for supplementation.

Water-soluble vitamins, which include all of the B vitamins, are easily absorbed into the body. If your ferret was to consume more of a water-soluble vitamin than it needs, the excess will be excreted VIA urine, rather than stored within the body. This means the risk of an overdose is relatively low, but you will have to constantly replenish your stock through the diet. A good example for a water-soluble nutrient is Taurine. Taurine can be found in heart, tongue and brain in highly concentrated amounts.

Recommended Reading:
Vitamins and Minerals in Raw: http://holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/truth-about-diet/vitamins-and-minerals-in-raw/
Vitamins: http://holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/1222/vitamins#ixzz3zGVSVOYV
Basic Frankenprey Menu: http://holisticferretforum.com/natural-diet/raw-diet-the-meat-of-the-site/basic-frankenprey-menu/

Christmas Photos!

I have been quite inactive the past couple of months.
I finally finished up with my Animal Studies classes and have been having on and off health issues (TMD).

Today the dumplings went and had some christmas photos done professionally at our local vet. I look forward to seeing how those turned out. I saw a few, which look amazing.... I can't wait!! I want them all now, but I guess the waiting will pay off. It gives me something to be excited for in the time being. I was super excited for today as well. The ferrets did well. Haru was a little all over the place but I don't blame her, she has cataracts and it is a strange new environment, even if she's been there before. Yuuki was pretty good, he fell off the table though, but is alright. Silly boy. Beavis did amazingly, in fact he behaved better than I expected. I was expecting him to the hardest to get still for a few seconds. Amy also was wonderful. Everyone loves Amy, she's small and beautiful. Apparently it was the first time the photographers have ever done ferrets. Yay!

For now, I may not be as active still. I am sorry.
This blog is like my baby and I should be posting on a regular basis but I'm just so full on focusing on mentoring and other things for the time being. I may start researching again and get some more ingredients on my list I compiled earlier in the year.

Everyone have a wonderful end of the year and very awesome new year.
Keep your ferrets safe and happy.

Animal Studies: Basic Ferret Diet / Food Storage / Hazards

Hi everyone.
It's been a real long time since I've done article writing.

Today I will just be sharing a part of my assignment with you all. I hope you find it informative and interesting. I had to limit informaiton since I needed to really get to the point with things according to my assignment, so If I've missed something, I can cover it in another article on another occasion. In regards to the nutrient percentage, my assignment was mainly asking for that with the idea that any animal being written about was on a "commercial diet" I however chose to cover raw and wholeprey feeding in a majority of my assignments where I was capable of covering ferrets. Information at the end about reporting and recording you will notice that some things will sound or seem concerning. Whe  you're worried about your ferret, don't stop to think they'll get better with time or go online to get help, in urgent situations, it is best to get to a vet asap.

Please Note: 

This information should not be removed, altered or reproduced in anyway. I worked hard on this part in particular and even asked for further opinions from reputable people. Some of this content is based off pieces of information from The Holistic Ferret Forum as well, so I would appreciate it if you refrain from reproducing this one post. 

For further information I recommend you visit The Holistic Ferret Forum.

www.holisticferretforum.com

Thank you very much for understanding and I hope you enjoy this post.

Ferret Diet Basics:

Ferrets are strict obligate carnivores and need a diet that consists solely of animal proteins. Recommended diet of choice is Frankenprey, Whole-prey or a combination of both. Frankenprey is a combination of feeding muscle meat, organs and bone in meat. Compared to feeding simply whole-prey, mimicking natural eating through the Frankenprey model is more cost effective and easier for some.

At this stage there is no official nutritional standard available for ferrets, this means that there is no macronutrient profile available for ferrets like there may be for a cat or a dog. With that in mind, commercial petfoods such as specially formulated ferret dry foods may not be entirely appropriate for the ferret.  For a more natural diet, the nutrient percentage is approx 40-60% Protein, 20% Fat (all life stages) This is based on an average nutrient percentage of natural prey items within the wild polecat's diet. This is as close as one can get without in-depth study.

Ferrets cannot digest plant proteins and carbs and it is best recommended to avoid feeding anything that contain these. Even if they are fed in small percentages, it will still be pushing the ferret body to try to digest them- In the long term forcing this can encourage a variety of health issues and complications as the ferret ages. (Eg. Carbs=Insulinoma.)

Quantities to be fed and how often they should be fed:

How much you feed a ferret depends on the ferret, the age, how much the food weighs (if we’re thinking whole-prey) and so on. To find out how much should be fed, you need to first figure out how much the ferret as an individual eats. Every ferret consumes a different amount and this varies season to season. During winter, ferrets may eat more, in summer they may eat less. (Sometimes reversed.) Young (kit) ferrets may even eat up to 10 ounces in a day (or more), it is okay to let them eat as much as they would like (same applies for pregnant or nursing Jills.). Adult ferrets generally eat around 1-3 ounces per meal. Females are known to eat small amounts so it is not uncommon for them to eat just a bit under 1 oz per meal. Male ferrets are known to eat more, which is understandable considering that size difference between male/female ferrets and could potentially consume up to 3-5oz per meal. Ferrets on a natural diet seldom ever overeat so it is safe to feed according to how much they consume in a day. How much they consume in a day, naturally tells us how much they need upon average with food and paints a good picture on how much food they should be consuming nutrition wise, let the ferret guide you to some degree.  If a ferret consumes all given, feed some more. If there are leftovers that aren’t eaten after a few hours, feed less at the next meal providing there is still enough food given to last until their next meal.  It is a good idea to keep a food log and weight diary in order to note changes in eating habits or weight in order to get a better idea what is and isn’t considered normal for the ferret as an individual.

Depending on the type and weight of the whole-prey, it is best to have one whole-prey item per ferret in an attempt to avoid any fighting over food… however even with more than one food between ferrets,  they may still attempt to steal each others anyway. At least there is the benefit of enrichment through this behaviour.  For large whole-prey, it is fine to feed according to the weight and how much your multiple ferret business eat per day. Example: 4 ferrets who consume approx 6 oz per day would mean that a rabbit weighing around 18 oz is more than enough for  around 2 days worth of food. Baby animals are not nutritionally adequate for ferrets and therefore should be left as treats only.

Their raw food is also safe to leave out for a period of time.
Here is the basic guidelines: Soups - 6-8 hours, Grinds - 8-12 hours, Chunks - 10-24 hours depending on the size (larger chunks last longer) Bone-in meats - 12-24 hours, again depending on the size, Whole prey - up to 48 hours.  During hot weather or summer, food should be removed and replaced with fresh food frequently.

Storage of the food and recommended containers:

Raw meat or whole prey should be bagged, or put in airtight containers.
Bags and containers must be freezer safe, and labeled with the name of protein and date. It is best stored as individual feeding amounts. (Example: Prince Yuuki 13/07/2016 - 3oz Chicken Wings.)  

If you have more than one ferret, and you are aware that these ferrets don’t mind eating together or sharing food, or that there is no specific health issues that limit certain foods (eg. Protein Sensitivities or Allergies), then feel free to pack according to how much your business consumes per meal while following the HFF Frankenprey Feeding Model.

In the freezer, the meat can last from 6 to 12 months.  Meat should only ever be thawed in the fridge and used preferably within the same day and removed or thrown out after 2-3 days at max.  Ferrets are very funny creatures when it comes to their food, so even if you happened to by chance accidentally feed what would be considered an off piece of meat, they are highly likely to avoid consuming it especially if it were to potentially make them sick.  Keep in mind that ferrets also stash meat naturally, and tend to come back and consume old pieces of meat. Their bodies are designed to be able to effectively handle this, but if you’re really concerned then be sure to clean out any stashes on a daily basis (if they managed to get meat out of their eating area that is.)

Keep the refrigerator temperature at or below 4° C. The freezer temperature should be -18° C.

Recommendations for container types: Sistema products for containers. They're BPA and Phthalate Free. They are also fridge and freezer safe.

Potential hazards to human and animal health with regards to the food preparation and distribution:
Spread of bacteria (or even parasites) can be a hazard for both human and animal health. Make sure that you only ever purchase or obtain meats or whole-prey from reputable sources. Inspect the meat prior to purchasing when and where possible, during prepping time and prior to feeding. When in doubt freeze meat for 2-4 weeks to kill any parasites. Keep and clean human and ferret utensils or tools separately. It is preferred if you have your own set of utensils and tools specifically for ferret meal prepping.  Wipe down benches and always wash hands before and after handling food. Taking precautionary measures should ensure that no issues or problems occur, but in the rare chance that they do, go see a doctor and/or vet.

The following information should be recorded and reported regarding ferrets for feeding and watering:

• If the ferret is not eating or drinking.
• If the ferret is eating less and it is not linked to seasonal changes.
• If there is a sudden concerning weight-loss that is not within the ferret’s weight fluctuation range or seasonal changes.
• If the ferret is showing signs of discomfort during mealtime.
• If the ferret is bleeding from the mouth, or any other part of the body for the matter.
• If the ferret appears to be choking, seizuring, unconscious or becomes unresponsive.
• If the ferret seems to have broken or chipped a canine or other tooth.
• If the ferret is vomiting, having diarrhea or having any signs of reaction to the food.
• If the ferret is not urinating or passing stools or is appearing to be struggling to urinate or pass stools.
• If there is any mold on the food.
• If there is anything in regards to the food that is concerning. (eg. smells, colour, textures, etc)
• If the food stock is running low.
• Things such as weights should be recorded every week, fortnight or month at best just to ensure that you get an idea on seasonal weight changes. Note any changes in coats as well as these also change seasonally.
• When first starting a new diet, the stool should be monitored with a diary or log. Note anything in regards to stool colour, smell, texture, consistency and include the type of meal and protein prior to the stool.

Thank you to those who helped me with ideas, and opinions before I put this part into my entire assignment and submitted it for grading. My teacher really enjoyed it. :)