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Post by Heather on Feb 5, 2016 0:40:25 GMT -5
Name: HF Forum Username: Ferretfiveo Please confirm that you are 18 years of age or older: yes, I am over 18. 1. Where did you first learn about natural diets for ferrets? on the forum 2. Please describe the type of diet you would like assistance in switching your ferret(s) to. Be sure to include if you are interested in feeding whole prey (live or frozen-thawed) and if you are wanting to FULLY switch to a natural diet or PARTIALLY. If you are unsure what kind of diet you want to put your ferrets on, please express that and we can help you find the best type of natural diet for your ferret. A full raw diet. I am not interested in feeding whole pray. 3. Why are you interested in switching your ferrets to a natural diet? I want the best for my guys. I want to give them the best possible chance of living a healthy, long life. 4. Do you understand that switching your ferret to a natural diet can be a lengthy, arduous process? Its not an overnight switch. It requires a commitment of several months at minimum. Your HF Mentor will be more then happy to assist you in switching your ferret(s) to a natural diet, but you need to be equally as committed. The switch takes time and effort every single day. It can also be extremely frustrating at times. If you aren't willing to tough out a potentially lengthy switching process, you have major life changes approaching (baby on the way, moving, starting school, getting married/divorced, etc), or limited time due to work, then it might be a better idea to wait on switching your ferret's diet until you have more time. Are you willing and realistically able to make the neccessary time commitment? yes. 5. How many ferrets do you currently have? What are their names? Ages? Genders? Do they have any health problems? Are they overweight? Underweight? How long have you had each ferret for? I currently have 6 ferrets, Cowboy - Male. He is 11 months old. I have had him for 7 months. He has no known health issues. Maverick and Bandit. Males. 10 months old. I have had them for 7 months. Maverick has no known health issues. Bandit suffered from a dislocated elbow, he is on the road to recovery but will always have a limp Durango. Male. 8 months old. I have had him for 6 months. He is deaf and possible wardy. Paisley. Female. 8 months old. I have had her for 6 months. No known health issues. Hoss. Male. 9 months old. I have had him for 5 months. He is deaf. He is the biggest of my business. I am unsure if he is overweight. possibly? 6. What diet do you currently feed your ferrets? (Please include all treats, supplements, etc) Do they already eat some form of soup? Currently they eat natures variety instinct raw boost. They have occasionally had the grain free canned food from natures variety. They do not currently eat any type of soup. 7. Have you ever tried to switch your ferrets to a natural diet in the past? If yes, what happened? No. They’ve only ever been switched from marshalls kibble to the natures variety 8. What additional information about yourself or your ferrets would you like to share? I am committed to getting my business switched over to the best possible diet for them. I want to prolong their lives as much as possible. I am uncomfortable with forceful methods. We just lost a baby after she developed aspiration pneumonia from having to be syringe fed and given multiple meds daily. I guess you could say I am now paranoid. 9. How often during the week do you have access to a computer? daily 10. Please post a picture of each of your ferrets (if possible). I do not currently have the above view pictures of everyone. I will get some this evening and update with pictures. 11. Have you met the requirements for this program? Are you at least 18 years of age? Do you have your scale, a place to access meats, hearts, livers, etc? I have placed an order for a scale and bonemeal, I should receive them in two days. I have access to hearts and liver at my local supermarket (only chicken though, I hope this okay as a beginner. I will likely have to order offline for anything other than chicken). Hi and welcome to the mentoring program . In a little while your mentor ( Poncesmom ), will introduce herself and you can get started on a new adventure in natural ferret care and diets. Please remember to post regularly (daily or as per arranged with your mentor) so that your mentor can assist you move along safely in this adventure. If you experience computer difficulties or are going to be away, please notify your mentor and most of all relax and have fun . Your mentor is here to help you on this journey. ciao
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2016 7:56:02 GMT -5
Good Morning! Well we are off to an official start. This will be fun and I'm looking forward to working with you, Cowboy, Maverick, Durango, Paisley, Hoss and Bandit. Let's start off with the rules of the Mentoring program. I know you read them but this is just a reminder. If at any time you need to pause or take a break then please let me know. I understand life can be busy but it really helps to keep me informed. Once a week, I will ask for this information: Please copy/paste this very short questionnaire into your switching thread every Sunday/Monday.
1. Ferret's name: 2. Ferret's weight: 3. Ferret has eaten "X" amount on average per meal. 4. Stools on various proteins. 5. Activity levels: 6. Weekly menu:
Example would be:
Vincent, 3lbs 2oz(1417g), small chicken wing chopped into 2" pieces, bone and all. Stools good colour and consistency. Played as per normal.
Willow, 1lb 4oz(567g), 2 tbsp commercial raw turkey, hand fed. Stools good colour and consistency. Very hyper when up, playing for 2-3 hours at a time.
Mr. Frodo, 4lb 4oz(1928g), 1/4c pork slivers mixed with soup. Stools slightly loose, somewhat seedy, and pale in colour. Somewhat more tired, plays for 30 minutes, then finds somewhere to sleep. Flat ferreting more often.
Weekly menu was:
Monday: chicken legs Tuesday: Commercial raw Wednesday: Soup with pork slivers
Etc. Just write what you actually fed them.
Also, to help us make sure your ferret is doing well during his switch, a picture from above showing his body shape clearly would be appreciated bi-weekly, but is not essential.
You are required to post every second day during the "soup" stage of the transition. From the "sliver" stage, through to large chunks, you will be required to post a minimum of every 3 days. Once you hit the large chunks, once a week will be acceptable.
If you wish to post into your thread more often, that will be MORE than welcome The above are simply the minimum requirements so we can help with sticky spots, and not have to "catch up" to where you are presently at. Failure to post as required will result in your switch coming to a standstill and will result in two warnings before being dropped from the mentoring program. If something comes up, and you need to be away, please contact your mentor letting her know how long you will be absent.
FAILURE TO SUPPLY THE ABOVE QUESTIONNAIRE WILL RESULT IN TWO WARNINGS, ONE ISSUED IN THE SWITCHING THREAD, THEN NEXT VIA PM- THEN BEING DROPPED FROM THE MENTORING PROGRAM. BEING DROPPED FROM THE MENTORING THREAD WILL BE AT MY DISCRETION
You may request readmittance to the mentoring program if you agree to abide by the above rules. But you must wait for the next available mentor.
PLEASE NOTE that by applying for a mentor and using the forum you are agreeing to abide by the terms and conditions as set in this thread: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/1585/rules-regulations-terms-read-sign
Once you come online then we can get started. I'll be asking questions and providing some lessons and I'm rather fond of quizzes as we move through each step. This helps to reinforce what you have just learned and let's me know if you have any parts of a lesson that we need to talk about and clarify. We will have fun along the way and both of us will learn some new things. Ferrets have so much to teach us and we never stop learning. (dance)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2016 16:46:15 GMT -5
They are all gorgeous and look very healthy. I'd love to hear the stories about each one and get to know their personalities and who is your Alpha. They're all under a year of age and we should be able to convince them to eat well easily. We always get one stubborn one but let's hope that peer pressure will convince them all. Let's talk about the first stage of the switch which is the soupie: The ingredients for Soupie are carefully balanced and intended to provide what they need nutritionally during this first stage. 8 ounces of raw chicken thigh meat.We use chicken thigh meat because it is a mild flavor and most ferrets like it. It's also nice and fatty and fat equals energy for ferrets. Chicken can be a common allergen/intolerance for ferrets so as we move along, we don't want their meals to be too chicken heavy. 1-2 chicken hearts. Hearts provide the essential Taurine needed for ferrets. Those packages of Tyson gizzards and Heart will only give you a heart or two so stay away from those and look for a package of Hearts only. Heart is not an Organ for our purposes, it is a Muscle Meat and will fall into the muscle meat category when we move to the Frankenprey diet. Here is a small lesson on Taurine: Taurine as a nutrient is water soluble and generally any excess is then excreted via urine. Taurine is full of Vitamin B Freezing does not degrade Taurine but Heat does. A good substitute for Taurine is Tongue or it can be bought in a supplement powder. 500mg per day per ferret would be the acceptable dosage. Taurine is used by the body in many ways, most noteworthy in the maintenance of the retina (the light-sensitive membrane on the inner surface of the eye,) in cardiovascular function, and in the production of bile. It is found in all animal tissue in varying levels, because of it’s important role in maintaining cellular calcium homeostasis throughout the body. When feeding a raw diet to your ferrets, you can expect them to receive their Taurine in largest concentrations from hearts, tongue, brains, and dark muscle meats like thighs. Because of the necessary nature of taurine for obligate carnivores, it is imperative that hearts are offered as a meal at least weekly, though many people include them in daily meals. Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/15089/information-taurine#ixzz3zQIS8X18Next come the liver. 1/2 an ounce of liver, or 1/2 a chicken liver is the next ingredient in soupie. Liver is important for Vitamin A and Iron. Beef liver is especially great because it is a red meat and a red meat is high in Iron. Beef is a strong flavor so we start with chicken liver. Once on Frankenprey, you will want a red meat meal once a week. Vitamin A is is Fat Soluable and remains in their system. For that reason we limit liver to five percent of what they eat in once week. Too much liver may build up to toxic levels. Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin (it is also called Retinol) Normally a ferret on a natural diet would find vitamin A in oily fish or the liver of other animals (it can also be found in eggs) when a ferret has eaten a food rich in Vitamin A its own liver needs to go to work to regulate the blood level of vitamin A. It uses a special blood carrier to transport Vitamin A throughout the body. A ferret who has a high protein diet rich in fat can readliy absorb vitamin A into its body. Ferrets fed on raw liver once per week do not need a Vitmin A suppliment as the raw liver of another animal contains more than enough Vitmin A. THIS IS WHY RAW LIVER MUST BE FED ONLY ONCE PER WEEK TO PREVENT AN OVERDOSE OF NATURAL VITAMIN A. On the Frankenprey diet we will break up that into several smaller meals. Vitamin A is destroyed when cooked at temps of 40 degrees centigrade or more so to obtain the maximim benefit liver should be fed raw. Vitamin A is an anti oxidant that may protect against disease in the body. This vitamin is used for night vision, growth, and reproduction it also has many varied uses thorugh out the body and also helps maintain a healthy skin. It helps to prevent dryness of skin. It also helps with the health of mucous linings and these include eyes, ears, lungs, nose, throat and bladder. It is also good to help prevent colds! So all in all vitamin A has many good uses, it also helps the ferrets immune system stay healthy. A ferret who is deficient in vitamin A can show it in many ways and the simple deficiency can often be mistaken for something more serious. Some of the signs of a vitamin A deficiency can be as follows: dry or rough skin, problems with growth (bones appear weak), low resistance to infection, digestive problems (diarrhea, kidney stones, loss of appetite) weak teeth that easily chip or break and appearing to have problems seeing - especially in darkness. These are all the plus sides vitamin A can help solve but like all good things there is a reason for caution as there CAN be a down side if the vitamin is not treated with respect and used with care. I personally only give my ferrets a tiny pinch once every fourteen days on food if raw liver is not available as vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that can be stored in the body and can cause overdoses if there is not a good break between doses. Very high doses can cause the following side effects: vomiting, hair loss, liver damage and painful joints so a ferret finds it painful to walk. Vitamin A is a good vitamin it is simply one that needs to be treated with respect and given in very, very small doses with a decent break between them. The plus side far outweighs the minus side but as I have stated and can't state enough, all vitamins should be treated with respect. Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/1222/vitamins#ixzz3zQKrKYo4Iron: Iron is a trace element that is needed in a ferret's body to promote healthy red blood cells and firm muscles. It finds a home in the bone marrow, liver and spleen. Iron helps to promote a healthy immune system and to improve a ferret's energy levels. Iron can be toxic if given in excess. Signs of iron deficiency: As iron is an important element there are many and varied signs of deficiency. A few are anemia,tiredness, poor stamina, ridged nails, brittle coat and digestive problems. Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/1222/vitamins#ixzz3zQP6ucyPEggshell powder/Bonemeal Powder1/2 or 1/3 tsp per 8 ounces of meat Eggshell powder is intended to be short term until they begin eating bones. You will be using Bonemeal Powder and that will include the important nutrients found in Bones. Poop Patrol will be an important part of this process and different ferrets have different needs. Too loose poops will mean they need a little more powder and too firm poops mean they are getting too much. Bones/eggshell powder provide Calcium for them. Everyone knows the importance of Calcium. Here is a small lesson Calcium: In addition to its widely known role in bone structure, calcium is used to help control muscle and nerve function, as well as to manage acid/base balance in our blood stream. At any given time, about 99% of our total body calcium stores are found in bones and teeth. This calcium plays a critical role in maintaining structural integrity of our skeleton. While calcium is the most critical nutrient to skeletal health, other nutrients provide important support to help absorb and use calcium in the bones. These nutrients include vitamin D, vitamin K, and magnesium. It may sound counter-intuitive, but bone is very metabolically active tissue, with bone being built and broken down constantly. When dietary calcium levels are too low, calcium is pulled from the bones to keep the blood levels close to constant. As long as we correct this imbalance more days than not, this borrowing and returning process works very well. But if we do more borrowing from than replenishing to our calcium stores, bone can become dangerously weak. We will go into more information on nutrients/minerals/vitamins as we go along. I have borrowed from sources on the forum and Veterinary articles to help reinforce and explain the basics about soupie. To make soupie, you can puree these ingredients and then freeze them into ice cube trays. When you need to serve them, let them defrost a bit and then add some water to thin it. In the beginning, you will want to have a thin soup and then with time you will thicken it and begin adding small slivers of meat. We'll work on that once they are happily eating soupie on their own. Now the most important part will be that you sit with them and work with them. They trust you and this also builds a lovely bond. You won't need to to do this forever but it is important at the beginning and as you add each new protein. Sit on the floor with them and pick someone up. Have a towel and a spoon ready. Dab a small amount of soupie on their mouth and lips and wait for them to lick it off. If they run away, gently pick them up and try again. You have six so this may take some time, lol. Once they lick it off then try offering some on a spoon while you hold them on your lap. Try for the one last bite but make meal time pleasant and fun. I'm not a fan of scruffing for food and think that should be saved for Vet visits and medicine. After they are all around the plate, see if anyone will eat on their own but make sure everyone has a taste. If they accept the spoon, lower it to the plate and leave it there and hopefully they will eat on their own or most likely someone will try to stash the spoon. Be patient though, they are old enough that they may simply not recognize this new food as food. You will be the key to success. You may have a stubborn one or two but working with them and encouraging is them is so important to a successful switch. You won't have to do this forever and we don't want you to. It's important they learn to eat on their own since you can't always be their during meal time and you can't stay up 24 hours to make sure they eat. Raw Soupie on it's own is safe for easily 6-8 hours or more during cooler weather. If it gets a skin on it like pudding, you can add a little more water and stir it around. I like to leave food out at all times as some prefer to eat alone and some prefer to eat at night. I put out breakfast in the morning and then pick it up and put out their dinner. Poop Patrol will be ongoing as I mentioned. You learn alot about your ferrets from their poos and during a switch you will see many different poops. Some will be funky and loose and you will see odd ones. Overall though, Ferrets on a raw diet have smaller less smelly poops because kibble is full of filler and that is simply waste that they don't receive any nutrients from. If you get worried then don't hesitate to post pictures of poop. It's normal and we are all a bit poop obsessed here. Okay, that's a long first lesson so do you have any questions? I will give you small quizzes along the way and this lesson will have some great first quizz questions in it. Relax and enjoy this process. You're going to do great and your fuzzies will love you for it. I'm very proud of you for taking this step and you should give yourself a pat on the back for being such a caring and loving Ferrent. Hugs to everyone.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2016 21:51:22 GMT -5
Hello Natalia! So glad I'll have not one, but two experienced raw feeders to learn from! I can't wait to make our first batch of soupie. I've tracked my package and it is set to be here tomorrow (monday). I will go shopping after work to get the meats I need and we should be good to go! I've already begun taking notes and have everything organized to track everyones progress! I should be ready to move forward tomorrow! In the mean time, let me post some pictures of my gang and tell you guys a bit about them! We got the first of our group in June (Cowboy), ferret math quickly took over! Once we got Cowboy home we realized we needed a friend for him. We headed to the petco (all of our ferrets are from petco :/) to find him a friend. There were two ferrets there, bigger than the rest, we fell in love with both and couldn't decide between the two, so we brought both home! Enter Maverick and Bandit! About a month later we started feeling like someone was always left out in play, or cuddling and felt we needed to even out the numbers. We headed back to petco and I fell in love with a little panda guy! When we got Durango home we quickly realized he was only half the size of the three we currently had and we knew he would need to be separated until he could catch up. He looked so lonely in the cage...we decided he needed a cage mate! So we headed back to the pet store, they had no more males! So we brought home Paisley! A month later we were at the pet store picking up supplies and there was the cutest little guy all by himself in the cage, I fell in love! Hoss had to come home with us! We swore he was the last one! Early December we decided that poor Paisley deserved someone closer in size to her and a more fitted playmate, we brought home a beautiful albino girl, Ellie. So now, let me introduce you to our gang. Cowboy - Cowboy is our alpha ferret. His running mate is Maverick. He loves to collect hard rubber toys and "hide" them. He gets very upset when you move his stash. Cowboy has changed colors on us twice since we've had him. He fluffed up a few months ago and just as quickly has slimmed back down. Maverick - Maverick was brought home with Bandit, but seems to have more of a bond with Cowboy. He's second rank. Also likes to hoard toys. He and Cowboy often favor the same toys and spend time relocating each others stashes! Maverick is famous for the "meerkat" pose! Bandit - Bandit is a troublemaker, he is always looking for something to get in to. He is the craziest of our bunch and plays hard! Bandit has a tendency to bite when excited, and loves to nibble on toes! He also loves to try to eat the stitched eyes off of his stuffies. Bandit suffered a dislocated elbow in September, he underwent surgery to place a pin in his elbow and spent five weeks with his leg wrapped up. It was a very long and stressful process for everyone. Bandit wouldn't eat or drink unless being hand fed and wouldn't sleep unless being held or laying in pet bed in our bed. His recovery has gone well but he will always walk with a limp. He doesn't allow any of that to stop him or hold him back. Poor Bandit during his elbow recovery Durango - Durango is deaf and a possible waardy. He came from the same group of ferrets at the pet store as Paisley. He's a pretty bad biter when he gets worked up, he can mostly only be played with via toys. He used to bite whenever being handled but has calmed down. He is our second most cuddly and gives the most kisses! He has a passion for buttons and loves to chew on them, of course mom won't let him! He loves tunnels! Paisley - The only girl in our group. She seems to miss Ellie the most. Paisley loves to hear the treat bag open, she will wake from a dead sleep if she hears the bag rattle! She loves to "kill" the big ball pit balls and loves to tunnel under blankets. Hoss- He is deaf. He is the most cuddly, and the most loving. He is the biggest of our bunch. When you open a door, Hoss can usually be found trying to escape! Poor Hoss has difficulty getting through our marshall thruway tunnel and sometimes he'll lay at the entrance and sigh . (we do have a bigger tunnel that he enjoys running through!) Hoss was the most supportive of Bandit through his ordeal. He spent a lot of time cuddling and supporting him. He's a good little-big brother! (he holds a special place in my heart) I will also tell you all about Ellie as I mentioned her above. Ellie was the last ferret added to our group. We got her to give Paisley someone closer to her size, a closer size fit for someone to wrestle with. We were worried about her being accepted but Ellie never gave anyone a chance to dislike her. She came in and didn't allow anyone not to accept her. She would climb right into a pile of everyone sleeping or join in play. Everyone loved her. We only had Ellie for five weeks. One night I noticed she didn't come out to play, the next morning she didn't come out again. I brought her out and I noticed she would not put any weight on one of her front legs. We immediately took her to the vet where she was diagnosed with an abscess. She was running a very high fever. She was started on an antibiotic, a few days later she didn't seem to be getting any better, they added a second antibiotic. By the end of the week she was still not showing much improvement so Ellie underwent surgery to remove her abscess and it was sent away for a pathology report, she was also put on a third antibiotic. The next day she seemed to be doing a bit better. Ellie hated all of the meds and would gag and fight taking them. It was a horrible experience for her as well as myself. By the weekend Ellie was in bad shape again, high fever, elevated heart rate, and labored breathing. She was diagnosed with aspiration pneumonia and passed away two days later. She fought hard and we did everything we could to save her. It was so hard losing Ellie, she was just a baby. She was only six months old. Our hearts are broken and it has been a very difficult experience for us. We miss Ellie very much and are still struggling with her loss. Ellie with Paisley So this is our group. I look forward to working with you guys to get our babies on the best diet for them! I should be ready to begin the soupie phase tomorrow evening. Can't wait to get this going!
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Post by Deleted on Feb 9, 2016 10:01:13 GMT -5
Good Morning! How did the first soupie attempt go? Did you sit with them and coax them along? That's going to be important as I've mentioned. I love the mental picture of you having six wandering around the plate and then all trying to get on your lap. Once they get use to the soupie then you can expect them to eat alot at first. They're trying to get those nutrients into their little bodies. If the plate is empty, they can eat more. Leave the soupie out for them and let them eat as often as they need to. Since you are now feeding raw, you will get alot of questions about bacteria and Salmonella/E Coli. The basic quick answer is that they have a very fast digestive track and eliminate any bacteria before it has time to incubate. Today's lesson will be on the question of bacteria and feeding raw. What does your vet say about feeding raw? Is he/she okay with it or will he try to push kibble? Vets receive very little training on feeding exotic animals and the lessons they learn are from studies published by kibble manufacturers. Your friends and family might be worried so it helps to be able to discuss this with some information to back up your decision. Here is a lesson that Machan published and is full of good information. The book Ferret for Dummies also has a full page devoted to this: The Question Of Bacteria When Feeding Raw Original Source: www.carnivora.ca/html/learning_centre/the_question_of_bacteria/index.cfm
When it comes to feeding pets, what could be more natural for carnivores than a raw meaty diet? And yet, there’s nothing quite as controversial as raw pet diets! If you are like most people, you probably believe that anything other than kibble or canned pet food is unsuitable, perhaps even dangerous, for dogs and cats and ferrets. What you may not know is that the pet food industry has only been around for less than one hundred years, whereas carnivores have been thriving and reproducing on raw foods for many, many thousands of years. All foods have some degree of risk. The question isn’t whether risk exists. Raw meat can be contaminated with bacteria; however, kibble can also contain disease-causing molds and other pathogens. Aflatoxin contamination of dog kibble has resulted in hundreds of sick pets and even death. As well, there are case reports of pathogens found in commercially produced dog food and in dog treats such as rawhide, pig ears, jerky, and chew hooves.
It is a basic premise of natural science that dogs and cats, like all other creatures are provided with all the materials and conditions required to maintain health. Dogs and cats and ferrets evolved to eat bacteria in their food and from other sources in the environment. They eat soil, contaminated meat, and buried carcasses and bones. Dogs being naturally coprophagic enjoy eating the feces of many different animals and much to their owner’s disgust, sometimes their own. Consider that many dogs use the kitty litter box as a snack try without adverse effects. Domestic dogs and cats scavenge and sniff around in all sorts of 'unhygienic' places. Not only that, they continue the ancient ritual of licking mouths, and genitals; both their own and those of others of their species. Each one of these anatomical areas is a source of bacteria. So, no matter what the diet, by licking its "private parts", your dog or cat or ferret is consuming bacteria.
Protective Activities of the Digestive System There are a number of factors that prevent pathogenic bacteria from taking a foothold in the dog, ferret or cat’s body. The first defense is saliva which kills bacteria entering with the food. Saliva is often referred to as a gatekeeper because of its protective role against harmful pathogens. The stomach is highly acid (pH 1-2) and contains strong hydrochloric acid (HCL). HCL creates the right pH for enzymes to work efficiently and it kills bacteria that have escaped the protective enzymes in the saliva. Bacteria that survive the high acid content of the stomach then pass into the small intestine.
Compared to the stomach, the small intestine is a relatively hospitable environment. The first section of the small intestine is called the duodenum. The pancreas and liver deposit their digestive enzymes, bicarbonate and bile salts, respectively, in this part of the small intestine. The digestive enzymes from the pancreas digest the cells walls of harmful bacteria. The bile salts from the liver are primarily used for fat digestion and transportation and also potent antimicrobial agents. In addition, lysozyme is secreted by cells that line the digestive tract. Lysozyme is a potent enzyme that attacks bacterial cell walls, and is believed to be another primary control preventing bacterial overgrowth in the upper gastrointestinal tract.
Bacteria that are able to survive need to be able to stick to the lining of the intestinal wall. To hold on they must contain adhering proteins, have their own means of locomotion, and be able to multiply rapidly enough to overcome the forward peristaltic movements of the small intestine. Bacteria that fail to meet the criteria for attachment, motility and propagation will pass on into the fecal matter and into the large intestine. The large intestine collects and processes undigested material that passes through the small intestine. The bacterial population of the large intestines is much greater than that found in the small intestine, with a higher number of gram-negative bacteria. These bacteria are very important to normal large intestinal physiology.
Normal Flora The term "normal flora" implies that bacteria exist within the animal body symbiotically and generally cause no harm. Each dog or cat or ferret's diet, environment, body chemistry, and immune system influence their particular floral balance. The intestinal flora is relatively stable and maintains fairly constant numbers and types of bacteria in each area of the intestinal tract. This stability of normal flora discourages infection by outside pathogens and prevents overgrowth of potentially pathogenic members. New organisms that enter the system in contaminated food or water generally are suppressed by the established flora. This suppression is related to production by members of the resident flora of antimicrobial substances which inhibit the growth of foreign microorganisms. Antibiotics that kill off part of the intestinal flora can upset its balance and may open the door to infection or pathologic overgrowth. For instance, normal dogs, cat or ferrets are quite resistant to Salmonella, and a large oral dose is required to initiate infection. If the intestinal flora is suppressed by antibiotics, however, the individual becomes much more susceptible and can be infected by a relatively small dose. What the Naysayers Say Several studies have been conducted to examine potential risks of feeding raw diets. In addition to proving raw diets contain bacteria, some researchers claim to be concerned for people handling feces from pets fed raw diets, pet owners handling their pet’s food bowls and the effects of raw pet diets on children, elderly and the immuno suppressed.
Do raw diets carry bacteria? Naysayers say: “A variety of potential enteropathogens of both animals and humans were identified in commercially available raw diets evaluated…” Yes, studies have concluded that raw pet foods contain bacteria. However, the fact that bacteria are present should not come as a surprise. There is simply no such thing as "bacteria-free" meat. Most of the 10 billion cows, pigs, and birds butchered every year for meat at the supermarket are contaminated with one bacteria or another. Therefore, it is probable that the meat you bring into your home to feed yourself or your family is potentially as contaminated with bacteria as raw meats fed to pets! For example, Salmonella spp. has been identified from 7.5% of ground beef, 44.6% of ground chicken, and 49.9% of ground turkey samples. “Meat from healthy animals becomes contaminated at slaughter. Meat surfaces become infected with microorganisms associated with food poisoning during handling, packaging, processing, storage, and transportation. Although many procedures have been incorporated into food processing procedures for both the meat and poultry industries to reduce the level of contamination, bacteria persist: All products should be considered contaminated.” Rebecca L. Remillard, PhD, DVM
What about the people handling feces from animals fed raw diets? Naysayers say: “For humans, the risk of exposure to pathogens via direct or indirect contact with animal feces, or via contact with raw diets, must be considered, particularly with Salmonella spp., as fecal shedding of Salmonella spp. present in diets has been identified in dogs.”
Since its unlikely you will be sharing your pet’s raw diet at mealtime, any transmission of bacteria would likely occur through the fecal-oral route. For instance, bacteria might get on your hands while picking up your dog or cat’s feces or when coming into contact with your pet’s anal area when lifting it up. In reality you’d literally have to eat the animal’s feces to get enough salmonella from it to make you sick. The solution? Abstain from eating dog or cat feces (that should be easy!), ensure appropriate hygiene such as hand washing after handling pets, cleaning the cat’s litter box or picking up dog feces. Immediately picking up and disposing of feces eliminated by your pet in public areas reduces risks associated with environmental contamination. It’s interesting to note that while feeding raw meat is somewhat controversial, pig ears, pizzles and rawhide - which carry similar if not higher risks for contamination - is widely accepted as reasonably safe. One survey found salmonella contamination of 41% of the dog treats examined.
Can people become infected with food-borne pathogens when handling contaminated meat products?Naysayers say: “Bacterial contamination of surfaces that have been in contact with raw diets has not been evaluated, but must be considered. Bacterial contamination of pet food bowls may be a potential source of infection for humans.”
Why is it that veterinarians think pet owners are dummies when it comes to handling raw foods for pets? Unless you are a strict vegetarian, you handle and prepare raw meat in your kitchen so what is the difference between the raw meat consumed by yourself or your pet? Nothing!
Good hygiene in the kitchen is mandatory whether you are preparing food for yourself, your family or your pet. Keep shelves, counter tops, refrigerators, freezers, utensils, sponges, and towels clean to prevent bacterial contamination of food at home. 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. 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. Non-porous acrylic, plastic or glass boards and solid wood boards can be washed in an automatic dishwasher. (Laminated boards may crack and split.) Sanitize both wooden and plastic cutting boards with a solution of one teaspoon liquid chlorine bleach per quart of water. Flood the surface with the bleach solution and allow it to stand for several minutes, then rinse and air dry or pat dry with fresh paper towels. Bacteria Are Everywhere People that are paranoid about bacteria in raw pet diets need not be! Bacteria live all around us and within us. The air is filled with bacteria. Bacteria live in the deepest parts of the ocean and deep within Earth. They are in the soil, in our food, and on plants and animals. Even our bodies are home to many different kinds of bacteria. Our lives are closely intertwined with bacteria, and the health of our planet depends very much on their activities.
You can avoid bacteria by not feeding pets raw foods, but then don't use a public restroom. When you turn off the water tap or pull open the door to leave a restroom, you'll contaminate clean hands. Women’s public restrooms contain twice as much fecal bacteria as men’s, probably because women are often accompanied by small children and babies in need of a change. All this applies to your own bathroom. Each time that it's flushed, your toilet propels invisible bacterial and viral aerosols into the air that can float for up to 2 hours contaminating everything from hand towels to toothbrushes. Have you opened a door in a public place today? Ridden an escalator? Worked out at the gym, bought a soda from a vending machine or shopped for groceries? Studies show that shopping cart handles are among the leading sources of germs and bacteria in public. Microbiologists at the University of Arizona Environmental Research Laboratory found 21% of shopping carts tested to contain bodily fluids. The handles can harbor staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, E coli and other bacteria from meat and poultry. The University of Arizona published some research a few years ago. They found that almost a third of the railings in public transportation-on buses or subways-were infected with the same bacteria that is found in feces and that 25% of the seats in movie theatres were infected with E.coli bacteria, which is bacteria from feces. Another study by U.S. Air Force doctors in Ohio found that money harbors bacteria which can make both immuno-suppressed and healthy people very sick. What is the worst offender in the kitchen? The kitchen sponge or dishcloth! Both are the perfect nurturing environment for bacteria. The next worst offender is the kitchen sink. Feel the need to get away from this story and take a little coffee break? You might want to hold off on that plan: Twenty percent of the coffee cups tested in one study were oozing with bacteria, thanks to the sponges that clean them. It is generally well known that toilets and kitchens are high risk areas for germ growth, but laundry is rarely mentioned as a potential source of contamination. Research has shown that germs can spread from one fabric to another and from the washing-machine drum to the next load. For years it has been accepted that very hot water is necessary to kill bacteria in the washing, but preservation of modern textiles has led to the use of ever lower temperatures and, in our efforts to consume less energy, our environmental concerns have also led to a reduction in washing powder. The way that we do our washing today is not always sufficient to destroy bacteria in clothes. Bacteria from food, the body or other sources can survive a wash cycle and spread via our hands to other surfaces. Among them are staphylococcus aureus and klebsiella pneumoniae and E coli. Antibacterial soaps would be good if they worked, but they don’t seem to do anything. Disinfectants, on the other hand, kill both viruses and bacteria. Chlorine bleach, alcohol, and hydrogen peroxide are all good disinfectants. Here’s some interesting tidbits about hand washing and spreading germs: 95 percent of people say they wash their hands after using a public bathroom, but only 67 percent actually wash their hands. Only 33 percent of those who do wash their hands use soap. And only 16 percent really wash their hands long enough. Every three minutes, a child brings his hand to his nose or mouth. Every 60 seconds, a working adult touches as many as 30 objects. (If you’re traveling, by the way, you might want to disinfect that remote control for the TV. That’s where the big bacteria boys hang out in a hotel room. Some viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours.)
Speaking of working adults, the phone comes out as the grimiest object of bacteria in the office, followed by the desktop, keyboard, mouse, fax machine, and photocopier. Where are the least germs in the office? By now, you should have guessed: the toilet seat. But, there are a hundred times more bacteria on a cutting board than a toilet seat, so lick a toilet seat rather than a cutting board. Many insects such as flies, wasps and cockroaches carry food poisoning bacteria on their legs and bodies, and contaminate food and work surfaces when they walk on them. Rodents (rats and mice) excrete bacteria in their feces which can also result in contaminated food and surfaces in supermarket warehouses - the very food items you bring into your home.
Food Contamination People usually associate raw meat with bacterial contamination. However, meat isn't the only source of bacteria. Did you know you should observe the same handling and preparation methods for vegetables and fruits as used with raw meat? I'll bet not. Raw fruits and vegetables can become contaminated along the farm-to-table continuum. Produce used for salads - lettuce and spinach, for example - grow low to the ground, where they are likely to come in contact with contaminated fertilizers. Sometimes they’re irrigated with contaminated waters or picked by workers with poor hygiene practices. The complex, multi-layered surfaces of salad produce are more difficult to clean after picking than produce with a smooth surface, such as apples or potatoes. Because fresh fruits and vegetables are usually eaten raw, they can pose a health risk if they’re not properly handled. Therefore, all produce needs to be thoroughly washed and safely prepared and handled before it is eaten. Even then, the bacterial population on fruits and vegetables is reduced but not eliminated. Pathogens associated with vegetables and fruits includes: Cryptosporidium, parasite (juice/cider and produce), Cyclospora, parasite (produce), Escherichia coli O157:H7 (juice/cider and produce), Norwalk Virus (produce), Salmonella (juice and produce), Shigella (produce).
The growth of many kinds of bacteria can be reduced or stopped by refrigeration and freezing-two important practices in the preservation of food, including milk. However, refrigeration alone will not kill bacteria. This is best illustrated by the fact that at normal refrigerated temperatures, milk will still, in time, turn sour. The maximum allowable number of bacteria (SPC) in milk to be marketed for human consumption is in the range of 100,000 bacteria per milliliter (about 10 drops) of milk. Some dairy producers are satisfied with any bacteria count so long as they can market their milk. Okay, so no milk. You're thinking juice may be a better and safer alternative? Ninety-eight percent of the juice sold in supermarkets is pasteurized when fruits and vegetables are fresh-squeezed, harmful bacteria from the outside of the produce can become a part of the finished product. If it’s ingested, children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems risk serious illness. E. coli O157:H7 is very resistant to acid, so it can survive in an acidic medium like orange or apple juice for a long time. Since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued its first warning about the safety of raw sprouts, there has been a growing controversy about this issue. On the one hand, sprouts have some well-documented health benefits. On the other hand, however, ingestion of sprouts contaminated with the bacterium E. coli O157:H7 caused the death of 17 persons in Japan in 1996, and was also responsible for illness in over 6,000 persons. This outbreak factored into the U.S. FDA decision in 1999 to issue a warning about the dangers of eating raw or lightly cooked sprouts and recommending cooking of all sprouts to lower risk of infection. The FDA specifically mentioned alfalfa, clover, and radish sprouts in this initial warning. In 2002, it included mung bean and alfalfa sprouts in a renewed warning about consumption of these foods. Who Should Avoid Eating Dry Sausages? Because dry sausages are not cooked, the elderly, very young children, pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems might want to avoid eating them. The bacterium E. coli O157:H7 has been found to survive the process of dry fermenting. Factory farmed eggs can carry salmonella. Most tainted eggs are contaminated within the hens' ovaries before their shells form. Washing the eggs before cracking them open is no guarantee that they'll be free of bacteria. Therefore, it's best to avoid anything containing raw or undercooked eggs, including raw cookie dough, cake batter, eggnog, hollandaise sauce and Caesar salad or other dressings made with raw eggs. It is estimated that one out of every 50 consumers is exposed to a contaminated egg yolk each year.
Bacteria Responsible for Human Food-borne Illness To help keep things in perspective consider that there are many, many sources of bacterial contamination and although some bacteria cause more serious illness than others, only a few are responsible for the majority of cases. The following are the nine most prominent bacteria that affect humans: Campylobacter jejuni Found: intestinal tracts of animals and birds, raw milk, untreated water, and sewage sludge. Transmission: contaminated water, raw milk, and raw or under-cooked meat, poultry, or shellfish. Symptoms: fever, headache, and muscle pain followed by diarrhea (sometimes bloody), abdominal pain and nausea that appear 2 to 5 days after eating; may last 7 to 10 days. Clostridium botulinum Found: widely distributed in nature: in soil and water, on plants, and in intestinal tracts of animals and fish. Grows only in little or no oxygen. Transmission: bacteria produce a toxin that causes illness. Improperly canned foods, garlic in oil, and vacuum-packaged and tightly wrapped food. Symptoms: toxin affects the nervous system. Symptoms usually appear within 18 to 36 hours, but can sometimes appear within as few as 4 hours or as many as 8 days after eating; double vision, droopy eyelids, trouble speaking and swallowing, and difficulty breathing. Fatal in 3 to 10 days if not treated. Clostridium perfringens Found: soil, dust, sewage, and intestinal tracts of animals and humans. Grows only in little or no oxygen. Transmission: called “the cafeteria germ” because many outbreaks result from food left for long periods in steam tables or at room temperature. Bacteria destroyed by cooking, but some toxin-producing spores may survive. Symptoms: diarrhea and gas pains may appear 8 to 24 hours after eating; usually last about 1 day, but less severe symptoms may persist for 1 to 2 weeks. Escherichia coli O157:H7 Found: intestinal tracts of some mammals, raw milk, unchlorinated water; one of several strains of E. coli that can cause human illness. Transmission: contaminated water, raw milk, raw or rare ground beef, unpasteurized apple juice or cider, uncooked fruits and vegetables; person-to-person. Symptoms: diarrhea or bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, and malaise; can begin 2 to 5 days after food is eaten, lasting about 8 days. Some, especially the very young, have developed Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS) that causes acute kidney failure. A similar illness, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), may occur in older adults. Salmonella (over 1600 types) Found: intestinal tract and feces of animals; Salmonella enteritidis in raw eggs. Transmission: raw or undercooked eggs, poultry, and meat; raw milk and dairy products; seafood. Symptoms: stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, and headache usually appear 6 to 48 hours after eating; may last 1 to 2 days. Streptococcus A Found: noses, throats, pus, sputum, blood, and stools of humans. Transmission: people-to-food from poor hygiene, ill food handlers, or improper food handling; outbreaks from raw milk, ice cream, eggs, lobster, salads, custard, and pudding allowed to stand at room temperature for several hours between preparation and eating. Symptoms: sore throat, painful swallowing, tonsillitis, high fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, malaise; occurs 1 to 3 days after eating, lasting a few days to about a week. Listeria monocytogenes Found: intestinal tracts of humans and animals, milk, soil, leaf vegetables, and processed foods; can grow slowly at refrigerator temperatures. Transmission: soft cheese, raw milk, improperly processed ice cream, raw leafy vegetables, meat, and poultry. Illness caused by bacteria that do not produce toxin. Symptoms: fever, chills, headache, backache, sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhea; 12 hours to 3 weeks after ingestion; may later develop more serious illness (meningitis or spontaneous abortion in pregnant women); sometimes just fatigue. Shigella (over 30 types) Found: human intestinal tract; rarely found in other animals. Transmission: person-to-person by fecal-oral route; fecal contamination of food and water. Most outbreaks result from food, especially salads, prepared and handled by workers using poor personal hygiene. Symptoms: disease referred to as “shigellosis” or bacillary dysentery. Diarrhea containing blood and mucus, fever, abdominal cramps, chills, vomiting; 12 to 50 hours from ingestion of bacteria; can last a few days to 2 weeks. Sometimes, no symptoms seen. Staphylococcus aureus Found: on humans (skin, infected cuts, pimples, noses, and throats). Transmission: people-to-food through improper handling. Multiply rapidly at room temperature to produce a toxin that causes illness. Symptoms: severe nausea, abdominal cramps, vomiting, and diarrhea occur 1 to 6 hours after eating; recovery within 2 to 3 days—longer if severe dehydration occurs.
Are Raw Fed Pets a Threat? After learning about all the places bacteria lurk in the environment and the foods that carry potential risks, it is sad that pets often become the brunt of germ phobia. Faithful felines and devoted dogs provide innumerable emotional benefits to their owners and the elderly or handicapped in nursing and care homes. Unfortunately, therapy pets are often rejected if fed a raw food diet. In short, therapy organizations fear that pathogens in raw food diets will be transmitted from the dog or cat (through saliva and contact with the pet's fur) to humans with weakened immune systems, resulting in life-threatening illness.
However, salmonella outbreaks in hospitals, institutions for children and nursing homes are not uncommon and usually arise from food contaminated at its source, or less often, during handling by an ill person or a carrier. The common occurrence and dire consequences of infectious disease outbreaks in nursing homes often go unrecognized. Regardless of whether a therapy pet is fed a raw diet or not, nursing and care homes are an ideal environment for acquisition and spread of infection: susceptible residents who share sources of air, food, water, and health care in a crowded institutional setting. Moreover, visitors, staff, and residents constantly come and go, bringing in pathogens from both the hospital and the community. Studies of pet dogs show that food-borne pathogens are present in a surprisingly large proportion of dogs tested. Hackett and Lappin (2003) found infectious agents in the faeces of 26% of healthy Colorado dogs Fukata et al (2002) found salmonella antibodies in 15% of apparently healthy dogs. (Not limited to dogs eating raw diets.) The chance of Felix or Fido passing on a nasty bug may increase if a person's immune system does not function optimally but some experts believe the benefits of animal companionship far outweigh any hazards. In the face of bacteria hysteria, it's worth remembering that bacteria are everywhere, and we've been happily co-existing with them for millennia.
Kibble Risks It is interesting that veterinarians are concerned about the safety of raw food diets, yet ethics get shoved under the carpet when it comes to health problems associated with kibble and canned pet foods and treats. Improperly handled raw pet food is no more dangerous than improperly handled kibble or canned pet foods. Dry dog and cat food can look surprisingly tasty to a toddler. Since they can be choking hazards, it's essential to keep pet food locked away. But this fact is never mentioned on a bag of dry pet food! Responsible instructions might include the following message to consumers: • place feeding bowls and dispensers out of the reach of babies and small children • remain in the area while you pet finishes a meal • dispose of any uneaten food promptly • free-choice feeding presents a choking hazard to babies and small children. • Kids aren’t the only ones at risk. Dogs that gulp their food can choke on dry kibble. Dry food can be soaked, but then it cannot be left out. One pet food manufacturer recommends moistening dry puppy food with water to release more aroma, improve palatability and make it easier for puppies to chew. However, bacteria in moistened dry pet food multiply rapidly. How many pet owners plop canned food into a pet dish and leave it there for the day? How many people have toddlers that could potentially come across this food or the dirty bowl?
Today it seems that everywhere we turn, there is another product to eradicate bacteria, but that may not necessarily be a good thing. If there is no exposure to bacteria, immune systems won't build the antibodies they need to stay healthy. Humans and dogs have both good and bad bacteria in their bodies. When we are healthy, there is a balanced level of each. For instance, at any given time, we have traces of E.coli or Salmonella strains running through our systems, along with good bacteria. The body has an amazing health-regulating ability that combats a diverse amount of environmental factors. As bad bacteria are introduced, the immune system fights back with its own army of bacteria. In carnivores, the colon is short and simple because meat can go off quickly and produce toxins. The longer such food stays inside the body, the more toxins are produced. Therefore, the meat-eater's intestine is designed to take out this waste as quickly as possible so risk is negligible under normal conditions. If you are considering a raw diet for your dog, cat or ferret, but you are worried about bacteria for yourself or your family, ensure that foods are purchased from reliable sources and that they are handled correctly from the time you purchase them to the time they are fed. Make certain raw pet food products are kept frozen until thawing prior to feeding. Proper handling at home is an important key. Good hygiene, especially washing your hands often and for at least one minute, is the most effective way to control the spread of bacteria. Keep countertops and cutting boards sanitized and wash your dog's bowl after feeding. Pick up your dog's feces immediately following defecation and dispose of them appropriately.
A Word about Antibacterial Agents We must understand that bacteria are necessary to life and by using antibacterial agents we are helping to create super-bacteria that will be immune to the strongest antibiotics. Antibacterial agents are now added to dishwashing and laundry detergents, and hand soaps. Products containing antibacterial agents are currently a big marketing ploy used by companies trying to find a new reason for you to buy their products. Research has discovered that E.coli can develop resistance to Triclosan, one of the common antibacterial ingredients in antibacterial soaps. Triclosan works by acting on a single gene to kill the bacteria. Creams and ointments are also loaded with antibacterial agents so even these should be used cautiously as bacteria may develop resistance.
Read more: holisticferret60.proboards.com/thread/19311/raw-food-bacteria#ixzz3zgOl9CNpI can't wait to hear how it went. Did your scale also come in yesterday? :wave3:
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