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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 7:17:21 GMT -5
Can I give my ferrets some spirulina to help firm it? I know when I personally took spirulina(also took chlorella, don't know if that would be ok aswell) it firmed my own up...lol...so I was wondering if I could use that? I have 5 lb of USDA organic powder of spirulina and chlorella...
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Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2012 8:23:09 GMT -5
If you're trying to firm up stools, you can use ground eggshells or pumpkin. 1/2 tsp of pumpkin can definitely help
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Post by Sherry on Jul 8, 2012 9:28:25 GMT -5
Honestly, I don't know about spirulina. I also put a pinch of powdered eggshell on their meat, or in their soup or use pumpkin. What food are they getting now? And how bad is the diarrhea? Watery, or simply soft?
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Post by Heather on Jul 8, 2012 9:58:09 GMT -5
Different beasty...you and the ferret. Try Sherry's suggestions, they will work better. Helps if we know what you're feeding though ciao
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:16:13 GMT -5
I'm giving them a nix of evo ferret, zupreem, totally ferret Venison, lamb, turkey and totally ferret Complete
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:18:51 GMT -5
Here is a little on Spirulina, a type of blue-green algae, is a small, single-celled microorganism that contains concentrations of nutrients unlike any other single plant, grain, or herb.
Among its valuable components are unusually high amounts of protein -- between 60 to 70 percent, and all the essential amino acids. As such, spirulina is considered a complete protein. It is also a particularly rich source of other nutrients including various B vitamins, beta-carotene, vitamin E, carotenoids, chlorophyll, manganese, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, and gamma linolenic acid (an essential fatty acid).
Spirulina also contains other valuable components such as linoleic and arachidonic acids, and phycocyanin, a phytonutrient that gives spirulina its dark blue-green color.
I won't try it if any of that is not safe for them
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:21:27 GMT -5
One of the benefits of spirulina, which of course comes with no surprise, is that it is used for nutritional support. It's important to note that spirulina is said to be the world's richest source of vitamin B12, (needed, especially by vegetarians, for healthy red blood cells). Unfortunately, the bioavailability of vitamin B12 in spirulina is in dispute and, as such, it cannot be counted on as a reliable source of active vitamin B12. Nevertheless, because of its rich source of protein as well as other valuable nutrients, spirulina has been used traditionally as a nutritional supplement by people who cannot obtain sufficient calories or protein through diet alone. In addition, it has been used by people whose nutritional requirements are higher than normal.
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:22:10 GMT -5
For those of you that are here to find out whether or not spirulina is some highly nutritious super seaweed that can melt away arthritis pain, increase energy, boost immunity, improve liver function, ward off heart disease and cancer, suppress AIDS, control appetite, and guard against cell damage from exposure to X rays or heavy metals, unfortunately, there's little or no scientific evidence to support most of these claims. More specifically, most of the claims for spirulina are unproved or based on laboratory studies.
On the other hand, there are some very intriguing possibilities. The following are a few examples:
Both test tube and animal studies of spirulina have demonstrated anticancer and immune-enhancing effects. Phycocyanin, which is a blue pigment that is only found in blue-green algae, increased the survival rate of mice with liver cancer in laboratory experiments.
In other animal and test tube studies, it is suggested that spirulina increases the production of antibodies and other cells that improve immunity and help to ward off infection and other illnesses such as cancer.
Test tube studies demonstrated that spirulina has favorable activity against herpes, influenza, cytomeglovirus, and the HIV virus.
Interestingly, spirulina was used to treat the children of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl. In these children, whose bone marrow had been damaged from radiation exposure, providing them with spirulina seemed to boost their immune system.
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Post by Sherry on Jul 8, 2012 10:22:21 GMT -5
Although it won't likely hurt, they won't gain much from it either, as the proteins are plant based. Pumpkin works by absorbing the excess liquid in the bowels. It helps partial blockages simply because it's NOT digestible by pushing through the object.
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:24:52 GMT -5
I also was having issues with lactose and certain meats...lol machine gun diarrhea. It cleared it up and made it normal within 12 hours...if it would be safe for them I'm pretty positive it would clear it up
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:27:43 GMT -5
Spirulina has the ability to trap toxins and leftover substances in the colon
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Post by Sherry on Jul 8, 2012 10:28:01 GMT -5
Although I may be wrong(I'm not overly familiar with supplements), I don't see anything in it that would hurt. One question- did the diarrhea start after adding any particular food into your mix? If so, just removing that food could well clear it up with no supplementation necessary.
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:30:28 GMT -5
The cell walls of most vegetables are composed of cellulose. Cellulose is not digestible by humans. Spirulina's cell walls are mucopolysaccharides (complex sugars) that are easily digestible, freeing considerable energy as a result. Digestibility tests have shown spirulina to be 83 to 95% digestible.
The usable protein in Spirulina therefore, because of its digestibility and amino acid balance, is around 90%, the highest of any protein other than casein (the standard on which all protein assimilation is scientifically evaluated). For comparison, an 8 ounce steak is about 22% protein only 15% of which is usable by the body. So that 8 ounce steak gives only about 1.8 ounces of protein, only .27 ounce (7.6 grams) of which is actually usable protein. Spirulina, however being 70% protein and 90% digestible, provides 5 ounces (140 grams) of usable protein in each 8 ounces. That is 18 times more protein than steak, with little, if any, waste. In addition, most of spirulina's proteins are already in the proper form that the body itself creates in the liver so there is little energy lost in digestion. These building blocks of the body are called biliproteins. Spirulina is the most prolific source of biliproteins presently known. For vegetarians, soybeans in the form of tofu, soy flour, etc., are often cited as a high protein source. At 37% protein and only 25% digestible (usable), an 8 ounce serving of soybeans gives 74 ounces (21 grams) of usable protein. That is three times better than steak, but only 1/7th as good as spirulina.
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Post by wojcik49 on Jul 8, 2012 10:31:50 GMT -5
I switched them to the new food from that 8 in 1 ultra
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Post by Sherry on Jul 8, 2012 10:32:04 GMT -5
Okay, now I'm really wondering if this thread isn't spam to sell whatever product you are pushing. I'm assuming herbal supplements since you aren't responding to anything. I'm locking this thread until you can assure me that ISN'T the case, and quit pushing whatever it is you are pushing.
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