From: njl@drutx.ATT.COM (LaRocheNJ)
Newsgroups: rec.pets
Subject: Re: Papaya tablets for bun.
Summary: Amylase vs. mylase
Date: 28 Dec 92 20:00:08 GMT
Distribution: rec
Organization: AT&T, Denver, CO

In article <1992Dec23.145018.16614@vax5.cit.cornell.edu>, wd5j@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:
> 
> Nancy, or anyone else who knows--is "mylase" another (wrong) way of
> saying "amylase"?  I got the CVS brand of papaya tabs last night, with
> papain and mylase, though I forgot the mg conc. of each.  Please let
> me know.  Also, why is amylase the preferred enzyme?  For the mucus
> binding the hairballs (is that what I've read?)?  Thanks for your
> reply.

Well, I'm getting out of my league here.  I've never heard of "mylase"
but can't help wondering if its a typo...  Can you find an 800 number
so you can call the company to ask about it?  Does it say that it is a
starch-digesting enzyme?

I frankly don't know if amylase works better than any other
starch-digesting enzyme, only that it happens to be the enzyme in some
brands of papaya tablets that does attack the mucous-like material that
binds the hair into a hairball.

Please keep in mind that this is NOT BASED ON ANY SCIENTIFIC STUDY, ONLY
ON FIELD EXPERIENCE.  It began when I had two angoras who both developed
a severe hairball.  One had already been through surgery to remove a
tennisball-sized hairball.  Instead of surgery, I opted to give each of
them several papaya tablets morning and evening.  Both were completely
cured in seven days and my vets were beside themselves with amazement
(they now use this technique regularly).

After talking with both non-vet rabbit experts and vet rabbit-specialists
around the country (some of whom conducted mini-experiments
showing that the protein-digesting enzymes weren't digesting hair
(pure protein) outside of a rabbit's stomach, and who also found that
rabbits weren't responding to papaya tablets not containing amylase, it
was tentatively concluded that it was the amylase breaking up the
mucous-like material.  (Of course, there could be something in the
rabbit's stomach that reacts with the protein-digesting enzymes to make
them more effective in digesting hair, but that doesn't explain why buns
taking papaya tablets not containing amylase still get hairballs.)

As a House Rabbit Society fosterer, rescuing rabbits from shelters when
their time is up, I have had perhaps 60 rabbits during the past year
ranging in age from a few weeks to around ten years.  None of these buns
get sufficient exercise--they spend most of their time in cages with
weekly outdoor exercise when the weather allows it.  (I do try to
increase their exercise by adding shelves in tall cages, etc., so they
have places to jump up and down, and most of the cages are large (4' by
2-1/2') or two-storied with a ramp.)  None of these rabbits have had a
single hairball, and most of those most likely to get them, I have
had the longest (few people want a five- to ten-year old rabbit, no
matter how sweet, gentle, friendly, or beautiful). 

In addition, I am an HRS educational representative, and get many calls
from people about their rabbits.  I always recommend a visit to a vet if
the symptoms sound like a hairball, but have had many callers who were
reluctant to go the route of surgery reccommended by the vet.  Every one
of these has successfully treated the hairball (in one case a carpet
ball) with papaya tablets with amylase.  And of hundreds of callers who
now regularly give their bunnies these tablets, I have heard of none who
have had a hairball to contend with.

Do let me know what you find out (if you're able to call the company)
about "mylase."  Is it just a type?  If not, how does it compare with
amylase?

Thanks!

Nancy LaRoche (HRS)
att!drutx!njl
Newsgroups: rec.pets.dogs