From:
Troy Lynn Eckart
Date: 2001-03-30 09:23:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Thanks on morbid answers, early/late neuter adrenals
Thank you Bruce and Bob for the information. I did a
PubMed and web search and found a couple interesting articles on rats
(Experimental evaluation of rigor mortis. VIII. Estimation of time since
death by repeated measurements of the intenstisty of rigor mortis on rats
and V. Effect of various temperatures on the evolution of rigor mortis -
Forensick Sci Int 1994 and 1981, respectively).
When we had to help Binky leave it was 10:30 p.m. I got home about 11:45
and he was still warm although that could be because I was holding him
close in his blanket against my chest on the hour ride home. I leave them
out afterwards so the others will know and have the opportunity to
say goodbye. When I got up a bit after 5 a.m. he was in rigor and cool to
the touch.
On the adrenal issue I can relate personal experience. Through our rescue
work we've obtained older in-tact ferrets that we had altered. Ages range
from 12 weeks to approximately 5 yrs old. In the older ones, 5 out of 7
experienced adrenal problems (after being altered and with us for some
time). We have a very high incidence of adrenal in our group, both from
farms and backyard breeders. Coco was altered at 10 months and started
showing adrenal symptoms at age 7.
I have to take into consideration that these ferrets come to us when they
are older and most have not had the best care or nutrition. We see some
very sad cases.
With insulinoma my very first ferret's son and his offspring all were
affected to varying degrees. Nikki died at age 5 after fighting it for a
year, two unsuccessful surgeries and pred that wasn't able to control the
seizures. He was also showing beginning adrenal symptoms at that
time (altered at 3 yrs). That was in 1989 when little was known about
ferrets in our area and our vet at that time was unwilling to let me try
Proglycem. Of his 3 daughters with insulinoma, one died at 6 yrs, one at
7 and one at 8. Teddy was the 8 yr old and I had been able to control her
insulinoma the entire time with diet. It was her heart that killed
her. The mother of the girls lived to 8 1/2 yrs old and did not have
insulinoma which led me to believe that the father may have passed it on
to his offspring.
These are my personal experiences and may or may not be similar to
others.
Hugs to all. tle
Troy Lynn Eckart
Ferret Family Services
http://www-personal.ksu.edu/~sprite/ffs.html
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/Haven/5481/