From:
Flemming Farms
Date: 2001-08-24 11:58:00 UTC
Subject: Cataracts
Hey gang!
Another breeder friend of mine in Australia asked me for advice. I know
what my opinion on the subject is, however, I would like others' opinions as
well as some medical opinions. Here is the situation:
A jill (not spayed) that is 9 months old has developed a cataract in her
right eye (unilateral). She has most likely had it for a bit longer than
first thought as she has been "spooky" on that right side for a few months.
The cataract is now visible to the naked eye. She had a full vet check at
12 weeks old and it was not detected then. Her uncle sired a litter with a
kit that developed bilateral cataracts by the age of 10 weeks old.
Obviously he was kept by the breeder and will be neutered when his age is
appropriate and none of the kits in that litter have been - or will be -
used for breeding. In both litters the littermates do not have cataracts.
My friend's vet doesn't know for sure if the cataracts are genetic (she
believes the bilateral one is). But she questions the fact that in the jill
it is unilateral. I thought it didn't matter if they were uni- or
bilateral, but I could be wrong. Neither ferret had produced cataracts nor
have they developed them themselves.
Thanks for the info!
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