From:
DaneeDV@aol.com
Date: 2002-12-22 00:32:00 UTC
Subject: RE: Fancy lines
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Message-ID: <129.1e408d14.2b366200@aol.com>
Author wrote:
> Our vet is convinced that the biggest factors working
> against our ferrets are a small gene pool among the U.S. breeders and
> early neutering, neither of which I can readily change.
>
While there is no scientific proof, I personally feel that the early
spay/neuter is a big contributing factor to the large number of adrenal cases
we see here in the US.
Probably there are several (if not more) factors involved, rather then one
cause, but based on my own experience, I do not think the fancy colors have
much to do with it, unless line breeding is being used to obtain the fancy
colors.
As a former hobby breeder (before the days of ADV here) who bred for the
pastel colors and fancy markings, I have not seen a higher incidence of
adrenal or other health problems in my fancies. My Sassy, a hearing blaze,
lived to the age of 9. I have silver mitts, DEWs, and fine points, and none
of them have any more health problems then my standard sables. I am not
saying that late alters do not get adrenal disease - just that my experience
has been they are less likely to get it and especially to get it early. And,
as someone that was involved in breeding at one time, I know many other hobby
breeders with similar experiences.
As to what has caused the more recent incidence of adrenal disease at an
earlier age - my personal theory is the earlier spay and neutering of the
ferrets sold in pet stores. When I first got ferrets (over 15 years ago) the
ferrets were usually about 12 weeks old when they arrived at the pet shops.
As a result, they were probably allowed to stay with their mothers longer,
and were not altered until 8 or 9 weeks of age. Nowadays, it is very common
for kits that are only 8 weeks old or younger to already be in the pet
stores. That means that they are being taken from their mothers and
spayed/neutered at 5 or so weeks of age. Perhaps that 3 weeks is what is
making the big difference. I don't know - as I said, that is just my theory.
But, I do think that 5 weeks is way to early for a kit to be taken from the
mother, unless there are extenuating circumstances.
Danee
ADV - If your ferret hasn't been tested, you don't know!
For more information visit: <A HREF="http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom">http://www.geocities.com/russiansmom</A>