From:
"S.Hewett"
Date: 2005-11-12 03:41:24 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] Genetics
To: <ferrethealth@smartgroups.com>
Hi Belinda,
We do occasionally get adrenal disease and insulinoma here in Western
Australia, but in ferrets over 5 years old. Most times it seems to be
caused by diet (kibble) but we have yet to see it occur in any particular
line of ferrets, so it appears not to be genetic. Also, the adrenal ferrets
come from different types of housing arrangements, so light/dark seems to
have no bearing. (I do have a suspicion that exposure to natural daylight
is more important than occlusion of light. One shelter mum in US has
spontaneous remissions of adrenal disease after putting her little balding
rescues in a sunny position.) By and large, adrenal disease and insulinoma
are rare here.
I think you will find that these 2 main diseases will occur naturally in a
certain number of aged ferrets along with other diseases of old age eg
lymphoma. What is of most concern, in my opinion, is the number of young
ferrets in the US who get them. Myself and hundreds of others world wide
are switching to the most natural diet we can get for our ferrets, including
whole small prey, raw meaty bones and parts of small prey from eg quail,
rabbit, chicken. Also, in my experience, taking away the stress of caging
improves the health of ferrets no end.
Love & Dooks,
Shirley
>I thought as much that there is something in the genes like you have
mentioned and I
>read so much about 2 main probs Insulinima and Adrenal.
>Here in Australia we dont seem to have so much of this or I havent seen a
post yet
>from Australia from ferret lovers having these probs and I was thinking
hard and
>wondering why....
>We dont have any Fancy ferrets here we dont even have Angoras so this could
be why
>and for this I am glad that we are not importing and keeping the breed
strong.....Such
>a shame isnt it,it could sure be the problem that in trying to breed "fancy
ones" is
>causing these ferts to have problems
>regards Belinda
>P.s Is there anyone here from Australia and have you had any of these
illnesses come
>up??Am interested to see......
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