Message Number: SG17189 | New FHL Archives Search
From: Debbie Hunton
Date: 2006-04-18 21:27:10 UTC
Subject: Re: [ferrethealth] RE: Adrenal Mystery
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com

sukiec@optonline.net referrenced: http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?
msg=SG15993 This post says in part, "If you waited till after they went into heat
before you spayed or neutered them, then same thing happened. The ovaries or
testicles producing the sex hormones maked the LH receptors on the adrenal glands
nonfunctional."

Yet, recently in the FML, it was stated that all spay/neuter procedures raise the risk
of adrenal problems, not just early neuters. As I don't want to breed ferrets, any
that I have as pets will be fixed at some point in their lives. Is there any further
information at this point what the effect of EARLY spay/neuter is versus later
procedures?

I know that this is something which has been studied more recently than it ever
had before, and we're learning new things all the time... but, do you have any links
to studies and/or posts that have info on the effect of timing?

Thanks for all the info you all share. It's great to hear from researchers, vets,
knowledgeable ferret owners, and those who just ask intelligent questions. :)

Debbie

[Moderator's Note. When taken in part the meaning alters. Here is the full 2005
post from which the quote comes:

START QUOTE
The real question is: at what age wer your ferrets
spayed or neutered? If you have intact ferrets
then adrenal gland disease is very unlikely because
the ovaries or testicles will respond to the LH and make
the LH receptors on the adrenal glands nonfunctional.
If you waited till after they went into heat before you spayed
or neutered them, then same thing happened. The ovaries
or testicles producing the sex hormones maked the
LH receptors on the adrenal glands nonfunctional.
However if they were spayed or neutered at 4-5 weeks of
age (neonatal) just like pet ferrets here in the USA, then
keeping the lights on day and night will increase the LH
level and add to the stimulation of the adrenal glands. This
chronic over stimulation of the adrenal glands eventually
causes adrenal gland disease to develop.
Are your ferrets intact or fixed? and if they were fixed,
at what age were they fixed?
Jerry
END QUOTE

Timing can be affected by when the neutering occurred. There is work on that by
Dr. Nico Schoemaker.

Notice that in the whole ferrets/ intact ferrets the reproductive tissues can give
feedback to the pituitary so the adrenal don't get the over-stimulation from the
pituitary.]



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