From:
sukiec@optonline.net
Date: 2006-05-03 23:24:29 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] RE: practical aspects of complete darkness
To: ferrethealth@smartgroups.com
Well, there is always the chance of replacing the melatonin which can't be =
produced naturally due to not having enough darkness by using implants. Fo=
r many implants will be the best solution.
Personally, I wonder if ferrets really need the spacing of darkness all in =
one lump like humans best do. I wonder this for two reasons:
1. ancestrally the times of most activity have been dawn and dusk so there=
naturally was a break, anyway.
2. and anecdotally (which diminishes the value of the statement) when we h=
ave provided places that ferrets can go to for getting out of the light, as=
well as having a cage cover we have found that we simply haven't seen adre=
nal growths before the age of 5 years during our 25 years with ferrets. (T=
hat has been different from the times when health prevented providing those=
locations. When we could not provide dark locations then in 6 months to 2=
years afterward we saw adrenal growth signs and then we had individuals wi=
th the problems younger than age 5 years.)
=
We know that our own approach is not perfect due to limitations we have, an=
d that others can actually afford set-ups where the ferrets don't have to s=
hare their location with computer lights and work, but housing is way too e=
xpensive here for us to have that luxury. Never-the-less, when we can prov=
ide dark places the ferrets can go to at any time (which can be as simple a=
s dark bedding in the far end of a long closet, dark bedding under a platfo=
rm bed with enclosed sides, dark bedding under furniture which has a black =
drape over it or a black skirt held on with elastic, and dark bedding in a =
covered cage) we find that we don't see adrenal growths before the age of 5=
even though all but one of ours have been early neuter ferrets, and our fe=
rret lifetime rate with adrenal growths has been 1/3 or lower (and that was=
true even when we had all who departed have necropsies with pathology). T=
hose who have more room than we can put dark bedding into boxes which have =
dark cloth flaps over the opening, or have a black tube leading to the box =
(which could also have a cloth flap at one or both ends of the tube.
BTW, most adrenal growths are benign (not malignant, not "cancer") but are =
so serious that that definitely need attention.
See:
<http://listserv.cuny.edu/Scripts/wa.exe?A2=3Dind0401&L=3DFERRET-SEARCH&P=3D=
R12970&I=3D-3>
to see why "cancer" is so often the wrong term
<http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/adrenal.htm>
for main treatment options
(Also look up in the FHL Archives suprelorin, deslorelin, propecia, epogen,=
etc.)
Why it is cruel to not treat adrenal growths:
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=3DSG5054
which says in part:
START QUOTE OF DR. BRUCE WILLIAMS:
However, even under the best conditions, when there is no malignancy, there=
is no bone marrow toxicosis, there is no prostatic cystic disease - even t=
he most mild prediction is a sad one. Ferrets with adrenal disease have a d=
iminished quality of life - they have progressive muscle loss, low grade an=
emia, they tend to redistribute weight to the abdomen, further making it di=
fficult to walk, they have an increased incidence of gastric ulcers as a re=
sult of the stress of chronic illness, decreased bone density - none life-t=
hreatening, but all life-compromising. Even medical treatment, which is not=
my preferred way of treating adrenal disease, gives slight releif to sympt=
oms. Doing nothing is not kind and not in a ferret's best interest. =
END QUOTE
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=3DSG5436
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/browse.php?msg=3DSG17223
and here is melatonin info (with more details in the archives, esp if you s=
earch on posts containing the term melatonin from AFERRETVET:
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/melatonin.htm
=
=
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