From:
Sukie Crandall
Date: 2007-12-17 18:16:33 UTC
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: Strange question about poof
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Tackling both flatulence and anal sac spray here:
What is being seen may just be the grimace that helps get a scent to
the Vomeronasal Organ.
Methane levels in flatulence vary among animals.
For example, a recent study found that some types of kangaroos produce
very low methane amounts. (Didn't find that one in PubMed.) On Dec
5th AFP ran an article entitled:
> Eco-friendly kangaroo farts could help global warming: scientists
> Wed Dec 5, 8:00 PM ET
saying that perhaps kangaroo steaks should replace cattle ones since
cattle are major methane producers.
so check Google News search.
In a 1976 study comparing sheep and kangaroos titled
>Methane production and digestibility measurements in the grey
kangaroo and sheep.
the sheep produced more methane but lost a lot of it through routes
other than gas. I don't know if anyone has looked at ferret flatulence.
Now, if what Clover is referring to is the spray rather than
flatulence then that is going to have a different chemical composition.
I could NOT find anything on the components of ferret anal sac spray
using those terms.
These are about SKUNK spray which is much stronger, but there may be
some overlap given the "cousin" relationship:
BEGIN QUOTES
J Chem Ecol. 2002 Sep;28(9):1865-70.
Volatile components in defensive spray of the hooded skunk, Mephitis
macroura.
Wood WF, Sollers BG, Dragoo GA, Dragoo JW.
Department of Chemistry, Humboldt State University, Arcata, California
95521, USA.
GC-MS analysis of the anal sac secretion from the hooded skunk,
Mephitis macroura, showed the following seven major components
comprised 99% of the volatiles in this secretion: (E)-2-butene-1-
thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, S-(E)-2-butenyl thioacetate, S-3-
methylbutenyl thioacetate, 2-phenylethanethiol, 2-methylquinoline, and
2-quinolinemethanethiol. Minor volatile components identified in this
secretion are phenylmethanethiol, S-phenylmethyl thioacetate. S-2-
phenylethyl thioacetate, bis[(E)-2-butenyl] disulfide, (E)-2-butenyl 3-
methylbutyl disulfide, bis(3-methylbutyl) disulfide, and S-2-
quinolinemethyl thioacetate. This secretion is similar to that of the
striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, differing only in that it contains
four compounds not reported from the striped skunk:
phenylmethanethiol, S-phenylmethyl thioacetate, 2-phenylethanethiol,
and S-2-phenylethyl thioacetate.
PMID: 12449512 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
and
J Am Vet Med Assoc. 2005 May 1;226(9):1516-8, 1500.Links
Heinz body anemia in a dog that had been sprayed with skunk musk.
Zaks KL, Tan EO, Thrall MA.
Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, College of
Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State
University, Fort Collins, CO 80524, USA.
A 5-year-old pit bull-type dog was examined because of lethargy and
black feces, and a presumptive diagnosis of methemoglobinemia was made
on the basis of grossly visible brown discoloration of the mucous
membranes and urine. Heinz body formation was seen on examination of
blood smears, and severe anemia developed 3 days later. The dog did
not have any history of exposure to toxins or drugs that have been
associated with Heinz body formation. The only remarkable historical
finding was that the dog had been wandering loose the day prior to
initial examination and returned home smelling strongly of skunk
spray. Skunk spray contains thiols and other compounds that are strong
oxidizing agents. It was speculated that the methemoglobinemia and
Heinz body anemia were a result of exposure to these compounds. Skunk
interactions with dogs usually have malodorous but otherwise harmless
results. However, findings in this dog suggest that more serious
consequences may develop in isolated cases.
PMID: 15882003 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
END QUOTES
OKAY! More info here:
BEGIN QUOTES
J Chem Ecol. 2005 Sep;31(9):2111-7. Epub 2005 Aug 17.
Volatile compounds from anal glands of the wolverine, Gulo gulo.
Wood WF, Terwilliger MN, Copeland JP.
Department of Chemistry, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA, 95521,
USA.
Dichloromethane extracts of wolverine (Gulo gulo, Mustelinae,
Mustelidae) anal gland secretion were examined by gas chromatography-
mass spectrometry. The secretion composition was complex and variable
for the six samples examined: 123 compounds were detected in total,
with the number per animal ranging from 45 to 71 compounds. Only six
compounds were common to all extracts: 3-methylbutanoic acid, 2-
methylbutanoic acid, phenylacetic acid, alpha-tocopherol, cholesterol,
and a compound tentatively identified as 2-methyldecanoic acid. The
highly odoriferous thietanes and dithiolanes found in anal gland
secretions of some members of the Mustelinae [ferrets, mink, stoats,
and weasels (Mustela spp.) and zorillas (Ictonyx spp.)] were not
observed. The composition of the wolverine's anal gland secretion is
similar to that of two other members of the Mustelinae, the pine and
beech marten (Martes spp.).
PMID: 16132215 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
J Chem Ecol. 2002 Jun;28(6):1287-97.
Volatile compounds in anal gland of Siberian weasels (Mustela
sibirica) and steppe polecats (M. eversmanni).
Zhang JX, Sun L, Zhang ZB, Wang ZW, Chen Y, Wang R.
State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and
Rodents in Agriculture, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Beijing.
The volatile constituents in anal gland secretions of two sympatric
Mustela species, the Siberian weasel (M. sibirica) and steppe polecat
(M. eversmanni), were studied by the headspace technique, followed by
gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. Nine sulfur-
containing compounds were identified. They were 2,2-dimethylthietane,
(Z)- or (E)-2,4-dimethylthietane, (E)-2,3-dimethylthietane, 2-
ethylthietane, (E)-2-ethyl-3-methylthietane, (Z)-2-ethyl-3-
methylthietane, 2-propylthietane, 3,3-dimethyl-1,2-dithiacyclopentane,
and (Z)-3,4-dimethyl-2,2-dithiacyclopentane. Among them, (E)-2-
ethyl-3- methylthietanes, (Z)-2-ethyl-3-methylthietanes, and (Z)-3,4-
dimethyl-1,2-dithiacyclopentane were present in the polecat but not in
the weasel. The predominant compound was 2,2-dimethylthietane in the
weasel and (E)- or (Z)-2,4-dimethylthietane in the polecat. These
differences were consistent between the two species, regardless of sex
and age and, therefore, could possibly be used for species
recognition. In the weasel, 2-ethylthietane was found only in the
female, and the relative abundance of several compounds was
significantly different between males and females. In the polecat,
although no sex-specific volatile compounds were found, males and
females differed in the relative abundance of several of the
compounds. In both species, the relative abundance of some compounds
varied with age. We conclude that these volatile compounds can be used
to communicate information about species, sex, and age.
PMID: 12184403 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
END QUOTES
IN ADDITION:
BEGIN QUOTES
http://chemse.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/30/9/727
Chem Senses. 2005 Nov;30(9):727-37. Epub 2005 Oct 12.
Putative chemosignals of the ferret (Mustela furo) associated with
individual and gender recognition.
Zhang JX, Soini HA, Bruce KE, Wiesler D, Woodley SK, Baum MJ, Novotny
MV.
Institute for Pheromone Research and Department of Chemistry, Indiana
University, 800 East Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
Quantitative stir bar sorptive extraction methods, both in the aqueous
and headspace modes, followed by thermal desorption gas chromatography-
mass spectrometry were used to investigate individual variations in
the volatile components of male and female ferret (Mustela furo)
urine. The urinary profiles were further compared with volatile
profiles of anal gland secretions of breeding male and female ferrets.
Thirty volatile compounds were quantified in male and female urine.
Among them, 2-methylquinoline was unique to male urine. Four ketones
(4-heptanone, 2-heptanone, o-aminoacetophenone, and a
dimethoxyacetophenone) and several nitrogen compounds (e.g., 2,5-
dimethylpyrazine, quinoline, 4-methylquinazoline) and low levels of
three unidentified nonsulfur compounds were significantly more
abundant in males than in females. Quantitative comparison of 30
volatile urinary compounds showed several statistically significant
differences between the sexes and individuals of the same sex. These
findings suggest that ferrets may use urine marking for sex and
individual recognitions. Ten of the 26 compounds identified in anal
gland secretions from females and males were also found in urine.
However, most of the major compounds (thietanes, dithiolanes, and
indole) in anal glands were not present in urine. This suggests that
urine may convey specific signals that differ from those of anal
glands. Additionally, 10 volatiles (two aldehydes, five ketones,
benzothiazole, 2-methylquinoline, and 4-methylquinazoline), not
previously identified, were found in ferret anal gland secretions.
Among the new compounds, o-aminoacetophenone was found only in males,
while only traces of this compound were found in females. Similar
results were previously obtained in anal glands of three other Mustela
species. These findings provide new information about the constituents
of urine and volatile components of anal gland secretions in ferrets.
PMID: 16221798 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Physiol Behav. 2004 Oct 15;82(5):871-5.
Contribution of anal scent gland and urinary odorants to mate
recognition in the ferret.
Cloe AL, Woodley SK, Waters P, Zhou H, Baum MJ.
Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
Previous research [J. Neurosci. 21 (2001) 5832-5840] showed that
ferrets of both sexes require olfactory signals to identify opposite-
sex mating partners at a distance. The present experiments assessed
the contributions of anal scent gland and urinary odorants to these
preferences. Sexually experienced, ovohysterectomized female and
castrated male ferrets were injected daily with estradiol benzoate and
testosterone propionate, respectively. When tested in an airtight Y-
maze, subjects of both sexes preferred to approach volatile odors
emitted from opposite- versus same-sex stimulus ferrets that were
anesthetized and placed in the goal boxes, regardless of whether the
anal scent glands of stimulus ferrets had been surgically removed or
left intact. Subjects of each sex showed an equal preference to
approach volatile odors emitted from anesthetized opposite-sex ferrets
that were scent-gland intact as opposed to descented. Female subjects
preferred to approach volatile anal scent gland odorants, as well as
urinary odorants from male, as opposed to female conspecifics. Male
subjects preferred to approach volatile anal scents from females
versus males; however, males showed no preference for female over male
urinary odorants. Our results suggest that anal scent gland odorants
are sufficient, but not required, for mate recognition in the ferret.
Instead, a combination of body odorants including, but not restricted
to, those derived from anal scent gland secretions apparently underlie
olfactory sex discrimination and partner preference in this carnivore.
PMID: 15451652 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
END QUOTES
There are more once the right grouping is entered. Look at the links
at the side, or use the search terms
smell ferret
which seems to work to bring up 14.
So, you can look up those compounds.
Now, there IS a very special mode of smelling something fully that
ferrets use at times which circulates more the smell into the nasal
sinuses. They will get a funny face and the nose may go up, plus the
mouth may be open a bit. To a human it looks painful -- like a
grimace -- but it is just a way of being more thorough about getting
scents. (There is even a special name for that way of smelling but I
can't recall it offhand.)
Read, too about the Vomeronasal Organ, or Jacobson's Organ to learn
more about more thorough scent smelling. Here is a good place to get
basics:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomeronasal_organ
Ferrets DO have that special smelling organ.
Sukie (not a vet)
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
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