Message Number: FHL4914 | New FHL Archives SearchFrom: "Tressie"
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 00:02:14 -0000
To: ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ferrethealth] Re: male neutering
Hello Katharine,
My understanding if there are recurring anal gland infections, the
recommendation is to remove them. However, anal glands should be
expressed manually, ideally by a veterinarian at least once a year or
more frequently if needed, otherwise they will get impacted as a matter
of course.
In England it is against the law to descent a ferret UNLESS anal gland
infections recur.
On this continent its a personal choice and its highly controversial
whether to descent a mature ferret unless medically necessary. I have
three of the Ohio rescues and none of them are descented. I did
consider having one descented when I first got her because she had a
nasty anal gland infection. Her poof would linger for hours and was
incredibly rank. Fortunately, a number of people from the ferret
community encouraged me not to. The infection cleared up with
antibiotics and has not recurred since although the same gland was
beginning to impact a couple months later. Since I was checking her
regularly I noticed and took her to the vet right away. It was not
infected and he expressed it manually and she's been fine so far.
I think because most of the ferrets we get are descented already many
people are not familiar with what is required healthy maintenance of a
ferret's anal glands. Removing them is an extreme measure, but then
some people still have their cats declawed even though that practice is
now frowned upon by many veterinarians.
Tressie
--- In ferrethealth@yahoogroups.com, "possum1213" <gator524@...> wrote:
>
> I'm not Melissa, but I took it to mean that the ferret was not
> expressing her own scent glands, causing them to become impacted.
This
> would be a good reason to surgically remove them.
>
> Katharine
> Florida
>
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