>From:    Debi & David Christy <[log in to unmask]>
>What part of "...medical..." did you not understand?
 
Lets see ... here is the exact quote from SH in issue 3103.
 
>Here in Western Australia, until last year, we preferred that females
>not undergo altering at all, unless there was a medical or geographical
>(e.g. rural ferret owners with no access to vas. hob) reason for doing
>so.  When it was found that quite a few of the older females were
>developing ovarian tumours, we changed our tune somewhat, and recommend
>neutering at 6 months if not to be bred from.
 
From this snippet I got that jills were only spayed if no V-hob was
available OR if there was a medical reason the jill needed spaying - like
ovarian tumors!  Or maybe pyometra or another infection.  After all, that
is another unnecessary exposure you put the jill through.  When jills come
in estrus, their cirvix "opens" and they become lubricated.  This extra
dampness and "openess" makes the conditions perfect for infection.  I know
of multiple breeders that have had to have their prized breeding jills
spayed to save their lives from uterine infections.  With ferrets, uterine
infections can go undetected until it is too late.
 
Why am I so paranoid about aplastic anemia?  Have you ever seen a jill
suffer with aplastic anemia?  I have.  It is not a good thing.  Why was
she allowed to suffer?  Because nobody told her owner what would happen to
her if she was not brought out of estrus.  This person was devestated.
They thought that their ferret was like a dog and came into heat and them
went out.  She bought the ferret from an ad in the paper and had no clue
until it was too late.  And no she did not have internet access.
 
This is the last that I will be posting on this issue.
 
[FY]
[Posted in FML issue 3112]