i usually don't post...just lurk..this is 2 for me..some kind of record!
 
anyway..there are no other known health problems just because a ferret
is deaf.  deafness in the pandas,( and also ferrets with blazes) is what
they call an autosomal disorder.  both parents HAVE to be deaf (or
actually HAVE the disease or disorder)..to breed a baby with this
disorder, unlike other genetic problems, where 1 or both parents can have
a recessive gene,(never get the disorder or disease, just pass it along
to their offspring).
 
that's why deafness in ferrets is so frustrating to me..it can be totally
eliminated if people just stopped breeding deaf ferrets.  i imagine there
statistically would still be a few...per million...but not like it is now
with the pandas and blazes.  i'm pretty sure there's still alot about
this on the afa website if you want more info.
 
donna
[Posted in FML issue 4867]