Hi, I'm curious, what is this Waardensburg Syndrome I sometimes see
mentioned.  I've never run across it any ferret info.  or books I've read.
Someone mentioned something about being a roaning female?  Is that what it
is??  See, I have a male ferret, Charlie, who came a normal sable.  Then,
when he was about 1yrs.  old his coat started getting a lot of silver/grey
in it, starting with the tail and proceeding up his back.  He is now quite
a mixture of sable and gray on the lower 3/4 of his body.  His shoulders,
face etc.  are sable.  I read that some ferrets progressively roan (gray
up??) from ages 3 up, becoming more gray over a period of several years,
but Charlie started this young and it progressed rapidly and now seems
to have stabilized (he'll be 2, Dec. 28/00).  So, is this roaning that
started early and progressed rapidly, or is it WS??  Or is it just a coat
change.  It seemed to start when he shed his first spring coat (about
Oct./Nov. of 99).  I would appreciate any feedback on this as well as a
description of this "Waardensburg Syndrome".  Thanks so much,
 
Dooks,
Dee the Dangerous, Dastardly Smee
(Well, not really, more like silly and goofy)
[Posted in FML issue 3252]