>I am so enlightened to hear that Dr Shoemaker stated at the IFC
>symposium that effects of spay/neuter DO set in and adrenal
>complications are apparent 3 years after spay/neuter. That falls
>right into my observations here of both early & late alter ferrets.
>Can't wait to see his study published!
>
>Alicia
>at Ferret Wise

Looking ahead to learn from Dr. Shoemaker's publication, I am too.
Alicia may be on to recognizing cause/effect by observing the obvious;
or what, at first glance, even though obvious, may not be absolutely
conclusive. The premature death and adrenal-linked disease in altered
ferrets may be linked not only to altering them, but possibly to
secondary or even tertiary factors which we have not fully considered.
Can you hazard a guess what another one or two contributing factors
could be?

Hint. Consider the functions of the adrenal glands and how they
contribute to the total endocrine "soup" at a time when gonadal
proteins, which should be there, simply are not. It would seem just a
little important that the feedback biometrics involving the adrenals
and the gonads has been "rerouted", so to speak, and the feedback
mechanism is blocked or simply does not occur. Woe unto the adrenals.

You know what this means, don't you? As the Ancient Chinese
philosophize and say, no nookie, no lifee. (My apology to the
Prophet Confucius.)

And add this to the puzzle: Fifty dogs and/or cats are altered compared
to each ferret, yet we see no obvious ferret-like maladies in the K9's
or felines, correct? Why this dichotomy, Pilgrim?

Edward Lipinski

[Posted in FML 6161]