I am quite distressed at how much people have recently been ***reading into
things***.  This has happened with tones of posts, with Marshall Farms,
with the recent research from the Netherlands, and possibly with more.
 
First off, in relation to the bickering: Fine, some people inserted tones
or assumed that they were being referred to in what were general posts.
Fine.  It's done and gone.  Let it rest.
 
In relation to the study: NO, from what I've seen so far, the study does
NOT prove that early neuters cause adrenal disease.  I realize that some
people WANT it to mean that, but... Read Karen's recent posts on the topic
and if still want an earful read mine.  MIGHT early neuters make a
difference?  Sure they might.  Can that be proven at this point?  Doesn't
seem like it.  Is it worthwhile having a future study which can tell one
way or the other?  Definitely.
 
Finally, in relation to Marshall Farms "defects".  WHAT?!  In our home over
all these years those ferrets have been just as healthy as any we've had
from multiple other sources.  There was only ONE survey which found a
greater health problems with MFs in relation to adrenal disease; that was
shelter survey.  Two later surveys of home health which were similarly
designed didn't find differences between MF and other sources.  Might there
be a difference in shelter setting?  Sure, but there doesn't seem to be any
afterward since the other surveys included rescues.  It would really help
to have a hard study by health professionals, but none of these fit that
category.  It might also be that Steve and I have just been lucky in terms
of the health our guys have had, but if so we're in others' company because
we aren't alone.  Are there improvements MF needs to make in their
practises?  Danged straight there are, more than any of us would like there
to be.  Do rumors or exaggerations help get such changes made?  No!  They
complicate the picture, making it harder to convince that company to make
positive changes because they sometimes just assume that no matter what
they try it will backfire on them with certain people.  That undermines the
power which people COULD have to get them to try improvements if they just
stuck to the facts.  Fair is fair.
 
xcay, now I will tell you the actual most embarrassing experience I ever
had with a ferret.  It's clean.  No -- ahem -- "essentials" were exposed.
People who have been here for quite a while already know about it.  When
Hjalmar (long gone now) was a kit and I still had enough of a figure to
actually wear shorty tops with strapless bras Steve and I decided to take
Hjalmar on a ride with us to Wagner's Dairy Store which used to be Warren,
N.J.  Beth here remembers it well and knows the family, or you can ride
past the empty building one day if you want to check on it.  Anyway,
Hjalmar didn't much like car rides and we were trying to get him to accept
them, so we took the clingy kit with us on the ride.  When we got there
Steve went into the store and I stayed outside with Hjalmar.  This being an
area which has some rather well-to-do sections we were shortly joined by an
elegant older gentleman who found Hjalmie very intriguing.  All went well
till a cow mooed.  Hjalmer promptly headed for the safest close place --
down the front of my blouse, but rapidly discovered gravity when I wound up
with my bra dangling from my waist and a startled kit sitting in one cup!
I still don't know who was more embarrassed.  Perhaps the gent; I've never
heard of anyone but Steve or me daring to tell the tale.  Then again, he
WAS a gentleman...
[Posted in FML issue 2945]