A reader wrote to complain and tell others that her ferret purchased
from my farm died from insulinoma at the age of 2.5 years old. While it
pains me to learn of any ferret from any source dying from anything, it
is unrealistic to think that a ferret is not going to develop some sort
of cancer or illness, no matter the source, and that the blame lies
with the breeder. All living creatures die from something, and just as
human children develop cancer or tumors, one can't blame the parents. I
don't think that she could blame me any more than I could blame her as
the owner, although the thought always runs through my mind that there
are far more environmental toxins in the average home than on the farm,
and the artificial lights can be problematic for ferrets, and I wonder
how long the ferret would have lived if it had remained at the farm as
a breeder. Would that disease have developed? No one knows the answer
to that question.

We have a vet on staff now, who examines the ferrets, and keeps medical
records, and has a clinic building set up next to our farm. Any sick
or weak ferret goes there for examination and treatment, and we don't
see the insulinomas in our breeding herd. It was purchased and then
developed cancer 2.5 years later, so it was free of cancer when it left
the farm. The best that a breeder can do is to be sure that, overall,
their stock is hardy and free of disease, and that the jills and hobs
are bred with natural light cycles, not inbred, and not bred repeatedly
throughout the year under artificial lights, and that the kits leave
the farm healthy and robust to caring homes.

If anyone has questions about our breeding program, they can visit
www.carolinaferrets.net.
The fact that so many veterinarians recommend us to their customers
after seeing our ferrets, suggests that the vast majority are living
long and healthy lives. We had a visiting veterinarian from Florida at
the farm for several days this week, also visiting our clinic set up
just for our ferrets. We do not put down any old ferrets and disease
is treated, so he would have seen any ferrets that were suffering from
insulinoma, but there just weren't any--just the usual injuries and
infections related to breeding and lactation, or kits being hand fed.

[Posted in FML 5704]