Waardensburg Syndrome
 
>Someone mentioned something about being a roaning female?
 
No, it is not roaning.  The markings are not later acquired.
 
It's a neural crest genetic condition which extends though much of
mammalia and might even go further back, since many neural crest
alterations do.  There are at least three genetic alterations which
can cause it; three are known and documented.
 
It's signatures are some pelage markings that are life-long: white head
sometimes (and seems especially true in ferrets), or white head blaze.
Also can have widely spaced eyes, and deafness.  Expression is variable,
so the degree of whiteness on the head varies widely, whether the eyes
are widely spaced varies, and deafness varies.  Some hear, some have
hearing limitations, some are completely deaf.
 
Even if a WS parent has hearing the chances that its kits will be deaf is
very high; it is not possible to have the markings without having the
health risks.
 
In other mammals intestinal problems have been associated with it, and
might also be associated in ferrets.
 
WS ferrets MIGHT life shorter lives.  That is still to be determined;
the anecdotal evidence is that a disproportionate number of people have
reported their WS ferrets living only in the 4 to early 6 year range, and
only a few mentioned longer lifespans, but it still could be a sampling
error and a real study is needed at some point.
 
What happens in WS is that a group of fetal cells which are the precoursors
of multiple types of adult cells are modified, and that causes the symptoms.
 
It exists in humans, too, but is rare in humans while it is common in
ferrets -- largely because some began pushing those individuals as
expensive "fancies".  It is also possible that due to this there are
individuals with multiple possible causes of WS simultaneously, and also
that there might be propogated further alterations to these altered
alleles.
 
Some have been trying to attach other signatures to the syndrome, and
some of those things may truly belong there but many do not, and until
there is documented study it's best to be on the cautious side.
 
Leigh Whittacker (sp?) is a geneticist and has posted some marvelous
things on the condition if you want to check the back-issues.
 
Many vets are unaware of ferret genetic issues; it's really new stuff
for consideration and almost ZIP is known on the topic.
 
Little guy finally has his very own name!  It's Sherman (for the tank).
(Between Steve and Sherman a lot of possibles got rejected.)  Up another
oz. yesterday.
 
Correcting myself:
>If mock battles then it would be unusual for an older one to sometimes
>seek peace and quiet
 
NOT be, NOT be -- like with humans
 
>Apparently fox feces or urine is a good deterrent for skunks, but it
>also stinks pretty bad.  Does anyone know if planting ferret poops around
>the perimeter of the garage would keep the skunks away?
 
Around here the skunks seem either attracted to it or just don't care.
Remember that what skunks do to lawns/gardens is to eat grubs so you might
actually want them around.  Firefly grubs also eat other lawn grubs in
areas that are wet enough for them.  Then there are other safe approaches.
No grubs no skunks, alternatively grubs but no skunks and dead
lawn/flowers.  Ferret feces used to keep away the raccoons from garbage,
but current family doesn't care.  Some mice run and some don't.
[Posted in FML issue 3253]