Yes, I also am in regular communication with Dr. Nico Schoemaker as
well as with several other adrenal disease researchers. You raise
excellent points.

This explanation below by Dr. Jerry Murray, DVM, is still thought to be
accurate, but different people place more emphasis on different aspects
of the components. All agree that in whole ferret who does not have
genetic vulnerability to endocrinological disease the risk of adrenal
disease is extremely low even with extra lighting; that is why chemical
neutering that leaves the reproductive organs in tact is under long
term study to se if that works and if the drugs can successfully be
used long term (See http://ferrethealth.org/archive/ SG16513 for one
possible fly in the ointment). The thing about not being neutered is
that the reproductive tissue can scream at the pituitary to stop
sending out so much LH and FSH. LH appears to be the primary hormone
that causes the adrenal inflammatory process, but FSH also has a
possible route that is under study in some human health related work.
FSH is also under study for causing bone depletion when released in
high levels. The typical reason in neutered pet ferrets that the
pituitary begins releasing higher levels of these hormones in the first
place is a reduction in melatonin production by the pineal gland. That
happens when the individual does not get enough darkness.

Living in a condo and having had an electrician cause a fire at a
neighbor's furnace we quickly learned that not all of the ferrets come
immediately to be put into a carrier and evacuated. (There were three
problems in short order locally: we had a furnace problem and it pulled
in smoke from outdoors, a nearby building burned because a family used
an ornamental fireplace as if it were a primary heat source, and then
there was my neighbor's situation. We learned that a couple of our
ferrets hide DEEP under furniture; one in particular is very prone to
that; it's his instinctive response and he does it when contractors
make a real lot of noise here or in the downstairs condo, too. He
normally is someone who will fall asleep in our arms so the last one
I'd have expected that behavior from, but if he gets panicked he hides
and it takes a bit of time to get him to calm down enough to recognize
anyone, listen, and come out to be made safe. At night in darkness the
situation would only be worse, so when we are both asleep the ferrets
go into the huge cage. We also have an evacuation on top of the that
cage and it in turn has an attached lowering rope in case things get
extremely bad. Otherwise, our crew romp; ferrets absolutely NEED a lot
of exercise for optimal health.

http://ferrethealth.org/archive/SG7637

>That is a great question, and we are just now getting the answers!
>Recent research by Dr Nico Schoemaker at the Utrecht vet school in
>Holland has helped answer your question. Ferret adrenal glands have
>both LH and FSH receptors on them just like the ovaries and the
>testicles do. When ferrets are spayed or neutered (as neonates by all
>of the major ferret farms) then the adrenal glands start to respond to
>the high levels of LH in the bloodstream. Keeping pet ferrets indoors
>under "long day photoperiods" also adds to this problem. When the
>adrenal glands are over stimulated, then they become hyperplastic or
>neoplastic (cancer). So the short answer is spaying and neuter pet
>ferrets at a young age is the major cause of adrenal gland disease
>(just like it is in mice). Plus keeping them in long day photoperiods
>adds to the problem. That is why keeping a natural photoperiod or
>keeping them in 14-16 hours of darkness per day is sometimes
>recommended. There is also a possibility of a problem with the tumor
>suppressive gene which is the 'genetic problem" that may add to the
>problem. This problem has not been verified as of yet, but it is
>possible. A viral cause is very unlikely.
>
>Remember Lupron works by lowering the LH and FSH levels, which stops
>the stimulation to the adrenals. Thus it may also be useful to give
>Lupron to young ferrets to help prevent adrenal gland disease!
>
>Hope that helps,
>Jerry Murray, DVM

The genetic research is going on at UC Davis in a group led by Dr.
Michelle Hawkins and there was a talk already on the preliminary
findings (Dr. Johnson-Delaney refers to the productive portion
searching for MEN (multiple endocrinological neoplasia) genetics
that in a recent adrenal study of hers.) with hopes of the final
paper being out in 2008.

BTW, if something that was happening last month panned out (as in a
company agreeing to provide drug for study) for yet another adrenal
disease researcher who has studied two drugs in the same class) then a
third drug that is related to Lupron and Suprelorin will begin being
studied because there is a chance that this one may be better when
prostates are enlarged or when the testosterone levels are running too
high if some work on other species with different uses carries over
for ferrets.

Anyway, Bob and I pretty much said the same things in relation to
crepuscular and in relation to exercise; we take different courses when
the humans are asleep due to different circumstances and different
experiences.

Sukie (not a vet)
Current FHL address:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth
Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.afip.org/ferrets/index.html
http://www.miamiferret.org/fhc/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html

[Posted in FML 5553]