Sukie, your musings certainly made me stop and think.
 
Recently, the Western Australian Ferret & Ferreting Society (WAFFS) had a
communication from a vet in New South Wales (way over the other side of
Australia from us) wanting to know how many ferret adrenal cases we see,
because one of their vets is seeing about 5 per week now.  This is from a
country where there had been NO recorded cases 4 years ago.  As yet, within
our members and of all the "ferret" vets I contacted, we still have no
recorded cases here in W.A. but we are seeing a great increase in other
cancers in younger ferrets.
 
Ferrets have been bred and kept in Australia since early settlement, or
over 150 years.  With the Internet being accessible to most households
in recent years, I cannot believe that missed diagnosis is a factor.
Certainly, WAFFS has been very aware, as have our vets, of the adrenal
problems in other countries for some years now.
 
Because of Australia's strict quarantine laws ( NO ferrets allowed in) , I
can't see that a virus can be the cause of adrenal neoplasia, but I can see
that kibbled food could be.  Some of the foods, like Advantage and Science
Diet, seem to be available almost word-wide.
 
Now, what could possibly cause the emergence of adrenal cancers in a
country where it had not occurred before?  Could it possibly be the
availability of higher quality kibbled food to feed normally meat-fed
ferrets?
 
How can we find out?
 
Is there some relationship between Oz ferrets and the apparent increase in
younger US ferrets suffering the disease?
 
What can we do about it?
 
Sukie, while so many ferrets are at risk, I don't think this will ever be
a "tired topic".
 
Love & Dooks to All
Shirley
WAFFS Editor
[Posted in FML issue 3099]