Your scenario of how the early spay/castration affects the adrenal glands
sounds as if you are stating a scientific fact, but I think it's your own
theory.  I know of no data to support your statement.  In fact, if it were
correct, then we should be seeing the same endocrine problems in dogs and
cats.  As I have stated in an earlier post, ten-year post-op studies of
early spay/neuter in dogs and cats have shown no increase in endocrine
problems.  These are studies involving thousands of animals.  Ferrets are
not so different physiologically that we would be led to think early spaying
would have a profound affect on them, and no effect at all on dogs and cats.
 
What happens if you do manage to get things changed?  Suppose the US does
start selling non-spayed or castrated kits in pet stores?  Can you imagine
what would happen to the ferret population here?  I shudder to think about
it.  There are so many irresponsible people that every Tom, Dick and Harry
would be breeding ferrets and our shelters would be as overrun with ferrets
as they now are with dogs and cats.  People in the UK may not have any idea
how many unwanted animals are killed here in the US every year.  I have to
say that whatever problems might be associated with early spay/neuter, none
of them are as bad as what I visualize as the alternative.  Perhaps people
who are rabidly anti-early spaying should take that under consideration.
 
Debbie Kemmerer
[Posted in FML issue 2224]