Everything Alicia said about her opinion of the Adrenal issue makes PERFECT
sense to me.  I have the tendency to think that combinations of some of
these stresses to the system lead to the disease.  It just makes sense!
 
Sukie wrote:
 
>That doesn't mean that there might not be a factor like a silent virus
>involved, though.
 
OR maybe a silent gene?
 
>What I really, really hope is that this Australian situation gets studied.
 
But how can we do this?  Shirley, Diane - is this something that the club
can do - or help with?  Maybe Murdoch Unni would be interested in it?
 
The only thing that worries me about this issue in Australia is that
ferrets as pets are - in the past few years - just becoming popular.  In
the past they were kept strictly for work, and sadly, I worry that they may
have not had such conditions noticed until the animal was dead - even if
then.  The price of ferrets in Australia is still very low, and some
treatments and surgeries out cost the animals several times over.  This
is a concern as some folks may have thought that it was easier and cheaper
to replace the animal than to give it proper vet care.  Another concern -
kibbled pet foods.  Most folks here supplement their ferret's diets with
kibble.  Most feed mostly meats and minces, wheat cereals in milk with egg
and honey, and table scraps.  Since kibbled food has been introduced to the
pet world MANY illnesses and conditions are seen in ALL types of animals.
Is Australia just now seeing these changes because they still have been
feeding "traditional" pet food?  It takes time to cut up meat and prepare
fresh foods - much easier and much less messy if you feed a kibble.
Australia (at least in my area) is pretty slow paced - has "laziness"
caught up with us?
 
Another thing - I do not know of ANYBODY that has ferrets in Australia that
recommends desexing a ferret younger than 6 months.  More and more ferrets
are showing up in pet stores - especially over in the Eastern States.  Are
they being desexed before going in them?  Who knows?  Is just being in a
pet store enough stress to trigger something in their systems?
 
Who knows - maybe.
[Posted in FML issue 3102]