It would be interesting to see how different domestic ferrets are in
this regard from wild polecats. Certainly, it is possible that it
played a role.

Another thing looked at in earlier studies thought to have played a
role is changes to the adrenals causing them to not as easily produce
epinephrin (adrenalin) and this has been linked to higher rates of the
markings found with a range of neural crest genetic variations, once
upon a time dubbed the "star gene", though actually multiple changes
at more than one genetic locus can have such effects. You can actually
create tame foxes in very few generations by breeding for that, but as
we all know, doing so carries a health burden. There is a lot on that
in the Archives. See my sig lines for addies.

Ability to digest starches also would mean a change in the intestinal
microbiome and depending on which are present that could either improve
health by reducing the proportion of bacteria that produce inflammatory
compounds and increasing the proportion of bacteria that produce
anti-inflammatory compounds, or do the reverse. See a recent microbiome
post of mine to the FHL and FML which tells some of the bacteria that
do each of these. Again, see my sig lines.

<http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/347706/description/Starchy_diet_may_have_transformed_wolves_to_dogs>

SMALL QUOTED SECTIONS:

...genetic differences...60 dogs... 14 breeds...12 wolves from around
 the world... changes ... identify genes ... important in separating
dogs from wolves.

No one expected genes relating to digestion to be important for dog
domestication, says Elaine Ostrander, chief of the National Human
Genome Research Institute's cancer genetics branch and an authority
on dog genetics.

 ...farming communities, wolves may have given up their meat-only diets
to scavenge ...

 ...lots of genes involved in starch digestion and metabolism, and in
the use of fats.

"This is a profound adaptation that dogs have,"

END SMALL QUOTED SECTIONS

Study Article:
E. Axelsson et al. The genomic signature of dog domestication reveals
adaptation to a starch-rich diet. doi:10.1038/nature11837

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nature11837.html
to buy article

Abstract:

QUOTE

The genomic signature of dog domestication reveals adaptation to a
starch-rich diet

 - Erik Axelsson,
 - Abhirami Ratnakumar,
 - Maja-Louise Arendt,
 - Khurram Maqbool,
 - Matthew T. Webster,
 - Michele Perloski,
 - Olof Liberg,
 - Jon M. Arnemo,
 - Ake Hedhammar
 - & Kerstin Lindblad-Toh

Nature (2013) doi:10.1038/nature11837
Received 01 July 2012 Accepted 11 December 2012
Published online 23 January 2013

The domestication of dogs was an important episode in the development
of human civilization. The precise timing and location of this event
is debated (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and little is known about the genetic
changes that accompanied the transformation of ancient wolves into
domestic dogs. Here we conduct whole-genome resequencing of dogs and
wolves to identify 3.8 million genetic variants used to identify 36
genomic regions that probably represent targets for selection during
dog domestication. Nineteen of these regions contain genes important
in brain function, eight of which belong to nervous system development
pathways and potentially underlie behavioural changes central to dog
domestication6. Ten genes with key roles in starch digestion and fat
metabolism also show signals of selection. We identify candidate
mutations in key genes and provide functional support for an increased
starch digestion in dogs relative to wolves. Our results indicate that
novel adaptations allowing the early ancestors of modern dogs to thrive
on a diet rich in starch, relative to the carnivorous diet of wolves,
constituted a crucial step in the early domestication of dogs.

END QUOTE

Sukie (not a vet)  Ferrets make the world a game.

Recommended ferret health links:
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/ferrethealth/
http://ferrethealth.org/archive/
http://www.miamiferret.org/
http://www.ferrethealth.msu.edu/
http://www.ferretcongress.org/
http://www.trifl.org/index.shtml
http://homepage.mac.com/sukie/sukiesferretlinks.html
all ferret topics:
http://listserv.ferretmailinglist.org/archives/ferret-search.html

"All hail the procrastinators for they shall rule the world tomorrow."
(2010, Steve Crandall)

A nation is as free as the least within it.

[Posted in FML 7682]