Danielle wrote:
>Is this note as outdated as all the other online reports?  My vet
>disagrees with this considering how many botched MF spays/alters he has
>seen.  MF would tell you that it is a matter of "percentages" and that
>is all that they go by (yes, I was told this) and I was also told that
>the reason there appears to be more adrenal cancer and lymphoma with MF
>ferrets is because there are more MF ferrets out there.  So what do you
>tell someone like me, who has seen 80% of MF ferrets she has fostered,
>rescued or adopted with health problems by the age of three?  Is it just
>that I have been someone who manages to end up with all the MF ferrets
>who have terminal illnesses?  I doubt it.
 
Taking a more scientific approach, I have to disagree with your
summations.  You say that you are only basing all your speculations on
your experiences.  At least other people here can take that into account,
and know that antecdotal information and stories does not make for good
scientific data.  What is needed is a survey of 1000's of ferret owners
and a good mix of MF and non-MF ferrets, then only vet confirmed
diagnosis, either by obvious clinical symptoms, or biopsy to confirm
disease.  Take into account diet, and other environmental factors.
From these numbers a statistical analysis should be done to see if
statistically MF ferrets are more prone to disease, have higher rates of
"botched" spays and neuters, and are showing signs of disease by age 3.
 
If all you are going to do is print again and again your personal
experience you are not providing any useful information here, I can just
as easily post about my personal experiences and they would be almost the
opposite, if I had all MF ferrets and they all lived to be 12 without
health problems that would be a very unusual case, but would certainly
skew everyone's view of MF, as does your view, which I also think is an
extreme, and unusual experience.
 
I would rather we talk about money for research to find out what causes
these diseases, in education so people know all about ferrets before they
buy, and pet stores know how to care for the ferrets while they are there,
and how to educate the people buying them, for education about ADV and
ECE so people are aware.  or to fight for better regulation and inspection
of breeding facilities, large and small, shelters, and such to make sure
those horrible cases we are hearing about don't keep happening, like the
Utah and NJ X-mas rescue.  Or to have stricter regulations on how animals
are shipped to be sold; age and health, etc.
 
Anyway, my long, drawn out point is that it does no good to keep posting
the same personal story over and over about MF, I need more scientific
data to be a believer-
 
Patty
[Posted in FML issue 3619]