Doctor Deb. W. Kemmerer's recent posting wherein she compares the
prepubescent neutering of animals other than ferrets in relation to adrenal
problems in such ferrets implies that adrenal problems may be unique to
ferrets.
 
The Doctor also opines that prevention of ferret overpopulation mandates the
requirement of early neutering most if not all ferrets.
 
I should like to offer the Doctor the protocol of relating ferret
prepubescent neutering to non-neutering and at the same time preventing
overpopulation.
 
May I suggest the following:
 
1.) Rear 10 colonies of ferrets, each colony composed of 6 intact females
    and two vasectomized males per colony, for a total of 80 ferrets.
 
2.) Each of 10 colonies of ferrets are to be reared identically, permitting
    random copulation within each colony, for a total period of 5 years.
 
3.) Quarterly all ferrets would be subject to state-of-the-art adrenal and
    both reproductive system and immune system tests.
 
4.) Five of the 10 colonies of ferrets are to be maintained on the best (?)
    grade of commercially prepared ferret food with no additives or
    supplemental natural food.
 
5.) Five of the 10 colonies of ferrets are to be maintained on the best (?)
    grades of natural food with supplemental non-carnivorean supplements.
 
Objective: Rule out comparable incidence of adrenal disease in intact
ferrets with naturally functioning reproductive and immune systems.
Conversely, then, establish a basis for further exploitation of the
relationship between the higher incidence of adrenal disease and
prepubescent neutered ferrets, with emphasis on possible malfunctioning of
a compromised immune system.
 
For guide to vasectomy of ferret see, A Technique for Vasectomizing Male
Ferrets, Lennox M. Ryland, DVM, MPH and Edward Lipinski, Ferrets NorthWest,
Published in Canine Practice - Surgery, Exotics; Vol. l9, No. 1,
January/February 1994, Pages 25 and 26.
 
        Anguillam cauda tenes. [L.] It is an eel you hold by the tail.
Edward Lipinski, Frettchenvergnuegen from the Frettchenlustbarkeitsfuehrer !
Frettchenvergnuegen [G.] Joy of Ferrets.  F...fuehrer [G.] Ferret frolics
leader.
[F]erret [E]ndowment for [R]esearch,[R]ehab, [E]ducation & [T]raining
[S]ociety, NorthWest.
[Posted in FML issue 2228]