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]