What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Beats — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 22:19:31 GMT

e.g. of where I may have been misled / misinterpreted:

22mins for initial discussion and question response at 58mins-107mins

My possible misunderstanding from this was that the difference between a suprelorin implant treated dog and a castrated dog is that while both have a low level of testosterone, one has a very high level of LH and one has a very low level of LH, and with respect to behaviours that can make a difference, as LH itself can be having a direct effect on behaviour?

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Dinu Catilina — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 10:50:56 GMT

[quote userid="12930" url="~/f/clinical-questions/30906/what-s-the-latest-thinking-on-castration-of-ferrets/243944#243944"]I thought suprelorin in dogs wasn't expected to affectl behaviours in the same manner as castration would.[/quote]

In the first stage you would see an increase in testosterone which can affect behaviour. Long term there should be no difference between the two.

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Chris Geddes — Thu, 07 Mar 2024 08:51:56 GMT

I think yiou have misunderstood. Suprelorin mimics changes. in behaviour in dogs very well.

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Beats — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:57:00 GMT

I thought suprelorin in dogs wasn't expected to affectl behaviours in the same manner as castration would. I may have misunderstood and even if I understood correctly may not be relevant to ferrets, but thought worth mentioning.

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Marie Kubiak — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:40:48 GMT

To give permanent cessation of testosterone, rather than waning effects of the implant and potential for development of aggression/fertility as it wears off. It means you can leave a longer gap between implants if repeating them without worrying about hormone related problems.

Just suprelorin is fine in some scenarios but I would replace at 18m intervals for a 4.7mg where waning could be problematic, or have the owner monitor testicular size/behaviour to guide reimplantation where reversion to fertility/hormone driven behaviours would be less of a concern

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Dinu Catilina — Wed, 06 Mar 2024 13:26:53 GMT

Thank you Maria

Can I ask why to castrate if you're placing the implant anyway? Would Suprelorin not castrate them on it's own?

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 23:11:54 GMT

Thank you Maria

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Marie Kubiak — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:38:15 GMT

The options are:

1. To leave them entire if they are getting on and there is no aggression issue when they are housed together

2. Castrate both and accept they will develop adrenal hyperplasia in 18months that will gradually progress. If this becomes a clinical issue due to prostatic enlargement (and dysuria) or aggression due to sex hormone release from hyperplastic adrenal tissue then a suprelorin implant can be placed to manage this. In a small proportion of cases not picked up early, hyperplasia can progress to neoplasia and then Suprelorin will not be effective

3. Castrate both and place implants to delay the development of adrenal hyperplasia (for a 4.7mg this will delay changes by at least 18 months, a 9.4mg implant should delay changes for 36 months). Consider ferret age - if older then this could equate to lifelong protection from clinical disease and may be the best option. For young ferrets repeat implants will be needed and the cost is often off-putting.

Marie

On a slight tangent, I am running a CPD day on March 14th which will cover the ferret neutering dilemma in detail!

evolutionexoticsreferrals.co.uk/.../

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Gillian Mostyn — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 21:28:43 GMT

Suprelorin is getting prohibitively expensive for a lot of people.

I tend to tell people that spay/castrate is fine as long as they understand the ferret may later need suprelorin anyway.

Like Alasdair said, I don't think the UK sees the same level of issues as the US - I suppose it could be natural daylight or maybe it's just a different gene pool...

RE: What's the latest thinking on castration of ferrets?

Alasdair Hotston Moore — Sun, 03 Mar 2024 18:45:42 GMT

Yvette Rowntree can you comment?

I’ve heard discussion that uk ferrets might not b3 at the same risk of adrenocortical tumours because they are often housed in natural daylight conditions, cf NA pet ferrets