No one likes talking about cancer...but it's a part of life. Unfortunately for our pets, cancer isn't all that uncommon. What causes cancer in ferrets? Is any of it preventable? Read on to find out more. *Disclaimer: some suggestions in this post may be controversial. I am not a vet nor am I studying to be a vet. The information will be presented with facts and data. Do what you will with it. Cancer- the dreaded "C-word." While we lack data to determine whether or not cancer rates in domestic animals are increasing yearly, it's certainly a very prominent issue. One that we shouldn't ignore, but rather attempt to learn more about and understand. Ferrets make for great models in cancer research with their similarities to human cancers, especially in the lungs. (ref) They are also given similar treatment protocols. Quick facts:
Those are some scary numbers...but what can you and I do about it? Chart (ref) This chart displays common risk factors for cancer development. You can see that 5-10% is linked to genes, and the remaining 90-95% is environmental, AKA, preventable. Data for domestic animals will be slightly different, as they don't smoke (though can be harmed via secondhand smoke) or drink alcohol. Diet makes up for a large percentage at roughly 30-35% (likely more for pets) followed by infections, obesity, alcohol and "others." Changing the Negative Mindset of Ferret ParentsAs a pet parent, I'm commonly told about the genetic risk factors in cancer development by veterinary professionals and by other ferret parents in the community: "Ferrets are just prone to that kind of stuff." "You can't do anything about it, they're just bred poorly." "There's no use worrying about cancer, your ferrets will get it regardless." It never made much sense to me. Surely, there was something we could do about it. I desperately didn't want to believe our ferrets are all doomed from the start purely because of where they come from. Now don't get me wrong, as we know from data; genes do play a role in the development of cancers...but not as much as we may think. We know that roughly 50-70% of ferrets over the age of 3 will get cancer. Per Google, there's an estimated 5-7 million pet ferrets in the United States. Meaning, 1 in 10 ferrets that develop cancer have it genetically. 9 in 10 have it due to their environment / lifestyle. That's just a rough estimate. Who really knows how many pet ferrets reside in the U.S. right now. Additionally, no one knows the specific cancer data in ferrets...it's all speculation but I'd say it can't be too far off from the truth. So cut the "doom and gloom," please! Diet Plays a Role in Cancer DevelopmentFollowing along in the linked scientific journal on cancer: This chart shows the types of cancers associated with diet. How diet contributes to cancer is not fully understood. Most carcinogens that are ingested, such as nitrates, nitrosamines, pesticides, and dioxins, come from food or food additives or from cooking." Heterocyclic amines (HCAs), a known carcinogen, are formed during the cooking process of meat. Refined sugars and flours are also linked to various forms of cancers. You would find heterocyclic amines, sugars, and flours in any of these diets:
The danger is not only in the cooked meat, but in the grains and plant matter found in processed pet foods as well:
Acrylamides are often created via starchy foods cooked at high temperatures. We unfortunately don't have much information and data on acrylamides and their impact on cancer development, but it's on our radars regardless. Glyphosate is marked as a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) . It's the most heavily used pesticide in the world and affects most crops. (ref) These crops are used in processed pet foods.
Mycotoxins are toxic secondary metabolites created by fungi. (ref) Mycotoxins are a huge health risk to humans and animals, and commonly infect rice bran, corn, wheat, rice, nuts, and legumes. All ingredients found in processed pet foods. Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of molds that have adverse effects on humans, animals, and crops that result in illnesses and economic losses. The worldwide contamination of foods and feeds with mycotoxins is a significant problem." (ref) Read more on mycotoxins here. #1 Insulinoma The most common dietary associated cancer in ferrets is Insulinoma. Insulinomas are tumors of the pancreas. Like anything else with ferrets, we lack data to make any official linkage to diet, though many veterinary professionals are beginning to notice some parallels. The pancreas of the ferret works in the same ways ours do. It helps aid in digestion, and provides the body with insulin to regulate our blood sugar. Sometimes the pancreas begins to produce too much insulin, eventually turning into lumps on the organ. ☆ Really the opposite of diabetes, when their blood sugar drops to a big low, it can spark hypoglycemia. Often, ferrets diagnosed with insulinoma are between the ages of 2-7. According to studies, ~20-25% of ferrets will develop this cancer. (ref) Though some veterinarians believe that number should be higher, due to some senior ferrets not showing many symptoms. Some state that diet must be a factor because it is said that European and UK ferrets develop insulinomas less frequently than in America and that in Europe and the UK, ferrets have traditionally be fed a diet of meat." -Ron Hines DVM It's also important to note that insulinomas have not been recorded in similar species, nor in the direct relative of the ferret (European polecat). Black footed ferret, mink, and otter have no reported cases of pancreatic tumors. Though, most naturally don't live as long in the wild as they do in captivity so it's hard to tell if they would develop them if allowed to live longer. That being said, in my research I could not find any reports of mink or otters kept in captivity developing the condition either. I have hundreds of pet parents contacting me on a weekly basis. Of the many sharing their stories of Insulinoma with me, 100% of them had been feeding processed pet food. Not once have I personally heard of a raw fed ferret developing Insulinoma. Of course, I'm sure it's always a possibility, especially in ferrets fed dry food for the majority of their life, this is just a link I was able to make myself with the people who have reached out. Along with daily medication, Insulinoma is often treated via a dietary change. I have helped dozens of pet parents with ferrets suffering from the condition switch to a natural diet with success. With each one, I received feedback that they hadn't experienced a low blood sugar crash at all since switching the diet. Do what you will with this information, but I strongly believe the inappropriate ingredients (carbs, grains) in processed foods are a major cause of this cancer. When an animal is consistently unable to efficiently digest and benefit from the ingredients in their food, there are bound to be consequences. #2 Micronutrient Deficiencies It's also believed by healthcare professionals that there's a link between micronutrient deficiencies and the development of cancers. (ref) Because nutrition is fairly similar across the board between species, we can assume it's a probable cause for ferrets as well. We do know that micronutrient deficiencies can cause other issues in the body too. A deficiency of any of the micronutrients: folic acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin B6, niacin, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, iron, or zinc, mimics radiation in damaging DNA by causing single- and double-strand breaks, oxidative lesions, or both." Many of these nutrients are tasked with protecting the body from free radical damage. You may be thinking this is only relevant to those feeding home-prepared diets, but it's not! Micronutrient deficiency can affect any ferret, on any diet. As you may know from my post on supplements, the phrase, "complete and balanced" is an utter lie. We have barely scratched the surface of what our animals (and ourselves!!) require nutritionally. We also lack data that proves synthetic supplements (what's used in processed pet foods) are completely bioavailable and usable to the ferret. Micronutrients mentioned and how to supply them in the diet: Folic acid (B9)- Most meats, egg, fish, dandelion. Vitamin B12- Most meats, liver, heart, kidney, fish, egg. Vitamin B6- Most meats, liver, heart, kidney, fish, egg. Niacin (B3)- Most meats, fish, egg. Vitamin C- Liver, kidney, heart, fish. Vitamin E- (not found in high amounts in meats) Vitamin E oil supplement, egg, kidney, liver, brain. Iron- Most meats, egg, fish. Zinc- (not found in high amounts in meats) oysters, egg. To learn more: read here. Before I wrap up this section, please understand as a concerned pet parent and pet nutrition student, I strongly believe diet plays a major role in cancer development, more than we may think. Never have I been warned about the controllable risks by the many veterinarians I've seen. All of them have told me, "Well, they're just prone to that kind of thing." Obesity and Cancer"Ferrets are great self regulators." Is a phrase I've seen tossed around a lot in the ferret community, and unfortunately people have taken it as the pure truth, and that ferrets can't become overweight and obese. Which is very untrue. Research shows that ferrets have the same risks like any dog or cat to become overweight or obese, and it's influenced by the same things:
☆ Please note that weight gain is normal for ferrets in the Fall in preparation for the cold months. If the ferret is on "reverse season" they may gain weight in the Spring, and maintain it through the summer. Many processed pet foods formulated for ferrets and cats are high in fat and carbohydrates, when the natural diet should be high in protein with moderate to lower levels of fat, and zero carbs. Quality of ingredients also have a heavy impact on the body. Milled, refined grains and the foods made with them-white rice, white bread, white pasta, processed breakfast cereals, and the like-are rich in rapidly digested carbohydrate. So are potatoes and sugary drinks. The scientific term for this is that they have a high glycemic index and glycemic load. Such foods cause fast and furious increases in blood sugar and insulin that, in the short term, can cause hunger to spike and can lead to overeating-and over the long term, increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease." (ref) While hyper-carnivores like the ferret lack the enzymatic ability to process carbohydrates, the poorer the source, the worst effect it will have on the animal. AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) does not regulate the quality of ingredients in pet food. Pet food companies are not required by law to specify the quality of any ingredient on the label. As you can imagine, that means most companies will not bother...it gives them more reason to not care about sourcing quality food, and to keep costs low. If you must feed a processed pet food to your ferrets, aim for a food low in carbohydrates, with a good amount of animal-based proteins and quality animal-based fats. I have a chart weighing various brands of pet food fed to ferrets. If you can't feed raw, I suggest looking into freeze-dried raw, or air-dried raw diets. According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention, in 2018 59.5% of cats and 55.8% of dogs in the U.S. were overweight or obese. The answer is not always feed less food. Working in pet care, I've seen parents drop off their obese animals instructing us with feeding, "only a small handful of food, nothing more." to help their dog or cat lose weight. These animals looked miserable, with zero energy to do much of anything. If the food has inappropriate ratios of protein/fat/carbs and contains unhealthy / low quality ingredients, it won't matter if you adjust the amount fed, most likely what will happen is your animal will suffer from severe lack of energy. Making it difficult to near impossible for them to exercise, creating a more sedentary pet and increasing the risk of weight gained. I've only personally seen a difference in weight when pet parents change the food they feed entirely and provide more opportunities for safe exercise. That brings me to my next point: exercising your ferrets. Unfortunately for the ferret, they're marketed by pet stores as a cute pocket pet! Requiring only a plastic rodent cage and pellet food. Employees failing to educate new ferret parents that ferrets are not caged animals (also in case you didn't know, please adopt instead of buying ferrets at the store!). To confine ferrets to a cage for large periods of time is animal cruelty. Multiple sources online claim ferrets only require a few hours of time out of their cage each day. I've seen anything between 1-4 hours out of the cage recommended. This is animal cruelty. If you're unable to provide your ferrets with ample time out of their cage every single day, you should not have ferrets. Not only is caging ferrets a health hazard due to destructive boredom behaviors, but it promotes inadequate exercise = obesity. Many believe that because ferrets sleep so frequently, they don't need much time out of their cage. This is not true. While ferrets do sleep a lot, they follow their own schedule. My cage-free ferrets are awake and playing on and off, multiple times in the day and night. If I were to confine them, they would sleep even more, and only wake for food and potty. If you cage your ferrets for long periods of time they will be bored and forced to either sleep or destroy things inside the cage, a massive blockage risk. If ferrets are not given adequate free roam, it will be very difficult for them to regulate their weights, especially when being fed a low quality feed. To learn more about free-roaming, watch my video here. Infections Can Cause CancerInfections are scary. While considered a preventable cancer risk, mistakes and slip ups happen. For example, our Howl recently recovered from a very serious pharyngitis infection. None of us, nor the ferrets are sick with anything at all. It was most likely something we brought in on our clothes from the grocery store (the only place we frequent). Though unfortunate, his infection likely could have been prevented had we changed our clothes upon our return. We always wash our hands thoroughly, but it wasn't good enough this time. #1 Lymphoma During our recent health scare with Howl and eventually thinking he had lymphoma for awhile, I did a lot of research into the subject. Not much is known about lymphoma and ferrets, but many credible sources I found mentioned infections may be the most probable environmental cause. (ref) No cause proven but some evidence exists that it may be related to a viral disease. Can also occur in the stomach after helicobacter infection." - Sawnee Animal Clinic Smaller percentage of them are quite young. In those younger ferrets, many veterinarians suspect that the tumors occur as the result of a viral infection. No virus has as yet been discovered, but similar lymphoma-generating virus have been confirmed in a number of other species." - Ron Hines DVM While looking into lymphoma in humans, the most common causes (though not fully understood yet either) are:
#2 Helicobacter Helicobacter infection is not all that uncommon in ferrets. I personally know of a few people who experienced this with their ferrets. This bacteria is actually found in most all ferrets, only sometimes will it trigger a problem, generally due to stress or other disease. ☆ Ferrets are used in Helicobacter research for people. Capable of affecting any aged ferret, Helicobacter infection can be quite serious and will require lots of medical intervention. According to some sources, this infection and lymphoma may have a possible linkage. So how do we help prevent infections in our ferrets?
Other Environmental TriggersHere are some other common household risks associated with cancer development:
The removal of artificial fragrance use in the home is a simple way in promoting optimal health in your animals. Synthetic scents or “fragrance” represent an unidentified mixture of ingredients including carcinogens, allergens, respiratory irritants, endocrine disruptors, neurotoxic chemicals and environmental toxicants. These artificial scents can can be found in all kinds of body care and cosmetic products, as well as air fresheners, cleaning materials and laundry detergents." - Annie Prince CHHC Similar to pet foods, the FDA does not require companies to specify exactly what they use in their scent products. The chemicals found in these products are linked to a multitude of complications in the body:
For ferrets, even the "natural" essential oils can pose problems. The vaporized oils build up and create toxicity in the ferret, as they're unable to metabolize them. Chronic exposure can create organ damage and death. Many pet parents claim they've used these products for many years with no problems, but fail to understand toxicity is created over a large span of time, and may or may not have time to rear it's head in a ferret, especially if they don't live a full lifespan for whatever reason. As far as household cleaners go, I use a homemade mix of vinegar and water (lots of recipes online!), hydrogen peroxide for the tough stains, and a "free and clear" multi purpose cleaner. For their laundry, I use hypoallergenic, fragrance free detergent and vinegar. All litter should be fragrance free as well. We use unscented, recycled paper pellets and unscented puppy pads. For more information on household poisons check out the American Ferret Association's PDF on the subject. ⚜While cancer is not something anyone wants to deal with, I hope this post brought you some comfort. I know it's scary not knowing what the future holds for our pets, it's so important we don't have a negative outlook. Ferrets can sense these emotions, and will feel stress and discomfort, speeding up or even creating health problems.
The majority of ferrets in the United States, Canada, and Japan are given a rough start at life in the animal mill, but all hope is not lost! Most cancer is preventable. We should always be on the look out for new advances in cancer research, and putting focus into the "now" and how we care for our ferrets in the moment. There are many steps we can take to better ensure long term health success in our animals.
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