Post by katt on Apr 8, 2013 16:25:08 GMT -5
Waardenberg's syndrome is a neural crest disorder. It is a genetic defect that runs on a spectrum (much like say the autism spectrum). It is often correlated with high amounts of white markings, though you can have a Waardy without white markings, and a ferret with white markings who is not a Waardy. The genes are very closely associated though and often come hand in hand. Symptoms can include any range of a set symptoms from no symptom to full-blown including: deafness, cranial defects, broad skull, wider set eyes (think of Downs), mental retardation, lack of appropriate social skills, abnormal gait (I don't know if this is officially associated with WS, but it has been noted by many people with WS ferrets), etc. There are other symptoms (see Wiki quote below), those are the main ones though. They also tend to have more health problems and a shorter lifespan.
You can also have some of these symptoms without WS too though, such as a deaf ferret who is NOT WS, congenital defects, and other issues.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waardenburg_syndrome
Here is a great example from Violetdelusions' Javik. He shows classic Waardy head shape and markings. The broad flat skull, high nose bridge, wide set eyes, and panda markings.
Some pics of Javik's face...
Some good threads to read:
holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=talking&action=display&thread=6082
www.holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=medicine&action=display&thread=966
www.holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=vetting&action=display&thread=10253
A photo thread:
holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=fuzz&action=display&thread=3438
Deaf Behavior in Ferrets
www.wolfysluv.com/deaf-behavior.html
Here is a very good post by Josiesmom on the old forum:
www.holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=medicine&action=display&thread=966
How to tell if your ferret is deaf
You can also have some of these symptoms without WS too though, such as a deaf ferret who is NOT WS, congenital defects, and other issues.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waardenburg_syndrome
Signs and symptoms
There are five major and five minor diagnostic criteria for Waardenburg syndrome.
Major:
sensorineural hearing loss
iris pigmentary abnormality (two eyes different color or iris bicolor or characteristic brilliant blue iris)
hair hypopigmentation (white forelock or white hairs at other sites on the body)
dystopia canthorum (lateral displacement of inner canthi)
first‐degree relative previously diagnosed with Waardenburg syndrome
Minor:
skin hypopigmentation (congenital leukoderma/white skin patches)
medial eyebrow flare (synophrys)
broad nasal root
hypoplasia alae nasi
premature graying of the hair (before age 30).
There are five major and five minor diagnostic criteria for Waardenburg syndrome.
Major:
sensorineural hearing loss
iris pigmentary abnormality (two eyes different color or iris bicolor or characteristic brilliant blue iris)
hair hypopigmentation (white forelock or white hairs at other sites on the body)
dystopia canthorum (lateral displacement of inner canthi)
first‐degree relative previously diagnosed with Waardenburg syndrome
Minor:
skin hypopigmentation (congenital leukoderma/white skin patches)
medial eyebrow flare (synophrys)
broad nasal root
hypoplasia alae nasi
premature graying of the hair (before age 30).
Here is a great example from Violetdelusions' Javik. He shows classic Waardy head shape and markings. The broad flat skull, high nose bridge, wide set eyes, and panda markings.
Some pics of Javik's face...
Some good threads to read:
holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=talking&action=display&thread=6082
www.holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=medicine&action=display&thread=966
www.holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=vetting&action=display&thread=10253
A photo thread:
holisticferret60.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=fuzz&action=display&thread=3438
Deaf Behavior in Ferrets
www.wolfysluv.com/deaf-behavior.html
Here is a very good post by Josiesmom on the old forum:
Waarednberg Syndrome technically only applies to humans, not ferrets. The actual problem is "neural Crest disorder". A problem in neural crest cells wherein they do not develop properly. These cells begin in the embryonic stage and migrate throughout the embryo to become other organs, cartilage, nerves and tissues.
GO here to learn some more on neural crest cells:
www.brown.edu/Courses/BI0032/neurcrst/migrate.htm
When these cells have a disorder the organism can develop albinism, melanoma and other neurocrestopathies. Internally this can mean the animal's nervous system is not as developed as it should be, its digestive system is not properly innervated even its bones can be affected!
Outwardly this results in a ferret ( or animal) with a lot of white on its head and many other white markings too- white mitts, tip of the tail, knees. The head markings could be a blaze, one or both ears are all white, the entire head is white, they have a white bib too or a white cape.
Their head tends to be broader with the eyes set a little lower and they exhibit a "baby face".
They are usually totally deaf or have a hearing impairment. This stems not as much from improper nerve channels as much as it is from actually improper formation of the cochlea bone within the ear itself!
Often the nerve channels in the cervical spine are narrower and sometimes deformed.
The ferret's jaws don't open as wide as normal ferrets.
There seems to be a connection of ferrets with Neural crest disorders and other diseases too. My vet thinks that becauase Josie was born a Panda, this predisposed her to the Juvenile Lymphosarcoma.
Animals with white markings are often sought after at pet shops and breeders because they are considered more "cute" than their counterparts that exhibit "normal" coloration.
Neural Crest Disorder may be tied in with the fox "star gene" which has been shown to show up when subsequent generations are bred for "domesticity". Humans tend to breed for considerable white markings in many animals and after generations of these breedings, only then after other health problems have become prevalent do they begin to realize that while white markings ARE found in nature, they are there as warnings or camouflage. The white markings are generally NOT on the head- but rather along the ventral surface or edges.
Humans will breed for a "star" , which becomes a strip, which becomes a blaze, which then begets white sox, and then maybe a white ear, then two white ears and a bib, then finally we end up with a cute white faced animal with a bib, four white sox and a cute white tail- but the animal now has other problems!
Ferrets since the early days of domestication were selected for albinism because it is easier to find a white ferret in the thicket than a sable ferret! also the more white an animal has on it, the less "wild" it is perceived to be.
This is a good site to understand the "fox Star" gene
8e.devbio.com/article.php?id=223
And this is a great site to understand deaf ferrets.
www.wolfysluv.com/deaf.html
in short to improve the health of a species, they need to stay as close to their natural form as possible!
Cheers,
Kim
GO here to learn some more on neural crest cells:
www.brown.edu/Courses/BI0032/neurcrst/migrate.htm
When these cells have a disorder the organism can develop albinism, melanoma and other neurocrestopathies. Internally this can mean the animal's nervous system is not as developed as it should be, its digestive system is not properly innervated even its bones can be affected!
Outwardly this results in a ferret ( or animal) with a lot of white on its head and many other white markings too- white mitts, tip of the tail, knees. The head markings could be a blaze, one or both ears are all white, the entire head is white, they have a white bib too or a white cape.
Their head tends to be broader with the eyes set a little lower and they exhibit a "baby face".
They are usually totally deaf or have a hearing impairment. This stems not as much from improper nerve channels as much as it is from actually improper formation of the cochlea bone within the ear itself!
Often the nerve channels in the cervical spine are narrower and sometimes deformed.
The ferret's jaws don't open as wide as normal ferrets.
There seems to be a connection of ferrets with Neural crest disorders and other diseases too. My vet thinks that becauase Josie was born a Panda, this predisposed her to the Juvenile Lymphosarcoma.
Animals with white markings are often sought after at pet shops and breeders because they are considered more "cute" than their counterparts that exhibit "normal" coloration.
Neural Crest Disorder may be tied in with the fox "star gene" which has been shown to show up when subsequent generations are bred for "domesticity". Humans tend to breed for considerable white markings in many animals and after generations of these breedings, only then after other health problems have become prevalent do they begin to realize that while white markings ARE found in nature, they are there as warnings or camouflage. The white markings are generally NOT on the head- but rather along the ventral surface or edges.
Humans will breed for a "star" , which becomes a strip, which becomes a blaze, which then begets white sox, and then maybe a white ear, then two white ears and a bib, then finally we end up with a cute white faced animal with a bib, four white sox and a cute white tail- but the animal now has other problems!
Ferrets since the early days of domestication were selected for albinism because it is easier to find a white ferret in the thicket than a sable ferret! also the more white an animal has on it, the less "wild" it is perceived to be.
This is a good site to understand the "fox Star" gene
8e.devbio.com/article.php?id=223
And this is a great site to understand deaf ferrets.
www.wolfysluv.com/deaf.html
in short to improve the health of a species, they need to stay as close to their natural form as possible!
Cheers,
Kim
www.holisticferret.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=medicine&action=display&thread=966
How to tell if your ferret is deaf