Health Matters 16

Jills Ills

I think most of us who run rescues, or who are Co-ordinators, or are otherwise available for ferret related questions, get frequent calls about jills and how to cope with their coming into season. I certainly get a lot of questions on the topic. Rather than itemise every call point by point I've collated them into the main issues of concern.

Quite clearly, the main issue everyone raised was the question of dealing with a jill's reproductive system - what do you do to prevent problems associated with her being in season? Do you give a 'jill-jab', put her to a vasectomised hob, have her spayed, breed from her or do nothing? As it's 'that time of year' it seemed a good idea to concentrate on jills' seasons.

It seems that most people now are aware that they need to do something for their jill. The most current veterinary estimates are that about 50% of entire jills who are left in season will develop some form of illness associated with the effects of oestrogens suppressing bone marrow functioning, or an increased vulnerability to infection. The question many of you asked was 'what is best for my jill?' and quite a few of you gave me accounts of your own experiences of pros and cons of various options.

Let's take spaying first.

Spaying - ovariohysterectomy

Advantages - surgical removal of ovaries, womb and other reproductive organs. This obviously means no future seasons, no phantoms pregnancies or uterine (womb) problems like pyometra, metritis or similar that can arise in entire jills.

Disadvantages - non-reversible, so breeding is impossible; requires surgery and anaesthesia; possible complications if some ovarian tissue is left; can be quite expensive although this varies from vet to vet. I've heard of costs between £15 and £60. If in doubt call me or someone from NFWS to advise.

On the whole, most owners will agree that spaying is the best option for jills who will never be bred from. A lot of rubbish is talked about anaesthetic risks, even by some vets, although this is usually down to lack of experience. Most jills sail through, others are a bit dozy for a day or so.

Choose a time to have your jill spayed when she is fit and well and not in season (although some vets are quite happy to spay a jill in season), and preferably when you have time to keep and eye on her when she comes home. Jills should be at least six months old before the op.

Keep her indoors for a few days where you can keep an eye on her. It is important to keep the body temperature up while the anaesthetic wears off. Even though your jill may have seemed to 'come round', the anaesthetic can still give jills dozy spells and they can fall asleep on their way to the food or water dish! This would obviously not be a good thing if they were outside as they could risk hypothermia.

Keep her on soft bedding until her stitches are removed or, in the case of dissolvable stitches, for about a week to ten days.

Don't return your jill to her group until she is well over the operation. Most vets say about six weeks although it seems most of us play it by ear and make decisions based on how well she seems, who she will be returning to (i.e. gentle companions vs hyperactive maniacs) and also whether there are hobs in the group. Castrated hobs who are no longer interested in jills can be gentle comforting companions, entire hobs can be a danger to post op jills as they can still smell interesting for a while but will not be recovered enough to withstand roughing up.

Similarly give her enough time for her stitches to heal before working her.

There are usually few problems with spaying. A couple of cases that have been reported to me involved ovarian remnants being left after the operation. These jills showed signs of coming into season (e.g. enlarged vulva) even though they had been spayed.

One jill had her condition identified quickly and had the residual ovarian tissue removed. The other was not diagnosed for some time and developed hyperoestrogenism as if she had been left in season. This involved anaemia, severe hair loss, lethargy and general weakness. Luckily, her caring owners continued to seek veterinary treatment and eventually she was diagnosed and had corrective surgery.

(It is worth noting that adrenal disease may also give the appearance of a jill coming into season, so any signs need checking as quickly as possible.)

Jill jabs - 0.5ml proligestone

Well, you seem to either love them or hate them! Many of you find them quick, efficient and easy solutions, others report that your jills found them painful or became, if not actually ill, 'off colour', or had poor coats.

Advantages: - non-surgical, quick, effective and non-permanent. Can be given to jills in season or about to come into season.

Disadvantages: - involves quite a considerable dose of hormones; little knowledge about prolonged, repetitive use. A minority of jills may need two jabs each year. Can be dangerous if given to jills who are already pregnant as it halts the normal pregnancy and can lead to mummification of the developing foetuses. Occasionally jills do not come into season the following spring, causing problems with any plans for breeding.

I guess I had equal votes from people who contacted me as to whether they liked or disliked the jill jab. Costs also seem variable across vets, ranging from £2 - £10 per jab. I've had both sorts of experiences with jill jabs; jills that have been fine and jills that have most definitely lost their sparkle for a few months. One jill that came into us had been given a jill jab at the RSPCA and subsequently turned out to have been pregnant. She went through what we assumed was a phantom pregnancy but which extended to 45 days when there was a dark discharge from her vulva. She needed an emergency spay operation to prevent her becoming dangerously ill.

On the whole, I use jill jabs only when we are reluctant to spay a jill, usually because she is a recent rescue and we are unhappy about her health and subjecting her to an operation. We do not breed our ferrets and prefer to spay as soon as is practical but, on the whole, jill jabs can be useful as short-term, temporary solutions to bringing a jill out of season providing there is no chance of her already being pregnant. I would welcome any information about pros and cons of using jill jabs long-term as I am frequently contacted by vets who are anxious to know.

Vasectomised hobs

Since it is the act of mating rather than conception that brings a jill out of season, it is therefore logical to use a hob who has been vasectomised as he will successfully mate a jill but not cause her to become pregnant. This will result in a pseudo-pregnancy (phantom pregnancy) of normal gestation time (6 weeks).

Advantages:- quick, easy, non-surgical, non-chemical.

Disadvantages:- will last for only 42 days; some vets believe it elevates risks associated with phantom pregnancy such as metritis (inflammation of the womb) or pyometra (collection of pus in the womb). Typically these occur about two to three weeks after mating.

A lot of you gave your support for the use of a vasectomised hob, and I must admit to having a very soft spot for our sweet-tempered Gizmo who, until his recent 'retirement', fulfilled his duties with gentle but effective efficiency. However, there may be some concerns. I only ever let Gizmo be used for jills we were sure were not carrying infection. 'Borrowing' a hob can be a risk for infection for both jill and hob. Even more alarming, six people contacted me to report cases of pyometra. This is a potentially dangerous condition where the uterus becomes infected and fills with pus. The jill is very ill, depressed, lethargic and may have a vaginal discharge. Some may drink large amounts of water. Four occurred within the first three weeks after the mating with a vasectomised hob, two after what would have been the end of gestation i.e. 6 weeks after mating. Fortunately all six cases were detected and all resulted in emergency spay ops, the jills making a full recovery.

Having said that, it is easy to get alarmist about things, and six cases is small compared to the number of jills put to vasectomised hobs or the health risks involved in leaving a jill in season.

So back to the original question - what is best for your jill? There will always be people who will swear by one method or the other, but at the end of the day it's up to you. Don't be put off by scare-mongering about spaying and anaesthesia. If you do not intend to breed, seriously consider this option. After all, if any of the other methods result in complications your jill will be faced with an emergency spay operation anyway, so why not have it done when she is fit and healthy?

If permanent sterilisation is not a choice for your jill, then maybe the jill-jab is an option, or the use of vasectomised hob, although be watchful for possible post-mating complications.

Whatever you choose, jills are usually tough little beasts whose dainty looks tend to belie the nature and constitution of a prize fighter. It's easy to read or hear about jilly problems and come to a conclusion that they are delicate little flowers who are more problem than they are worth. Not so (as anyone meeting Jeff's beloved jills will have noticed!). But they deserve our care and consideration and in return they'll work their little socks off for us.

June McNicholas.