A thought on MBD

[niapet]

MBD in humans is called osteoporosis, or maybe it would be closer to Hypocalcaemia, which can follow osteoporosis. Steroid hormones play a crucial role in the body's ability to metabolize calcium. Men rarely get these diseases because they produce sufficient levels of steroid hormones even in old age. Women, past menopause, are especially at risk because they have almost no steroid hormones in their systems.

Therefore, it follows that those of you who have neutered/spayed your squirrels have severely compromised their ability to metabolize calcium. Perhaps this is the reason that squirrels in captivity are so prone to this disease and squirrels in the wild tend to be far healthier.

Think hard about this before you choose to irreversibly alter your little friends anatomy... =(

[island rehabber]

I think very, very few people actually spay or neuter their squirrels. It's expensive and few vets will even do it. MBD often shows up after 7-8 months of age in captive squirrels, due to poor diet and/or lack of sunlight/UV light with which to metabolize the calcium.

[TexanSquirrel]

I see where you're going with that, but then why don't we see problems in our dogs/cats/rabbits/horses that we spay and neuter?

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

I see where you're going with that, but then why don't we see problems in our dogs/cats/rabbits/horses that we spay and neuter?
:thumbsup

[digiandchipper]

...and buns...:bunny

[TexanSquirrel]

I said buns! Actually, I said rabbits, which may be a bit different from buns. :crazy

[digiandchipper]

ooops, going back I DO see you mentioned rabbits. Guess I forget my bun IS a rabbit :D (of course, he doesn't think he is either one) :poke

[4skwerlz]

The "menopause" factor in osteoporosis seems to be primarily a female thing, in humans, whereas the vast majority of squirrels that are neutered are males. In fact, I don't know of any altered female squirrels. However, you do bring up an interesting point--one I had never considered--and I think I'll do a little investigation into this issue....

[FLUFFYTAILNUT]

MBD in humans is called osteoporosis, or maybe it would be closer to Hypocalcaemia, which can follow osteoporosis. Steroid hormones play a crucial role in the body's ability to metabolize calcium. Men rarely get these diseases because they produce sufficient levels of steroid hormones even in old age. Women, past menopause, are especially at risk because they have almost no steroid hormones in their systems.

Therefore, it follows that those of you who have neutered/spayed your squirrels have severely compromised their ability to metabolize calcium. Perhaps this is the reason that squirrels in captivity are so prone to this disease and squirrels in the wild tend to be far healthier.

Think hard about this before you choose to irreversibly alter your little friends anatomy... =(
Id like to know..why I swear every thread..you start it's like your stirring up..."SOME THING?!":thinking
Do you think that YOU have so much more knowledge that any of the licenced rehabber's on here....and other experienced members?:dono

We have all been managing just fine...with the spayed or neutered squirrel's....and doing this has been given long and hard.... careful consideration to the longevity of their furry family members.
When you come on here..with your scolding attitude it is VERY annoying to every one...:dono
Maybe you could give a careful consideraton.."long and hard"..to what YOU post..that YOUR not offending..those that have had their squirrel's spayed or neutered.
FTN:peace

[Mrs. Jack]

I have severe osteoporosis and it has nothing to do with menopause, hey I have my period right now go me. It has everything to do with my diet/nutrition/vitamin/mineral intake.

but what my question would be is how it is unnatural to spay or neuter an animal on the one hand and yet homeopathy which is VERY natural would be the wrong choice for an animal.

[Mountain Mama]

MBD in humans is called osteoporosis, or maybe it would be closer to Hypocalcaemia, which can follow osteoporosis. Steroid hormones play a crucial role in the body's ability to metabolize calcium. Men rarely get these diseases because they produce sufficient levels of steroid hormones even in old age. Women, past menopause, are especially at risk because they have almost no steroid hormones in their systems.

Therefore, it follows that those of you who have neutered/spayed your squirrels have severely compromised their ability to metabolize calcium. Perhaps this is the reason that squirrels in captivity are so prone to this disease and squirrels in the wild tend to be far healthier.

Think hard about this before you choose to irreversibly alter your little friends anatomy... =(

Niapet, I have to respectfully disagree with you. Steroid hormones do not have anything to do with the body's ability to metabolize calcium. If you disagree, will you tell me which steroid hormones you are referring to? Menopause does not effect steroid production or metabolism. Menopause, by definition, is the cessation of the production of estrogen, resulting in the discontinuation of menstrual periods.

Menopause causes osteoporosis in humans because loss of estrogens accelerates bone loss. The lack of estrogen enhances the ability of osteoclasts (the cells that tear down bones) to absorb bone. It's like giving Red Bull to the osteoclasts. At the same time, the osteoblasts (the cells which produce new bone) are not encouraged to make new bone, so the osteoclasts win and ultimately, more bone is lost than is made.

The next thing you know Sally Field is talking to you about how difficult it is to set aside a whole morning a week to take a pill.:D

So again, I am going to respectfully disagree with you about this. Spaying and neutering just don't cause MBD, at least not on this pathway.

[TexanSquirrel]

:goodpost MM

Good to know, MJ. Good to know. o.O

:crazy

[SkwerlGirl]

Id like to know..why I swear every thread..you start it's like your stirring up..."SOME THING?!":thinking
Do you think that YOU have so much more knowledge that any of the licenced rehabber's on here....and other experienced members?:dono

We have all been managing just fine...with the spayed or neutered squirrel's....and doing this has been given long and hard.... careful consideration to the longevity of their furry family members.
When you come on here..with your scolding attitude it is VERY annoying to every one...:dono
Maybe you could give a careful consideraton.."long and hard"..to what YOU post..that YOUR not offending..those that have had their squirrel's spayed or neutered.
FTN:peace

:goodpost :banana

[FallensMommie]

We understand you are against altering animals...been there done that on this issue :shakehead

MBD can be seen in as little as 5 days. In saying that, those of us that have altered our squirrels, shouldn't we have been treating them already for MBD if hormones in animals play that much of a vital role. I altered mine months ago and mine has not shown any signs of MBD, but according to your opinion mine should be suffering by now, right? Squirrels in captivity are getting MBD due to a improper diet...it's Vit D that helps calcium get absorbed in the diet and case after case of somebody coming on here with their squirrel suffing from MBD it was due to diet and once correct their squirrel got better...altereded or not altered.

You have brought up this issue of altering animals in the past...we understand your stance on "you don't have the right to alter any animals and how you would never do that to them etc."...that is fine....it's your opinion and your feelings, but that doesn't mean we all feel this way!

[sadiesmom]

Niapet, I have to respectfully disagree with you. Steroid hormones do not have anything to do with the body's ability to metabolize calcium. If you disagree, will you tell me which steroid hormones you are referring to? Menopause does not effect steroid production or metabolism. Menopause, by definition, is the cessation of the production of estrogen, resulting in the discontinuation of menstrual periods.

Menopause causes osteoporosis in humans because loss of estrogens accelerates bone loss. The lack of estrogen enhances the ability of osteoclasts (the cells that tear down bones) to absorb bone. It's like giving Red Bull to the osteoclasts. At the same time, the osteoblasts (the cells which produce new bone) are not encouraged to make new bone, so the osteoclasts win and ultimately, more bone is lost than is made.

The next thing you know Sally Field is talking to you about how difficult it is to set aside a whole morning a week to take a pill.:D

So again, I am going to respectfully disagree with you about this. Spaying and neutering just don't cause MBD, at least not on this pathway.

A wee tad off topic, but I just went through weeks of lecture that included this topic (the processes of osteoblasts and osteoclasts and all that good snazz) in my anatomy class, and you sound just like my professor! She Sally Field-ed us forever about how we'd end up on Boniva or Fosamax if we weren't careful about bone health! (Although, the lectures weren't that horrible. I actually learned a lot on a cellular level that I could apply to the health of my sweet little Sadie!)