Waardenburg Syndrome - in Animals

In Animals

Waardenburg syndrome is known to occur in ferrets. The affected animal will usually have a small white stripe along the top or back of its head, sometimes down the back of the neck (known as a blaze) or a solid white head (from nose to shoulders; ferrets with this are known as a panda marked ferret) and a somewhat, although barely noticeably, flatter skull than normal ferrets. As a ferret's sense of hearing is poor to begin with it is not easily noticeable except for when the affected animal does not react to loud noises that non-affected ones will respond to. As the disorder is easily spread to offspring, the affected animal will not be used for breeding by private, reputable breeders, although it may still be neutered and sold as a pet. However, largely as a result of mass-breeding due to the "exotic" markings it gives (when compared to a standard sable/pole cat marked or albino ferret), 75% of US ferrets with a blaze or white head sold from pet stores are deaf.