Like the canary in the coalmine, erectile dysfunction is often a sign of unseen danger. When he's in the mood, the male fossa is quite the sex machine. A close relation to the mongoose, the fossa (aka the Pink Panther of Madagascar) displays phenomenal sexual stamina, with copulation lasting up to eight hours. This is impressive, but the fossa boasts something people don't have - a baculum, or penis bone. Most mammals have this bone; the raccoon baculum, which can grow to 55 centimetres, is sometimes called a "hillbilly toothpick" and is reputedly used as a coffee stirrer. But that's another story. Because men don't have a baculum, getting an erection is all about blood pressure. The downside is eight-hour sex sessions are rare but it does mean your erection, or lack thereof, could be sending you a vital message. Sydney urologist Dr Phillip Katelaris says: "In many cases erectile dysfunction is an early-warning sign something else is wrong. It's really the canary in the coalmine for other serious conditions like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even depression." Some 40 per cent of Katelaris's practice is made up of men with erectile dysfunction. Andrology Australia says this affects 21 per cent of men aged 40 to 64, and 43 per cent of those over 65. "By far the most common cause [of erectile dysfunction] is cardiovascular disease," Katelaris says. The disease kills more Australians than any other disease group - 46,134 people, or 35 per cent of all deaths in 2005... Read Complete News: http://www.smh.com.au/news/lifeandstyle/health/take-impotence-as-a-warning/2008/10/29/1224956094214.html