Matthew wrote about hairballs...
 
>Has anyone every had their ferret cough up a hairball (the actual term
>should be a hair log)?  On a yearly basis, Farley has cough up a log
>anywhere from an inch to two inches long.  Usually this occurs around
>shedding season.  It is rather difficult watching him but eventually he
>coughs it up.  I have not know any other ferret to do the same.
 
I had heard that ferrets do not cough up hairballs, but Obelix has also
done this.  Twice I think, but the second time I didn't *see* it happen so
I can only assume it was him again.  When I saw this that first time I was
petrified.  He coughed and wheezed and seemed to try to vomit.  It probably
didn't last for long, but it felt like hours.  He finally "coughed" up not
one, but two long tubes of hair.  They were, as you said between one and
two inches long.  After he seemed happy and fine but I did ask the vet
about the incident.  She said it was unusual but definately not unheard of
that ferrets cough up hairballs from time to time.
 
>Since the first episode almost 4 yrs ago, I have been giving the gang a
>daily does of laxatone (or Petromalt.  Any kind of cat hairball treatment
>can be used).
 
I have a cat hairball treatment but I only give as an infrequent treat
normally.  Now when they are shedding I give them small doses every day
or every second day.  It seems to work fine.
 
>Subject: ethoxyquin
 
Siani, as you noticed neither Iams kitten nor Iams adult cat food have
ethozyquin as a preservative but tocopherols.  I know they changed their
formula recently, allegedly adding more chicken to it (yay!), it could
have been then they changed the preservatives as well.
 
From what I understand, mixed tocopherols are antioxidants that are
extracted from several vegetable oils, this in not the same as ethoxyquin.
 
Millan
Ozzy, Obelix and Phoebe
[Posted in FML issue 2848]