I wanted to comment on hairballs. I am the very proud boastful owner of
three precious McKids: Fox, Bear and Scarlet. Last spring I noticed as
I was cleaning up some newspaper, something really weird in one of the
poops. It was so weird I got a toothpick and picked the poop apart.
There was fuzz in there, ALOT of it. Needless to say I was a little
alarmed, but at that point wasn't sure what to think, wasn't sure if it
was ferret fur, or fuzz from blankies or hammies or something, so I
just watched.....every day there was a wad of hair in a poop pile. I
started washing the poop in the sink with the drain all but closed,
capturing the hair (yes at this point I'm using my hands....they wash).
The hair is like the end of a Q tip in that it is compact, stuffed firm
in a bullet like wad (intestinal width, apparently). I also had at this
point isolated that it was in fact ferret fur, and Fox's, since no one
else is the color of Fox (he's called Fox for a reason!)

So I'm lubing everyone up real good (maybe a little overkill) with
Catlax (mine like that brand the best, very reasonably priced for $2.45
at omahavaccine.com - they hated all the ferret brands). But every day
there are the wads. A couple were over an inch long. I start collecting
it (my children don't call me eccentric without reason!) Finally I
decide, even though he's eating and pooping and dooking like a champ,
to *rush* him to the vet (2 hours away) to get him checked out for
possible blockage possibility (I meant to say that). I bring my little
baggie at this point filled with fur clumps with me. Yes, I was
brushing him daily. I am nothing if not diligent to do all I can. I
have a shedding blade, it works fantastic, and I get a lot of fur
flying around the house in doing so. Still the fur balls comes (in the
poops).

My vet is astounded. Fascinated. Absolutely mesmerized by my little
baggie FULL of Fox fur. He takes pictures (of the fur balls). He can't
believe how much there is from ONE ferret. But we both agree, it is
Fox's, all of it. He xrays Fox and there are no blockages apparent
anywhere. Advises me to continue with the Catlax and observation. We
go home, losing only an entire day, a tank of gas and a ton of worry.

My vet eventually writes an article on hair balls in ferrets for a
veterinary magazine, including the pictures of Fox's fur wads (really).
Eventually the spring shedding season ends and so do the daily
appearance of poopy furry bullets.

So I guess the moral of the story is keep an eye on those poops!!! Or
keep up the Catlax!! In the words of Shrek, "Better out than in, I
always say....."

Mary in Virginia
Happily owned by Bianka the White, Fox, Bear and Scarlet
A righteous man cares for the needs of his animals. Proverbs 12:10

[Posted in FML 6140]