Hi, Jadesun!  I'm so sorry to hear about your ferret's hairballs!  :-<  I'm
glad he's feeling better now.
 
You know, this is just a theory ..  but I was wondering if perhaps all of
that hairball remedy you have been giving your ferret might perhaps
actually contribute to the hairball problem, rather than remedy it.  Here's
my line of thinking: I know that colonics, enemas, laxatives and such used
to be very popular among "old time" herbalists.  Actually, if you read a
book called "Back to Eden", by Jethro Kloss, you'll see that he recommends
enemas to solve every problem from headaches to acne.  Yuck!
 
Anyway, those treatments have sort of fallen out of favour, as it was found
that artificial methods of stimulating elimination (such as laxatives, etc..
which I believe is what hairball remedies basically are ...) can create a
dependency.  In other words, when these products are overused, the body
becomes so dependent on them that it loses its ability to naturally
regulate elimination, and the digestive system becomes sluggish and
constipated when laxatives and enemas are not used.  A little artificial
stimulation when necessary is a good thing; too much, and the system
forgets how to function without assistance.
 
I'm wondering if perhaps the same thing isn't happening here; the ferret's
system is so used to being fed hairball remedy to aid elimination that it
has lost its ability to move things along naturally without it?  Just a
theory; glad your little guy is feeling better!
 
- Ela
[Posted in FML issue 2591]