In a recent private email the subject of hairballs/coughing/laxative came
up, so I thought I would post a reminder to all...
 
Ferrets generally shed in Spring and Fall.  Therefore, I give a 1 inch
"ribbon" of Laxatone or Petromalt (found in the cat section of the pet
store) every 3-4 days.  If coughing is a concern (and it has been for
Chipper recently - shedding in January?!) admin it every other day till
coughing subsides (about 2 days - any longer, be very concerned).  Ferrets
cannot cough up a hairball like cats - it will/can become an intestinal
blockage.  A local triangle vet faxed me last year a drawing of a large
sized hairball removed from a ferret - scary pic.
 
From the Ferret Central website (ferretcentral.org - great resource -
use it):
 
Intestinal blockages:
 
"Caused by eating something indigestible, such as an eraser, a rubber band,
some fabrics, or even a good-sized hairball (accumulated from grooming),
which gets stuck.
 
Symptoms may include (one or more of) lack of bowel movement, constipation,
bloating, vomiting or heaving, drooling, and others.  Blockages may occur
at any point in the digestive tract, from the throat through the lower
intestine, even in the stomach where the object may move around and produce
only intermittent symptoms.
 
Blockages are serious and occasionally fatal; the most important immediate
concern is to keep your ferret hydrated, which you can do by giving him 5
cc of water every 4 hours from a baby feeding syringe.  You can try giving
your ferret large doses of hairball remedy every 30 minutes for an hour or
two to see if the blockage passes, but if not, take him to a vet right away
for an X-ray, barium study, and/or surgery to remove it.  Laxatone or a
similar hairball remedy/laxative can help prevent this."
 
Most ferrets consider Laxatone/Petromalt a treat - use it with squeak toy
training, if necessary.
 
Shari Gunter
[Posted in FML issue 2930]