Hello everyone,
 
My seven-year old neutered male ferret, Elie Wiesel, who has weathered
giardia, ECE, and 2 adrenal surgeries (both surgeries in the last year), has
what our vet, Dr. Weiss, thinks is a hairball.  When Elie started straining
to defecate and was producing only thin 'poops', I took him to the vets and
he had a barium series.  On the film it does look like it might be a
hairball--it certainly does not seem to be a hard object or a piece of
rubber.  Dr. Weiss said that we could do surgery right away or I could
administer Petromalt and watch, and wait.  Dr. Weiss did think that the
hairball was too large to come out on his own, but as Elie only had his last
surgery a month ago and he didn't seem to be in pain or in immediate danger,
we opted for the latter approach.  So far, so good, although the poops are
still on the long, thin side.  He is fairly active and is eating well.
 
Can anyone add anything regarding hairballs?  Can/will they dissolve
eventually (I don't think so, but I had to ask anyway)?  Does the Petromalt
do any good?  How much (and how often) should I administer?  I've been
giving a pea-sized amount on a daily basis.
 
Thanks for any advice,
 
Gail Shochet
and Elie Wiesel, Pixel, Kiaya, Pepe, Scully, and of course husband
Michael
[Posted in FML issue 2373]