Folks,
 
  {Usual disclaimer - all opinions herein are my own.)
 
Question has come up via Lee McKee, etc regarding vegetable oils for
lubricants when a foreign body is suspected.  Generally, petrolatum based
products are better for this, as Lee pointed out, as they go through the
intestines fairly unchanged, pushing nasty things out ahead.  I will
recommend olive oil for lubrication of suspected hairballs, but ONLY if the
ferret in question absolutely will not eat laxatone or its counterparts.
Their was an article on hairballs etc in Modern Ferret (#8?) about this (I
should remember, I wrote it).
 
However, despite this information, laxatives seldom remove hairballs in my
experience.  Any continuing problems, these fuzzies need to see a vet ASAP.
 
-Dr. Karen
[Posted in FML issue 2224]