To Katie Walker: >Anyway, the reason I am writing is to get some advice on hairballs. Ian >has been sort of hacking of late like he has a hairball. Katie - have you noticed any hairballs on the floor, or hair in the feces? While hairballs are common in ferrets, they are not the only cause of hacking. A hacking cough may be the result of inhalation of foreign material like dust, bronchitis, or even heart disease (yes, even in a 5-month old.) If the laxative is working, I think that George should make a trip to the vet for a more thorough check-up. Bruce Williams, DVM, DACVP [Posted in FML issue 1287]