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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2011 1:33:11 GMT -5
Both Olivia and Sophies poop have seemed a little too small and skinny looking lately and I know they are both shedding because they are changing colours like crazy! I have been giving them pumpkin with every meal (roughly 1 tsp per ferret per day) but it wasn't until I gave them tonic lax last night that I saw BIG huge nasty hairballs come out in the poop (not sure whose). Now this got me wondering, is pumpkin enough to make them pass hairballs during a really big shed or should I also be giving some lax (since it was only after the lax that the hairballs were passed)? How often is lax safe to give? Olivia will eat tonic lax (full of sugar so not the best I know) but Sophie HATES it so I have to give her straight Vaseline (which makes poops disgusting and causes absorption problems I've heard) but it's better than them getting hairballs stuck I figure. Id rather just use pumpkin and oil (which they also get once a day) but had anyone else found they need lax during a bad shed? I am putting an order in to caseys hidden pantry and they carry a good petroleum free hairball remedy I'm gonna order (tomlyns natural petroleum free) but im just wondering how much Vaseline/tonic lax is okay to give in the mean time? And how do I really know when the hairballs have passed? And how do I know when the shed's over? (it's not like they are shedding hair everywhere). Sorry, This is the first time my girls have really shed so I'm a little clueless Thanks
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Post by Sherry on Oct 6, 2011 8:49:17 GMT -5
During heavy shedding seasons, I'll give lax or vaseline once a week. It really does seem to help. I know many don't unless a problem crops up, but with a first shed especially, there seems to be so much more fur. Just to mention- a tsp per ferret seems a lot to me. But then, I only give 1/2 tsp. As for when the shed is over- it's when they've got their new coat
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2011 10:46:53 GMT -5
no - some hairballs have to be surgically removed- if the ferret is unable to deficate and you must watch him or her closely - you made need emergency vet appointment.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2011 21:01:40 GMT -5
Thanks both ferrets are still pooping fine, they are just passing hairballs in their stool as well. And you're right sherry, I probably use too much pumpkin, they don't usually eat it all, I probably only get 1/2 tsp pumpkin actually into them per day. But I will probably use the lax once a week until the shedding stops just to be safe. Thanks
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Post by miamiferret2 on Oct 6, 2011 22:18:52 GMT -5
The tomlyns is good but i find that i still have to use vaseline.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2011 0:47:28 GMT -5
The tomlyns is good but i find that i still have to use vaseline. Hmm, good to know, thanks! I figured it wouldn't work as well as good ol' vaseline becasue it's pretty hard to copy petroleum jelly's lubricating and hairball wrapping-around powers without using it. It's just unfortunate it has the side effects that it does
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Post by punkchica on Dec 2, 2011 0:44:52 GMT -5
god I feel like I know nothing about ferrets, um you just give them plane Vaseline alone? And how do you give them the pumpkin you mash it up? (soooo clueless about this)
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Post by miamiferret2 on Dec 2, 2011 8:43:07 GMT -5
Yes. During shed season give 1 teaspoon of pure canned pumpkin per day (pure pumpkin pureed- not the kind with sugar and cinnamon that they use for pies. I like libbys). Give 1/2 teaspoon of pure vaseline petroleum jelly ( the original formula- the white one) once a week during shed season. If they don't like the taste of vaseline ( most of them like it) mix in some fish oil or linatone, ferretone, etc. The vaseline should be used during shed season & only about once a week bc it blocks absorption of nutrients if used too much. If you ever suspect a hairballs vaseline & pumpkin are great. 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil in food will also keep them lubed & helps with hairballs.
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Post by punkchica on Dec 2, 2011 10:59:07 GMT -5
thanks a lot for the information! Ill have to go out and buy some pure Vaseline then
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Post by miamiferret2 on Dec 2, 2011 11:01:50 GMT -5
thanks a lot for the information! Ill have to go out and buy some pure Vaseline then you are prob the only person i know that doesn't have vaseline in their medicine cabinet! LOL
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Post by Deleted on Dec 2, 2011 18:12:10 GMT -5
Can you give too much pumpkin? I'm not talkign about feeding it straight, but I add it to every mix, probably two to four ice cubes per quart of meat.
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Post by Heather on Dec 2, 2011 18:34:59 GMT -5
Funny stuff that pumpkin Give it by the tsp and you will solid up a loose stool...give it by the tbsp and you will create a loose stool. If you're just trying to move things along rather than trying to dispose of an unwanted blockage...you give it by the tsp The more you give the looser the stool....and the less of a job that it's supposed to do. If you're not moving a blockage then you don't want things to move through any faster than they already do. It's hard enough for a ferret to assimilate what it eats, because of the speed things move through it's digestive tract...so you don't want to create this unless absolutely necessary ciao
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Post by punkchica on Dec 4, 2011 17:31:36 GMT -5
I actually have Vaseline but its about ten years old, and I want to buy one especially for her, which I did this weekend and then mistakenly forgot it at my boyfriends house lol
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Post by punkchica on Dec 14, 2011 22:16:27 GMT -5
She loves the vaseline I've been giving her 1/2 teaspoon once a week now
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Post by Heather on Dec 14, 2011 22:54:43 GMT -5
Please be very careful using vaseline on a regular basis. It should only be used in the most severe of cases and never as a regular treatment. Vaseline coats the bowel preventing the absorbtion of required nutrients eventually causing malnutrition. Pumpkin is the food of choice to recreate the hair, fur and other undigestibles that are needed to keep a ferrets system clear of obstructions. ciao
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