Mixing vetasyl and jims sop

Question
Hello,
I am going to use the easy and uncle Jim's soup mix to treat my ferrets for hairballs. My question is I am seeing what looks like two different kinds of the vetasyl mix. One says it is 500 milligrams, the other says it is fiber and the two bottles look different. Which one is the correct one to use? Also it states to give a dog or cat 1 500 milligram cap for 20 pounds! How can a tiny ferret have once cap mixed with 6 oz of water and two teaspoons of the Jim mix. Is that to strong for them everyday like that? Confused........

Answer
Hello Donna,

Vetasyl is an excellent way to help prevent hairballs in ferrets. You want the 500 mg capsules which can be purchased in numerous online stores or in a local pet shop if you are lucky!  I am not sure why the bottles look different, but vetasyl is essentially a fiber supplement.  Perhaps the company changed the label and there are still some of the older bottles floating around.   

VETASYL 500 mg:   http://www1.shopping.com/xFS?KW=vetasyl&CLT=SCH

UNCLE JIM'S DUK SOUP MIX: http://www1.shopping.com/xFS?KW=Uncle+Jim%27s+Duk+Soup+Mix&CLT=SCH

WHAT DO I DO WITH IT WHEN IT GETS HERE?

BEFORE STARTING, mix the "soup":
Use the CONTENTS OF ONE VETASYL CAPSULE (toss the cap itself away) blended into 6-OZ OF VERY WARM WATER and TWO LEVEL TEASPOONS of Uncle Jim's Duk Soup Mix.  I know one full 500 mg capsule sounds like a lot, but it is only a fiber supplement.  It will not hurt your ferret.  Make sure the mixture is WARM when you feed it to your ferret.  

PREPARE THE AREA (this is just for the first few times to introduce them to it):
Have a couple paper towels (for any food that is spit or spilled); a spoon, the warm "soup", a really good attitude, quiet unrushed atmosphere, and A WARM WET WASHCLOTH.

SIT IN A COMFORTABLE, RELAXING ATMOSPHERE, HOLDING THE FERRET ON YOUR LAP:
Talk to him for a minute, reassure him it's okay. Look at the ferret in the eyes, stroke his face. Gently but firmly SCRUFF the ferret firmly just below the ears with your left hand let his back feet rest on your lap. Use your right hand to gently wipe his face with the WARM washcloth, working from his nose back to his ears, all the while talking to him, working your way all the way around his little face and neck.  This is all done in a gentle, loving way, soft tone of voice, even sing a lullabye if you wish.  This activity helps relax the ferret lets him know you want to (scruff) be in charge; and (warm washcloth gently stroking facial fur back - grooming) helps him become submissive.

Next, (you will need to re-grasp your scruff from time to time until he gets used to this enough that he will eat it on his own, but for now, continue to scruff him) dip your finger into the "soup" (be sure it's still warm) and touch it to your ferret's mouth (be ready for him/her to  spit - have a paper towel handy).  (**IMPORTANT NOTE:  BE SURE you are holding the ferret UPRIGHT, not laying him backwards like a baby; he will choke - keep his SPINE UPRIGHT and you will do just fine.)  Try again however many times necessary. Each time, take the opportunity to stir the mixture with the finger you are dipping into the mixture.  Continue until the ferret gets a good taste of it several times. Best way is to put a little bit behind the canines (the long teeth) with your fingers so they HAVE to taste it. Usually once they taste it, they will be surprised that they actually like it! :-)  DON'T RUSH THE FERRET - this should be a relaxing time. Once they get a good taste, they will lap it up willingly and it will take very very little time to do this.  You want the ferret to eat as much of the 'soup' as possible - ALL OF IT if it will (my large male ferret will eat nearly a whole six ounces by himself!)  It's just the initial introduction that you have to go thru all this ceremony. My ferrets - I just mix a bowl and put it on the floor and they come running and empty the bowl. :-)   

This IS a product that 99.99999% of ferrets love, so please don't give up - keep offering it; keep the atmosphere light, sing to your ferret; make this a happy time, not a tense time and that will help. Your ferret will enjoy this time if you make it a routine by doing it the same way each time.   WHEN FINISHED - ALWAYS 'RE-SCRUFF', WIPE YOUR FERRETS FACE WITH A WARM, WET WASHCLOTH, STROKING FROM THE FRONT OF THE MOUTH BACK BEYOND THE EARS ALL THE WAY AROUND THE FACE AND NECK.  Again, grooming behaviors that reinforce the message to your ferret "I love you - I am taking care of you".  I think ferrets who get this kind of care really are more mellow and more anxious to please their owners. I do things like this with my own ferrets and don't think to share them, but am going to try to be better about sharing *all* the things we do here at our house that makes it an especially ferret-friendly place to be.

                                             * * * * * *
****ONLY ONE URGENT CAUTION***   You MUST use PLENTY OF WATER when you mix this! STIR WELL - you can even pause while the ferret is eating and stir it again, as the part that expands and does the work does tend to settle in the bottom of the bowl; but you MUST NOT use less water - If you use less water, YOU CAN CAUSE A BLOCKAGE WITH THIS MIXTURE IF USED IMPROPERLY. The product is psyllium and barley (like Metamucil for people) and it expands after ingested, so it NEEDS the water to expand AND to keep it moving along through the
intestinal tract.  DO NOT USE THE DIRECTIONS ON THE LABEL FOR DOGS & CATS (says to just 'sprinkle it on their food' (that would KILL a ferret!) - using this products for ferrets is considered and "off label use", which means you must use it differently for that animal. Ferrets MUST have LOTS of additional water for this product to work as we are using it.
                                            * * * * *  *

  REPEAT TREATMENT A MINIMUM OF ONCE A DAY
              FOR THREE DAYS IN A ROW
                   for the initial treatment.

Do watch your ferrets stools while he/she is taking this medication. KEEP anything that is passed in the poop during this time. IF it is part of something, of course you want to be looking for the missing part, to see if it passes also. Check around the house, in his toys, bedding, cage, etc. If you cannot find any missing parts, you must *assume* that he has also swallowed that part, so continue to give the Mixture and watch for that part to be expelled in the stool also.

AFTER the three days of taking the soup every night, you must continue to give the "soup" every night until *no* hair pieces, *no* toy parts, nothing strange comes out in your ferret's poop - then you know your ferret's intestinal tract is clean. For some ferrets, three days is enough, some need four or five or even seven days until everything is out of them!  You must examine your ferret's poops so know when to stop.

EXAMINING THE POOPS:
Place fresh poops on several layers of folded over paper towels and spread poop out with popsicle stick or something similar.  Spread it thin so you can see if there is a little ball of fur, any small fur ball or toy.  It's not unusual to not see anything the first day; sometimes not even the second day, but by the third day, almost everyone sees SOMETHING - I've had some wild reports of interesting things people have found too!  So, please DO check so you know what your ferret is getting into - so you can RE-ferretproof your house AND be sure these items are out of your ferret's reach in the future.  Also, you will know for sure when it is safe to stop your ferret's "soup" treatment.

AFTER THE INITIAL TREATMENT:
I give a 3-day treatment every other weekend to my ferret.  He grooms himself a lot and he has a history of one surgery for hairball removal, which means he has some scar tissue inside his intestines that will especially grab any fur passing through his intestines and be even more likely to get another hairball.  Most "normal" people can probably treat a healthy ferret with ONE 3-DAY TREATMENT ONCE A MONTH - but do watch to see if they are passing anything in the treatments and if they are, extend the treatments to 4 or 5 days if necessary.

DURING SHEDDING TIME:
I give the treatment DAILY during shedding time.  I also "pluck" my ferrets (that's a whole 'nuther story) to remove loose fur, but anybody whose ferret is shedding should be giving them the soup DAILY until they are SURE the shedding is over.

THE PROOF IS IN THE.......er, POOPS!
You will KNOW your ferret has healthy intestines because your ferret will poop big fat poops like he/she did when they were just a kit. Most older ferrets poop small poops because almost every ferret has at least a partial blockage - it's NOT necessary - there IS a cure and it does NOT involve surgery!  A ferret with a clean intestinal tract is a LOT happier, energetic and just all over in better health than one that is getting either no hairball treatment or a petroleum-based goopy laxative, even if they get it on a daily basis - those are SO messy; and they just do NOT work!

Hopefully that will answer any questions you have. You MUST do these treatments regularly and not wait for a problem to start them. Should your kids have distended tummies or not be passing poops (or be passing only small amounts or skinny poops, do NOT use this; get them to the vet - you have a surgical emergency."

I hope this answer proves useful.  Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns!

-Cindy P.