ferret brush

Question
Hi, this is my second winter that I've had ferrets, and they have grown GIGANTIC winter coats! I'm concerned with spring coming about possible intestinal blockages when they start shedding SOOO much extra fur, and I bought a brush so I can start brushing them every day to take out any loose fur before they start grooming. The brush I got is a "soft slicker brush" in the smallest size I could get. It is made for removing loose fur from dogs, and I wanted to know if it's safe to use on the ferrets. I was going to brush them VERY gently, not even touching the skin, just to get the extra fur, but I wanted to make sure that they don't have super sensitive skin that I don't know about and I would damage them somehow with this brush. Is it safe to use during shedding season on ferrets? This is actually the exact brush I got:
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2752789
Is that ok to use on my babies? I have some ferretlax handy too for when the shedding starts to get at the most extreme!
Thank you so much!

Answer
Hello Lisa!

That us wonderful your kids have such nice fur coats!  It IS true that there will be fur everywhere come the spring shedding season.  A brush is a great tool provided they will sit still for it.  Ferrets have unusually tough skin, and I am doubtful this brush will hurt them, in fact it will probably be more like a massage!

Another thing you can do is a "pluck the coat".  Place the fur between your thumb and forefinger and carefully pull upward.  Any loose fur will become dislodged and fall away in your hand.  Plucking usually feels good to them, since loosing the coat is an itchy procedure.  They will probably love it, and you can do this several times daily.  This process will not hurt them, only prevent them from ingesting the unnecessary fur that would normally fall out.  You will be surprised how much fur these guys loose during the spring!  

You should definitely use some sort of hairball treatment once the shedding begins.  Ferrets have been known to get intestinal obstructions from ingesting too much fur, so watch out for any vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, decreased appetite or abdominal discomfort.  Ferretlax is a useful medicine,  but be aware that obstructions can occur even though it is used!

I have learned of another excellent hairball treatment from Jacquie Rodgers, another expert on this site.  This was taken directly from one of her answers:

"You've probably already read about the "three-day hairball treatment" that I like to use on my kids and recommend for other ferret owners.  I just find this to be so much more effective than Laxatone, Ferretlax or other hairball remedies. You need two products to give this treatment, "Vetasyl" fiber lax capsules for dogs/cats available at most online and/or walk-in pet stores

(http://www.1800petmeds.com/Vetasyl-prod10508-10508.html)

and "Uncle Jim's Duk Soup Mix"

(http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=17342+17361+17529&pcati...)

AND HERE IS THE RECIPE:
In a small bowl, mix the contents of ONE "VETASYL" CAPSULE (toss the capsule itself away) mixed with TWO LEVEL TEASPOONS of UNCLE JIM'S DUK SOUP MIX and SIX OUNCES OF WARM WATER and STIR WELL WITH YOUR FINGER to be sure it's not too hot.  Offer to ferret on your lap for best results. Monitor ferret while she drinks this. Hopefully she will drink more than half of it - the more the better. You may dribble some Ferretone on it, re-warm it a bit, mix in a tiny bit of butter or peanut butter, whatever (healthy additives) necessary to get it down her that does NOT affect the thickness...it MUST remain thin like water to work with the Vetasyl.  

You will feed this mixture to the ferret for ONE TIME DAILY - FOR THREE DAYS IN A ROW.  Starting about four hours after the ferret drinks this mixture, you will want to monitor the ferret's litterbox and pay attention to anything she passes that is NOT poop. With a young ferret, you may see just about anything - chances are pretty good that you may get surprised either with something you had no idea she has been into, or something she got into before she even came to your home; so it may be something you won't even recognize. The reason you *watch* is just in case you DO recognize what comes out, you want to be SURE that the whole item comes out, especially true with balloons, ear plugs and similar items.

If she passes any foreign items in her stool on the third day, give the mixture again on the fourth day.  You will need to give the treatment for ONE DAY MORE after she stops passing anything at all other than poop just to be sure she is completely cleaned out.

After the initial treatment, you can repeat the treatment about once a month and/or when she is shedding, anytime you suspect she MAY have gotten into something she should not have, anytime she 'coughs' or chokes as she is now you can give it DAILY to keep her digestive tract nice and clear. Any time her poops aren't nice and fat - give her this mixture for at least three days; hopefully she will pass something and her poops will return to being fat again. IF THEY DO NOT, please get her to your vet for a barium xray to see if she has a blockage somewhere that is not going to move without surgical intervention. Sometimes they can get things wedged in a fold in their intestines and it can even kill off a section of intestine, causing serious problems, general muscle wasting, weight loss, low energy, poor appetite."

Taken from (http://en.allexperts.com/q/Ferrets-2277/2008/3/Coughing-Gagging-Throat.htm)

I hope this answers your question!  Please do not hesitate to ask if you have an concerns. You know where to find me!

-Cindy P.