Something for hairballs??

Status
Not open for further replies.

Doug N Libby

Very Active Member
The vet gave Oreo Laxatone for hairballs that he can't seem to pass. Hershey needs something, too, but can't use the Laxatone because of the sugars in it. I am hoping y'all know of something we can use.

THANKS!!!

Libby (and Hershey, too!)
 
Been researching, but they all seem to have sweetener of some sort. Are artificial sweeteners okay, or will they raise his BG, too?
 
Yes, the sweeteners in hairball medicine will raise BG.

I use petroleum jelly (vaseline). It's what they use in otc hairball remedies anyway, just without the sugar flavoring. You just smear some on his paw, and he'll lick it off: http://www.catsofaustralia.com/hairballs-cats.htm

Regular grooming will help, also. I have shedding tool called the furminator, and getting the excess fur off Bandit before it goes in his belly also helps control the hairballs.
 
I also use plain petroleum jelly. Shady actually likes the taste of it and will lick it straight out of the container, or if I want to make sure he eats it, I give him a smear on his paws, like Julia said.
 
I have two different brushes that I use on him. He doesn't shed a lot. I think his biggest problem is he pulls his hair out (still haven't pin-pointed the root of the problem - may never :YMSIGH: ) and accidentally ingests what won't shake out of his whiskers. :sad:

Thanks, y'all. I've tried mineral oil in the past and don't know for sure whether or not it helped. There's no regular pattern to when he brings them up, so I can't say for sure. Will try the vaseline. Often, he sticks his nose in the container at testing time, so maybe he'll like it...we'll see...

Libby (and Hershey, too!)
 
Good call, Julia! I shop Amazon regularly, don't know why I didn't think about looking there last night...well, except for the fact my eyeballs were rolling around in my head from sleep deprivation :lol:
 
I'm using NaturVet Natural Hairball Aid with Catnip

Ingredients:
Soybean Oil, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Cod Liver Oil, Flaxseed Oil, d-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Vit E),
Sorbitol (a slow-metabolizing Sugar-Alcohol) Soy Protein, Chicken Flavor, Lecithin, Tuna Flavor, Maple Flavor, Beeswax, Methylcellulose, Camomile,Catnip.

The Sorbitol is rather far down on the list....you might try this and see if BG is affected.

Sorbitol has a low-glycemic Index: See:

http://www.sunsweet.co.uk/sorbitol.aspx
 
Just the question I was going to ask :-D .

Sneakers erpped three times in my bedroom this morning in an hour and once in the bathroom. Since I didn't turn on the overhead light but only the bed lamp I didn't get a good look at the one in the shadows... but saw a dark, oblong mat that looked suspiciously like a hairball :roll: . She's finally been up to grooming herself so i guess i should have expected hairballs.

I'll look into the furminator and get some vaseline for the short term.
 
Got the furminator in today. We just ordered the ~$15 one from Amazon, so it didn't have the fancy ejector. WOW! Could NOT believe how much hair it got off the cats!! Draw back - now, when you pet them, more hair comes off in your hand. Think it'll take a couple of brushes to get it under control.

THANKS, again!!

Libby (Hershey and Oreo, too!)
 
awesome!
Waiting until all my bills go in and then will order from amazon. Thinking about other stuff to place and might have my mom do it as she has free shipping :lol: .
 
Doug N Libby said:
Got the furminator in today. We just ordered the ~$15 one from Amazon, so it didn't have the fancy ejector. WOW! Could NOT believe how much hair it got off the cats!! Draw back - now, when you pet them, more hair comes off in your hand. Think it'll take a couple of brushes to get it under control.

THANKS, again!!

Libby (Hershey and Oreo, too!)

I always went over Gabby with a slicker wire brush after the furminator to catch the remaining hair in her undercoat that was loose from using the tool.

The amount of fur you get off with that thing is no joke! Every session I had enough fur from Gabby alone to make two new cats. :smile:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top