Is mineral oil safe for my ferret's hairball or constipation?

Question

My ferret is less than 4 months old and has a harsh dry cough, is eating less and gaining a decent amount of weight. I've done some reading and I think she may be consitpated or have a hairball. Is it safe to give her a very small portion of mineral oil rather than petroleum jelly or FerretLax? Pet's info: Exotic | Unknown - Exotic | Female | spayed | 8 months and 8 days old

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Because of the risk of getting the mineral oil in Ebony's lungs ( this is called aspiration pneumonia ), we generally do not recommend mineral oil be given by mouth. What I recommend is to slather some white bread with the petroleum jelly ( you can add a little peanut butter to make it a little tastier ) & feed this to Ebony a small piece at a time. This should do a good job stimulating her bowels. If she continues to have problems, please see your veterinarian. Take care.

Is mineral oil safe for my ferret's hairball or constipation?

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