Fur balls, an accepted term for hairballs, are common in cats, and they can occur in dogs. Long-haired dogs are more likely to suffer from fur balls, which develop when dogs ingest significant amounts of hair. Hairballs can make a dog ill, so you need to actively work at preventing fur balls if your dog has a continuing problem with ingesting fur -- prevention is the only real cure for hairballs in dogs.
Take your dog to your veterinarian and make sure that the problem your dog's experiencing is due to hairballs. Have your dog's health thoroughly evaluated and make sure that an underlying medical issue is not responsible for your dog's problem. Your veterinarian will prescribe a treatment for your dog if he feels it is necessary to do so, but most hairballs pass naturally or are vomited up.
Prevent fur balls before they can develop into a problem for your dog. Brush your hairball-prone dog every day to prevent loose hair from being ingested by your dog. Take your dog to a professional groomer and have his coat clipped short if you are unable to groom him as needed.
Place a chewing cone, which is a collar that wraps around your dog's neck to prevent him from chewing or licking his own body, on your dog if you notice him licking, biting or chewing his own fur. Keep the collar on your dog until you can determine the cause of the chewing and treat the problem adequately.
Tips
A liquid diet, dietary supplements or over the counter pet medicine can help your dog pass a hairball more quickly. Talk to your veterinarian about these options before you try any type of home remedy or over the counter product for curing fur balls.
Observe your dog carefully to make sure he is not licking or chewing other animals to ingest fur.
Warnings
Furballs that go untreated and can not be vomited up or excreted by the dog can turn into intestinal blockages and may require surgery to treat.
Warnings
Furballs that go untreated and can not be vomited up or excreted by the dog can turn into intestinal blockages and may require surgery to treat.
Tips
A liquid diet, dietary supplements or over the counter pet medicine can help your dog pass a hairball more quickly. Talk to your veterinarian about these options before you try any type of home remedy or over the counter product for curing fur balls.
Observe your dog carefully to make sure he is not licking or chewing other animals to ingest fur.
Items You Will Need
- Brush
- Dog chewing cone
References
Resources
Tips
- A liquid diet, dietary supplements or over the counter pet medicine can help your dog pass a hairball more quickly. Talk to your veterinarian about these options before you try any type of home remedy or over the counter product for curing fur balls.
- Observe your dog carefully to make sure he is not licking or chewing other animals to ingest fur.
Warnings
- Furballs that go untreated and can not be vomited up or excreted by the dog can turn into intestinal blockages and may require surgery to treat.
Writer Bio
Jen Davis has been writing since 2004. She has served as a newspaper reporter and her freelance articles have appeared in magazines such as "Horses Incorporated," "The Paisley Pony" and "Alabama Living." Davis earned her Bachelor of Arts in communication with a concentration in journalism from Berry College in Rome, Ga.