can dogs get hairball problems like cats?

    • Gold Top Dog

    can dogs get hairball problems like cats?

    And, if so, how can you tell? How do you cure those things anyway?
    • Gold Top Dog
    Yes they can, or something similar to a hair ball. (I've never seen them from a cat so I can't compare exactly.)
     
    It looks at a glance like a poop because it's a long cylinder shape but the texture/contents are different.
     
    I have no idea how to cure them. We don't get them too often so they don't seem to be a problem. Although I don't know anything about them except my own experience it seems to me that they are a cure more than a problem as the dogs need to expell this stuff
    • Gold Top Dog
    hmm, i am so not an expert. but jason is a dog that likes licking fabrics and stuff. i don't know why he likes it, but i do try to discourage it whenever i see him do it.
    he did vomit a ball of fabric-type-fibers once. it didn't look like a cat's hairball. but that was the end of it. so... umm, yeah. sorry not much help here... lol
    • Gold Top Dog
    Yes they can...and you'd know if they hack up hairballs...lol! The remedy sold for cats would also be fine for dogs, and increased fiber in the diet is also good.
     
    Humans can also get hairballs...and rabbits can die from them because they cannot vomit. They are I believe called Bezoars as a proper name...might of spelled that wrong tho!
    • Gold Top Dog
    Yes, indeedy!
     
    Willow and Oakley are hairy beasts, so when they play they ingest hair.  Also happens due to grooming themselves.  Even with our regular brushing/grooming it can happen.  Sometimes they will vomit up a hair ball (thankfully not too often as this can eventually damage the esophogus and respiratory tract).  Our Vet gave us cat hair ball remedy...comes in a tube, contains sticky molasses to help move the hair through their system...she also suggested omegas (we give flax oil) to help move the hair through as well.
     
    Sometimes if they don't vomit it up, it will come out in their stool.  The consistency is much like meat.  Does not resemble hair.
     
    Now that they are older, it happens much less frequently.  It is currently happening with our GSD pup...as she plays rough with them and ingests hair as a result, especially when they mouth each other.
     
    So, the cure for us: to be extra diligent with grooming and picking up any tumbleweeds in the house, as well as giving flax oil.  We also try to discourage them from grooming themselves too much.  We no longer have a need for the kitty hair ball remedy (flax works well).