FORT WORTH, Texas, May 20, 2015 – As the weather warms up, cats and ferrets begin to shed their winter coats – which can mean more hairballs. While hairballs are most common in the spring and fall when the weather changes, it’s little consolation for owners who have to clean them up.

“Hairballs are not only unpleasant, they can be potentially dangerous if they cause an intestinal blockage,” said Dr. Brian McLaughlin, a veterinarian with pet health and wellness company Tomlyn. ”Your pet may have a hairball if he or she vomits their food frequently.”

Hairballs are caused when a pet ingests hair into its digestive tract, usually while grooming. While most are eliminated in the litter box, some sit in the stomach or small intestines and create a “ball” that cannot escape through traditional routes. Some common signs of a hairball include hacking, gagging or vomiting. 

There are several ways to prevent or treat hairballs. Grooming to eliminate some fur on a brush can help, as can diverting their attention with play or new toys to prevent them from grooming out of boredom. Finally, consider a supplement, like Tomlyn’s Laxatone for Cats and Ferrets. Laxatone coats the hair stuck in the digestive tract and helps the animal eliminate hairballs in a litter box. The formula, which has been trusted for nearly 40 years, is available as a gel or a chew from Amazon, Petco, and Doctors Foster & Smith.            

About Tomlyn®
Tomlyn is a pet health and wellness company founded in 1976 that carries a complete line of scientifically developed, veterinarian-approved pet health care products that follow National Animal Supplement Council guidelines. The company has a wide range of product categories, including: immune support, vitamins and high-calorie supplements, hairball remedies, joint and hip support, calming aids, pilling solutions, skin, ears, and eyes, all-natural remedies and sanitizers. Known as the maker of Nutri-Cal®, a high-calorie nutritional supplement, and Laxatone®, for the elimination and prevention of hairballs, Tomlyn is a division of Vétoquinol USA and owned by Vétoquinol SA, the ninth-largest veterinary pharmaceutical company in the world. For more information, visit Tomlyn.com.

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