Hello, I am a new ferret mommy and scared for my peanut. I adopted Henry, a 3 month old descented and neutered sable, only one month ago. He has been to the vet once already for an eye infection/scratch and possible flu two weeks ago and was given doxycycline. He seemed to get better but for the past week I keep hearing him make this awful barking cough sound. at first it was perhaps once a day and lasting less than 10 seconds. Now he makes it 2-3 times a day and it usually starts during his sleep. I don't know if it's a Hairball, seizure or something else. He lays down flat when it's over but seems alert. He has been eating, drinking and playing ok but I'm concerned bc it looks so terrifying. He never spits up anything, it's just dry sounding. I started giving him Ferretlax 2-3 times a day (1/4 tsp on his snack) but he still does it. Any idea what is wrong? Thank you!!!

What does his poop look like?  I would look around the house to see if he got into anything.
He may of ingest something.

His pooh looks similar to the example of normal pooh on the online ferret poop chart, tan to dark brown soft and glossy coils, but a little grainier... His fecal sample about two weeks ago came back negative for the standard battery of tests (I was concerned about the graininess). He did have a hellacious BM two days ago full of nasty mucous but has since returned to what I described above. 

It's unlikely he ingested something from around the house bc he does not play anywhere but in his large playpen or his cage since I feel my apartment has too many dangers he can get into bc he's still so tiny. Also, I do not let him play unsupsrvised. ThZnk you for responding! 

Does he have any sort of discharge from his nose?  Can you listen to his lungs?  

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD

His nose feels cool and wet on the tip but no noticeable discharge. I've auscultated Henry's lungs several times while he was sleeping and lung sounds were slightly raspy but his mucous membranes are pink so I know he is perfusing well.  

I've known of cases where they get a hair suck in the throat and it's taken days to clear it.  

THE DOOKS OF HAZARD