Vet Q&A-Fish

My fish is super inactive. It’s a rose tail or rose petal betta. He just sits at the bottom. How do I help him?

Check the water temperature. Bettas are tropical fish and do best between 78F and 80F. Low temps can affect activity in fish. If temperature is normal, check the water chemistry and perform a water change if necessary. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock.

Hello , How do I know how old my betta fish is.

Determining Chum's age is not an exact science by any means. However, certain characteristics can lead one to believe whether or not it is young, adult, or senior. If longer than about 3cm, it is most likely at least an adult. If you look at the fins, if they appear to be completely in tact, robust, and unfaded in color, you likely have an adult rather than a senior fish. More elderly fish tend to swim less and will tend to spend more time hiding behind objects if available. Older fish, betta included, can also have characeristic cloudiness to the eyes, known as cataracts.

My dog also has naturally dry skin. We to a vet and they said she lacks fish oils in her skin. Which was helpful because giving her food with fish stops her from scratching. But, after of eating the same food for a couple of months she becomes bored of it. So, I switch to beef, chicken, etc. Then her scratching resumes. Are there any natural oils that can help her skin and also shampoos or other products. I also want to know of any products that won't disturb her skin if she gets fleas or ticks.

You can give fish oils as a supplement in any food you decide to feed. Fish oils can be purchased from your local pet store and they often come in liquid or capsule forms. Offer the oil in her food daily to improve her coat quality. There are oatmeal based shampoos that help alleviate itching, but if her skin is dry I wouldn't recommend bathing her too often. As far as fleas and ticks, you will want to prevent these guys from biting Bella. You can purchase preventative medication from your local pet store or your veterinarian.

Hello , How do I know how old my fish is

Determining Chum's age is not an exact science by any means. However, certain characteristics can lead one to believe whether or not it is young, adult, or senior. If longer than about 3cm, it is most likely at least an adult. If you look at the fins, if they appear to be completely in tact, robust, and unfaded in color, you likely have an adult rather than a senior fish. More elderly fish tend to swim less and will tend to spend more time hiding behind objects if available. Older fish, betta included, can also have characeristic cloudiness to the eyes, known as cataracts.

I want to make sure my dog has adequate amounts of omega 3 in her diet. I give her a fish oil capsule daily. If I also give her a fish based kibble (eg. Orijen six fish) several times per week (3-4) would this also help with getting more omegas in? the only drawback is having two bags of kibble open at once. One 4/5 pound bag lasts me 30 days. So the bags would be open for about two months. I figure that this is still ok. They are usually resealable bags. If not I use a bag clip.

One fish oil capsule a day is fine. There is a risk of giving your dog too much fish oil, and there are serious side effects from that including a tendency to bleed more when injured due to the fish oil interfering with platelet function, interfering in wound healing, and an interference in the inflammatory response of the immune system. I would not add any fish based kibble due to these risks.

Levi seems to have dry itchy skin. I bathe him only as needed with Burts Bees puppy shampoo with a small amount of coconut oil mixed in and he eats Diamond puppy food. Should I get a omega 3 supplement or start adding some fish to his diet? And if so what do you recommend?

A fish oil supplement is always recommended in these cases. Essential fatty acids in the fish oil can promote healthy skin and coat. DermCaps or EicosaCaps are excellent products and easy to administer. You can buy either form your veterinarian or in most pet stores. Bathe no more frequently than every 6-8 weeks. You can use pet wipes or plain, unscented baby wipes to spot clean as needed between baths.

our cat seem to be sick she coughs most of time as if she is about to vomit ,and keeps on meowing even after food,milk,water is given to her she was pregnant more than 20 times is that the reason she is sick ? she always has fish as a food.she has reduced her weight very much.

I'm sorry your cat seems to be so sick. In an senior cat like her, losing weight despite eating can be caused by hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes, or cancer. Cancer could be a cause of coughing, as well as respiratory disease and cardiac disease. I would have her seen by a vet today, and I recommend having a physical exam, geriatric blood panel, urinalysis, and x-rays done on her. These tests will help determine what is causing her symptoms, and the vet can discuss treatment with you once a cause is found.

My fish started to swim in circles and it looks like its tail has been broken. I would like to know wheter there is anything else that I can do, except for moving him to his own tank.

Move Patches to a smaller tank in case he has developed an infection. This will prevent spread to tankmates. Check the water quality for abnormal ammonia, nitrate or nitrite levels as well as improper pH. You can use a home test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or aquarists will do this for free or for a nominal fee. Correct any imbalances as needed. Confirm adequate filtration in the main tank. Goldfish need powerful filtration to maintain good water quality. If you have more than one goldfish in the tank, you should have a 30-40 gallon tank minimum. If Patches has developed swim bladder issues, fast him for a day or two then feed small bits of shelled green peas. This should help after 3-4 days. If it doesn't, you will need to consider bacterial or fungal infections. This will require close examination for signs and symptoms to differentiate which so you can treat it properly. If you need to, request a consultation and we can discuss this further and in greater detail.

My 16 yr old mixed terrier is taking Prednisone daily (he has a tumor on his snout), thyroid medicine and a liver probiotic. He has deleoped a black residue on his feet. He does stand in our fish pond to get drinks a couple time a day. It is only on his front paws/lower legs. Could this be a fungal or bacterial sin infection? Any suggestions how to treat this. ?

Hello, sorry to hear about Cosmo. The site looks like it has salivary staining, so if has been licking/chewing at his feet he may have developed a skin infection which could be either bacterial, fungal or both. The best way to differentiate between them is by taking a sample from their skin and looking at it under the microscope. The prednisone can make him more susceptible to skin infections. If he continues to lick, you should determine why he is itchy and treat that cause concurrently with any skin infection he may have at the area. Your veterinarian can give you advice on which medications to use and which allergens are common in your area. Best of luck!