Vet Q&A-Fish

my dog(female) has been vomiting a brown thick substance and right after that had watery red brown diarrhea. Diarrhea had a rotten fish smell. This began last night. She has thrown up at least 3 times today and its currently 11:40am. And diarhrea nonstop :(

Hi there. I would recommend taking your dog to the emergency vet clinic as soon as possible. It sounds like she’s extremely sick and needs x-rays and bloodwork and also probably to be started on intravenous fluids because she will become dehydrated quickly. Dogs that are vomiting and also have diarrhea usually need medications to stop their symptoms so they can start holding down food again. Your dog could have been infected by a virus or bacteria but she does need to be seen as soon as possible. Best to you and Luna.

My two pet goldfish are currently living in a 10 gallon tank. Now they are just to big for the tank(about 4-5 inches) and I want a pet store that can take them in. If not, where can I put them(can I put them in a river, or any other waters), so they won't die.

A pet store won't be able to take them due to disease risk to their stock, regardless of how healthy they are. You could advertise them as free to a good home on a buy and sell site. You can't just put them into a body of water as they wouldn't be used to it and would not survive. You don't necessarily have to keep them in a tank, even a large plastic box/ bucket would do.

My fish is bloated near the head and he won't swim. He just floats at the top and his fins hardly ever move. He only eats his food when it begins to float to the bottom of the bowl. His fins are pitiful and dull. He won't interact or flare his fins at anything. What is wrong with him?

Check water temperature and chemistry. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. Unless the room is very warm, a small heater is typically required. Without a filter, frequent water changes are necessary to prevent elevated levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. All can be toxic to fish at high levels. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can be used as a general tonic, to reduce stress, to treat minor infection and to aid in recovery. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Perform daily water changes, using aquarium salt for 10-14 days. If there is no improvement, consider a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can find one in the aquarium section of the local pet or fish store. Follow label directions carefully.

Since the day I adopted Tinkle (2009- she was barely 2 months old), she doesn't eat much. I have included fish and chicken in all forms like boiled, steamed, raw, fried and mashed, yet she seems to just take a small bite and doesn't eat in bulk. Yes, she surely takes mini bites like that around 3 times a day. Its the same case with wet and dry cat food ( only Whiskas is available here). However she drinks a lot of water throughout the day. This has continued since 8 yrs. Is this normal?

For some cats this is normal. This is likely the case with Tinkle, because she has been eating like this for so long. They will only eat as much as they need and will maintain a lean body weight. This is only concerning if the cat is too thin. Below is a link to diagram that shows what the various grades of body condition are: https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20cats.pdf If Tinkle is a 3 or below, then I would be concerned. This could indicate a long history of parasitism (worms), or some other condition. If you are ever concerned that she is too thin, then I recommend having a vet doctor examine her for any abnormalities. Otherwise, if she is a 4-5 and acting normal, then it is great that she is so good at maintaining this lean body weight. Thin cats tend to be healthier and live longer than fat cats. I hope that helps and all is well with Tinkle.

Can a red wag platy co-exist peacefully with two guppies in a five gallon aquarium?

Platys and guppies are usually both pretty docile, but sometimes it is the behavior of the individual Fish. Make sure there are plants for hiding and I would give it a try. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I have a black moor gold fish who has a severe case of Popeye I quarantined him in a separate , but I’m not sure what medication to use for him .

Popeye is a symptom of an underlying disorder in the tank. It can be a result of trauma or infection. Most cases can be managed by maintaining water quality and a broad spectrum antibiotic. Quarantining as you have done is always a good move. Check the tank for any furniture/décor that may cause injury. Check the water chemistry, filtration and temperature next. Any imbalances can predispose a fish to illness. Partial water changes can be done to improve quality and correct imbalances. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Maracyn Plus or Kanaplex can be found in the aquarium section of the local Petco or fish store. You can use either, in addition to plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt), to treat. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Treat for 10-14 days with salt then perform partial water changes to decrease salinity. Treat only the amount of water going back into the tank with salt to avoid overdosing.

My betta came home last Thursday and was fine and well. Yesterday, around midday, he developed a large black spot on his fin. After that, his health rapidly decreased. His fins began to disappear, his body became pale, and he looked like he was rotting. He lives in a 5 gallon tank with a filter and heater, the water is treated with stress coat and aquarium salt. He doesnt seem any better. What could this be and how do we treat it?

The black spot may be infection or ammonia burn. Check water quality using a home test kit or submit a sample for testing. Most pet stores or fish stores will do this for free or for a small fee. He also appears to be suffering from fin rot. If a new tank was not cycled, toxins (ammonia, nitrites and nitrates) can build up and cause infection or even death. The poor water quality will also affect finnage. Daily water changes may be enough to allow for healing. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Bettas do best in water between 78 F and 80 F. Conditioning products I recommend are AmQuel, NovAqua and StressCoat. Aquarium salt can be used at 1 teaspoon per gallon of water. Make sure it is dissolved completely before pouring it into the tank. Add only enough salt to the water being replaced, not the entire tank volume. If you can, turn down the filter flow to produce a weak current. If this does not improve his condition, a broad spectrum antibiotic can be used. You can find one in the aquarium section of the local pet or fish store. Read label directions carefully and remove the carbon filter insert if indicated.

My cat fish ended up getting locked in a spare room that's not even the worst part he locked himself inside a bread box!! By the looks of things the door fell down on his tail. His tail is always standing up and it hasn't been for a day now, he's been dragging it, I've played with it and bent it & moved it around and it didn't bother him. I just lost my job and can't take him to a vet what do you think is wrong with his tail? and with no job or credit I can't get pet insurance either I've tried.

Unfortunately many tail injuries suffer complications to the blood supply, monitor very closely for any loss of heat or the tail becoming stiff and also any difficulty urinating or defecating as nerves can be pulled and stretched. Rest will speed recovery and if he becomes painful he would need antiinflammatory medication prescribed by your vet

Thank you Melanie for the article. So is it saying the following 10 supplements (in the article) are not at all helpful? Should I be giving any supplements at all? what do you think about glucosamine, fish oil, probiotics and enzymes? I use Glyco flex, Nordic naturals and Conklin products.

You are welcome for the article! Basically what the article is saying that there isn't a lot of research done in supplements in animals, and really need more research done to determine they are beneficial or not. I certainly always recommend glucosamine to my clients in terms of joint problems, and I do feel it's beneficial. Fish oil can be beneficial well, but it's important not to give too much because that can lead to an interference in wound healing. I think the supplements you are giving now are fine :-)