Vet Q&A-Fish

Hi, Thank you so much Melanie for answering all my questions! I have found your advice very helpful! :-) I will discontinue the greens and pumpkin. I just read dogs should have between 2.5 and 4.5 grams fiber. One of The foods (Acana) has 6 grams. Is this ok? I also decided to cut out the coconut oil for safety measures as I heard this can also cause loose stool. I think the probiotics, joint supplement and fish oil should be more than enough. This isn't overdoing it is it? Thanks again!

I'm so glad I was able to help you! Acana will be fine as long as you discontinue the greens and pumpkin. I think cutting out the coconut oil is a good idea as well. The rest is perfectly fine to keep giving her. Keep up the good work :-)

Based on our research, we know that Cavs are particularly prone to heart disease. We are thinking of adding raw foods to supplement Niko's diet. We were thinking of rotating thru olive oil, fish oil, carrots, raw eggs and sweet potato– is this okay? Also, Is there anything else we can do or give Niko that would keep him heart healthy?

I would not recommend giving Niko raw eggs. Raw eggs are not safe to feed him, and there is the risk of poisoning from avidin, which is a protein in raw eggs whites. Excess avidin interferes with the functioning of biotin in the body, which in turn is essential for the growth of cells, metabolism of fat, and transference of carbon dioxide among other things. You can feed him hardboiled eggs with no shell instead. I would also causing against using too much olive oil, as that will lead to pancreatitis. Too much fish oil interferes with wound healing. Use sparing amounts of olive oil, and you can give Niko 1,000 mg fish oil containing 300 mg of EPA/DHA combined for every 30 pounds of weight. To keep him heart healthy, do not over feed him, make sure he is on a high quality puppy formulated food, and take him out for regular exercise.

I have a beta fish I have had for 5 years. The past month he has been laying in his tree just below the surface for long periods of time. He eats Top fin food pellets and he has attempted a few times to reach them but then gives up. I'm afraid he's not eating. Please advise. Thank you

A betta's life expectancy is 3-5 years. He may be at the end of his span. Check the water quality and water temperature. Either can cause stress and illness if not set properly. Water temp should be between 78 F and 80 F. A drop below 74 F can be dangerous. Use a home test kit to check for high levels of nitrites, nitrates and ammonia. Correct levels through water change with treated/conditioned water. Make sure he is able to reach the surface to breathe. You can drop the water level if necessary.

How much fiber is a 17 lb. dog supposed to have per day. I wanted to give my dog greens and pumpkin for her anal glands and health but they are causing loose stools. Will she still be getting enough veggies in her food? The brands I use do have veggies listed on the label. (Fromm, Acana and Orijen) will she still be healthy without the added veggies? is this a normal reaction for her to get loose stools from adding that? She takes these supplements: Fish oil, probiotics, joint pill, coconut oil)

The brands of food you are feeding her will have plenty of fiber and veggies in it, and she may not need the added greens and pumpkin. Given that she is having loose stools, I would not give her any greens and pumpkin, as too much fiber will cause this. The foods you are giving are high quality diets, I would not worry about giving her any more supplements.

I have a 4 months old cat and I feed him fish+vegetables with rice and Dr David told me to feed him meat+vegetables with rice. So is fish good for him ? Or will I feed him meat instead of fish ?

Fish and meat are equivalent. They both provides necessary sources of protein. However I feel that fish is better because it provides a source of omega 3 fattt acids which is great for skin and bladder health.

idk if its normal for a dog to have so much problems. But my dog isnt eating! She is very picky. I have consult the vet and he said she is perfectly fine. I changed food, coat fish to enhance flavour, everything! But she doesnt want to eat her food like a stubborn baby! She really wants to eat human food(which i never give other than apples) and treats! I dont give her and she can starve herself for it. I would wanna train her but she is quite underweight. Idk wat to do. Pls help. I tried!!

Frequently changing food can create finicky eaters. Choose one good quality food and stick with it. Do not offer treats or table food at all until Snowie eats her regular diet. Begin a consistent feeding schedule. Prepare her food and leave it down for 20-30 minutes before picking it up, eaten or not. Repeat this at the next feeding. Do not feed anything in between meals. provide fresh water at all times. You can warm the food slightly to stimulate her appetite. Snowie will not starve herself. She will eat her own food if that is the only option given to her. Right now, she has trained you to feed her what she wants, when she wants. Be firm and be consistent an she will change.

Why do liquid fish oils recommend twice to triple the dose of gel cap fish oils? Just curious. Is it because they presume the liquid fish oils will go rancid faster. RX vitamins isn't a pump bottle it's a flip top, so I'm assuming it doesn't go rancid as fast. Is this true or will it go rancid faster? If I give half the dose will she still be getting adequate amounts of omega 3? Thanks! I like Nordic naturals but I like that RX vitamins has added vitamin E, minerals and omega 6.

I think it has more to do with the amount of EPA and DHA per serving. With the liquid, there's likely less of these fatty acids per serving so it requires more of the product to get the recommended daily amount. Even half the amount will still be beneficial, and it's fine to do less than recommended. That's because too much fish oil can have detrimental effects on the dog's body, such as interference with wound healing. Recommended daily levels are typically low enough to prevent this from occurring, but having less than recommended is fine :-)

Orijen formulas only contain 20% carbohydrates. Is this enough for my dog? (She's on the six fish right now)

For a dog without allergies, they should be getting between 30-70% of their daily diet. This is a little low for a dog, and I don't recommend feeding grain free or low carb diets unless the dog has been diagnosed with food allergies.

My puppy is 13 mths old . Pitbull He has been itching since 6 mths and gets eraser size bumps that I can pick off with a bunch of hair attached. It is like a black scab. Used medicated shampoo, fish oil and probiotics to decrease bumps, but stil has a few here and there Is this flea dander?

I'm sorry you are having this problems with Rascal. Flea dander is very small and typically looks like small black commas. If you smear them on a wet paper towel, they will turn the paper towel red. Rascal certainly could have a flea allergy with a secondary skin infection (which can cause bumps, scabs and itching) or he may have another reason for itching. There are a number of reasons for skin problems in dogs. This article does an excellent job of describing them. You could be dealing with allergies (of various types), external parasites (such as fleas or mites), or secondary infections (bacterial or yeast). https://www.petcoach.co/article/why-is-my-dog-so-itchy/ This is also an excellent article on itching in dogs and the possible causes and treatments. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2604 Often the first step is making sure there isn’t any evidence of external parasites that need to be treated. You may still be dealing with a flea allergy even if you have treated the fleas. Once a flea bites a flea allergy dog, that dog can stay itchy for a week. Here is additional information on fleas causing itching in dogs. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2455 I would recommend having your veterinarian evaluate Rascal to discuss your treatment options. They can run a few simple skin tests to rule out fingus, mites or bacteria as the cause. A flea preventative will also help rule out fleas as the cause. You will need to discuss resolving any secondary infections which will make him more itchy. This can involve topical treatments (like shampoos, wipes or sprays) or may involve oral medications. You can then discuss medication for the itching (which may be prescription or over the counter medication). Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using Boop by Petco.