Vet Q&A-Fish

My dog has put on a pound and a half recently and I haven't been feeding her more. Should I reduce her food or cut out her treats or both? She's 18.5 pounds and gets 2/3 of a cup of food per day. The food is 392 calories per cup. She has also been getting 30 calories from treats. And her fish oil that I give her daily is 20 calories per pump. Picture on the left is recently.

Hi, thanks for using Boop by Petco! Chloe is super cute! From your pictures she doesn't look overweight but I understand your concerns. I would recommend 315 calories total per day, which is about what you are giving her (~311). You can increase activity, cut back a bit on treats or change to a low calorie formula with in the brand you are currently feeding. I hope this helps!

I've heard it's good to supplement with small doses of vitamin e when giving fish oil. Is this true?

Vitamin e and fish oils work synergistically to promote healthy skin and coat. I would only also suggest that you ensure you use supplements which are designed for pets. thwse are available at most pet stores.

My gold saum jumped out of her tank this morning. I heard her hit the floor it’s a 4 ft drop. I immediately put her back inside. But I noticed blood droplets on the floor. I put aquarium salt and stress coat in the tank. She’s acting normal now I’m just wondering if there’s anything else I can do

Hi, I’m glad Maxi made it through that ordeal! It sounds like you acted promptly and appropriately. Salt and stress coat are the perfect first step, short of an exam by a veterinarian. Since she’s acting normally, I would keep a close eye on her activity, body symmetry, and appetite. If in doubt, or you notice any changes in her regular patterns or attitude, don’t hesitate to take her to your vet. Good job acting so fast to save her!

I can't get ahold of Acana light and fit in the USA and my dog has been gaining weight on Acana singles. Should I reduce the food or switch to natural balance fish formula for lower calories?

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! I would recommend just changing to a lower calorie diet such as the one you mentioned. Other low fat or weight loss diets that I have had a very good experience with are Hills metabolic weight management diet and the Royal canin GI low fat diet. Good luck!

I have a female Robo hamster, I have had her for almost 4 months now. I made the mistake of handling her within the first day. Ever since he has been terrified of me. A pet store recommended getting her a buddy to help relieve the stress. Should I?I am worried it will just add more. I have her in a wire cage. Should I move her to an aquarium if I get her a new friend? Is it better to tame a hamster in a wired or aquarium cage

I would recommend starting with offering Beauty a treat that only you give her. You can place this treat in her cage and slowly start moving it closer to the opening. Also you can put the treat on your had and allow her to eat it and climb off. After she has started to realize she is getting a yummy treat she might allow you to hold her and start playing with her more. I would recommend trying that first before getting another hamster because they might not get along

A stray cat who visits me sometimes.. came few days back, I fed him some fish and rice and the next day he disappeared. Today he came back again.. I fed him some fish again and right after that he came onto the terrace and pooped a leaf piece covered in some dilute blood and 2 3 drops of diluted blood like thing. I dont know what he ate in these previous days. He was playing on the terrace and looked quite strong. I am worried .. please heeeeelpppp.

He might have eaten something spoiled that is causing this. withhold food for 8 hours then offer him boiled boneless chicken and rice every 6 hours in small portions. if he is eating and not vomiting, continue with this diet for 2 days. After 2 days, you can put him back gradually on his normal food. If the blood in the stools does not resolve, take him to the vet to get treatment.

My budgie was on the side of fish cage and making a noise I've not heard before seems week is letting me hold him witch he doesn't do

Hi and thank you for using PetCoach, This could be serious. Sky will need some tests done (e.g. bloodwork) before an accurate diagnosis can be made. It is important that you take him to an avian vet ASAP as little birds can deteriorate quickly.

What dose of vitamin E am I supposed to give along with fish oil?

There dosage of vitamin e would depend on the formulation and should be provided on the packaging. For example below is a vitamin e supplement which would be one tablet daily for a dog Chloe’s size. http://www.vrshealth.com/canine-products/?petcoach=1977955

I just got a betta that has fin rot. He is in a 2.5 gallon until I can find my ten gallon. I'm worried about him surviving the nitrogen cycle as it is a new tank. I want to ask the pet store if they have an established aquarium so I can transfer their beneficial bacteria. I'm not certain that's a good idea. In a tank that small, I don't know when I should do a water change, especially since it's a brand new tank that hasn't ever been cycled. should I just wait and see? Do I have options?

Since it is a small tank, you can do 50% or greater water changes every few days or even daily if necessary. Be sure to use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Bettas do best between 78 F and 80 F. My personal preference for water conditioners are AmQuel Plus, NovAqua and StressCoat. Mild fin rot can be treated with plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt). Dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt per gallon of water in a cup of tank water and gently pour it into the tank. Perform a 100% water change daily, treating the new water with salt at each change. Treat for 7-10 days, then perform a complete water change without salt.