Vet Q&A-Fish

I'm wanting to cut down on my dogs calories. Right now I'm feeding Acana singles which have 392 calories per cup I'm considering switching to natural balance lid fish formula because the food has 350 calories per cup. I personally think Acana is better but I don't want her to be hungry if I need to decrease it. Should I switch or stick with Acana?

I agree with you regarding Acana vs Natural balance, it is a better quality food. why not switch her to Acana light & fit, it is a reduced calorie diet, it will contain less calories than the natural balance and you will keep the high quality of the Acana.

Is my fish ok. Does it have a sickness or diseases?

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! Ariel does look like she has a little bit of white on her abdomen, and potentially some raised scales. She also appears to be swimming towards the bottom of the tank, but this may just be a coincidence in the photo. The white on the abdomen can be caused by a fungal or parasitic infection, so I recommend separating this fish from the others. You may want to change the water and sanitize the tank if any other fish start to get similar symptoms. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

My dogs anus is sore with a small amount of blood. Very irritated. Will giving fish oil and vit. E evrry day cause this condition?

No, fish oils and vitamin E can be good to for their joints and hair coat and generally does not affect the stool or the anus. If the stool is bloody then I would get him checked by a vet to see if there is an infection. If the stool is normal and the anus itself has some bleeding, you can apply preparation H cream to the area. IF that does not help then I would have your vet check it

My dog Boomer has been experiencing extreme itching, biting his paws, paw redness and dryness, sneezing, and running eyes for nearly the past 8 months. He was previously on Benedyl, Apoquel, and Cetirizine. All seemed to work for a short period of time, but all symptoms remained. Also, this past month I took poultry out of his diet and he is now eating Blue Buffalo fish and rice recipe. A week after changing his diet there was improvement but now all symptoms are back. What would you recommend?

Thank you for using Boop by Petco! I can see that Boomer's feet are red and the fur is discolored from chronic licking. These signs are consistent with a condition known as atopy, or allergic dermatitis, which can be due to a food sensitivity. In order to confirm that this is due to a food sensitivity, you should only feed Boomer the novel diet. He shouldn't have any human food or other treats. You can also try an omega-3 supplement to maintain the skin barrier and moisture. There are also anti-itch shampoos available that can help calm the itch and keep Boomer more comfortable. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you may have!

Hi. I have recently added two new female sword tail to my aquarium. I had only one male and one female previously. Since adding them, the female has been having clamped fins. Hiding and later one rubbing herself against gravel and now shimmer... No white spots visible.. I have cleaned aquarium and increased temperature plus added salt and anti white spot but no progress noted. Please help me...

Maintain water temperature at 86F for at least two weeks. Add an air stone during this time to increase aeration/oxygenation. Monitor the other fish for similar symptoms or stress associated with the warmer water. Up to 2 teaspoons of plain aquarium salt (NOT table) can be used to treat ich (white spot disease). It can take a couple weeks to effectively treat ich. In the future, it is recommended to quarantine new fish prior to adding them to the main tank to prevent infection.

hi, I need some help with water condition of my fish tank. I’ve recently got 6 new fish and added in my 10 gallon fish tank three days ago. I did set up my tank for 48 hours before adding fish but now the water gets cloudy with tiny air bubbles on the surface. I mistakenly gave too much food to them yesterday which I guess made water cloudier, I’m not sure if I need to do the partial water change or let it go. One of my fish (silver molly) keeps lingering near the surface to breath...

48 hours is not long enough for a tank to properly cycle. Several weeks to a couple months are needed for beneficial bacteria to populate the substrate and filter. These bacteria break down wastes (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates) that are harmful to fish and can promote bacterial blooms resulting in cloudy water. The overfeeding likely contributed to the bacterial bloom. You can cycle with or without fish, however cycling with fish will increase the risk of loss. You'll need to monitor chemistry using a liquid test kit. The kits with strips are not as accurate. Perform partial water changes, no more than 25%, every few days or if ammonia levels begin to affect fish. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent stress or shock. Feed them every other day. Normally, you would add one fish at a time but that isn't possible for you now. Monitor chemistry and perform water changes until ammonia and nitrites are 0.25ppm or less and nitrates are 40ppm or less. This can take, on average, 6 to 8 weeks. Be prepared for the possibility that you may lose some fish during this process. Some fish are hardier than others and can survive a cycling tank.

Hello. I have a female Koi Betta fish named Coral. I estimate she is about 8-9 months old. So far she is doing very good but for the past few days her color has faded and she has been near the top of the water and she has not been eating. I am not sure what is wrong with her but do you guys have suggestions for extra vitamins or different food. Thank you so much !

Check the water chemistry. Elevated ammonia or nitrites can drive her towards the surface. Perform a partial water change daily to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality if indicated. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. Bettas do best between 78F and 80F. Plain aquarium salt (NOT table salt) can be used as a general tonic to reduce stress, improve gill function and aid in any recovery. 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 then reassess the condition. These steps should get her eating again. If not, try soaking the pellets in some garlic juice to stimulate the appetite and provide an immune system boost.

We change the water in the tank and fed the fish the fish ate and now it is floating upside down but still breathing what is wrong?

ECheck the water chemistry. The recent water change may have upset it. Use a liquid home test kit or submit a sample for testing to confirm 0 ppm ammonia and nitrites with a 40ppm or less nitrate level. Confirm proper temperature for the species of fish as well. If necessary, another partial water change can be done to stabilize chemistry and maintain water quality. Use only aged or conditioned water that is temperature matched to prevent further stress or shock. My preferences for conditioners include AmQuel Plus, NovAqua and StressCoat. Other options include StressZyme and Prime. To manage swim bladder issues, withhold food for 2-3 days then feed bits of cooked and shelled green peas. Do this until the fish is swimming and defecating normally. Fast one day a week to maintain regularity.

If my dog hasn’t been himself lately like hiding in the other room sleeping at doesn’t have any energy and has what looks like poops on his but that has a fish smell to it what should i do?

Poor Cooper! Loss of energy can be caused by a large variety of conditions, so I recommend having Cooper seen by a vet as soon as possible if you believe he is not acting like himself. The fecal material on his rear can be caused by loss of control of defecation or an issue with the anal glands. I hope this helps and that all is well with Cooper!