Vet Q&A-SmallAnimal

Fish has white fluffy stuff on gills and eyes as well as what looks like fin rot. We’ve lost almost all the fish in our aquarium… we thought ick initially and have dosed Melafix but it doesn’t seem to be working. They won’t eat, they’re either laying on the ground or floating at the top of the tank gasping ): we have a large tank with several peaceful species and now we’re down to just a handful of fish left. We are devastated.

Hi and thanks for your request. this ''fluffy'' material on the skin fish is likely a oomycetes (a fungus basically) called Saprolegnia. This is a secondary proliferation due to a primary infection which could be due to a variety of causes unfortunately. From the pic white spot disease (ich) dies not seem to be present. Given the high mortality incidence it is absolutely necessary to check water parameters and make sure they are normal and take the moribund fish (and the dead ones) to your local veterinarian for (euthanasia if needed and) necroscopic examination. Your local veterinarian will be able to tell what is going on or possibly prescribe some treatment (likely antibiotics or disinfectants).

I own a pure breed Siberian husky and I was wondering, why does it seem like her color pattern changes after each blow out phase

Yes, a Husky's fur regularly changes color depending on the season and even age. Puppies tend to have a darker coat which lightens up as they age. Huskies also change the color of their fur in the winters and during shedding in the summer months. This may seem odd, but it is natural and nothing to worry about.

My dog(indie breed female) her heat cycle started in Feb 24 but still her vulva is bleeding

On average a dog will be in heat for 1 ½ to 2 weeks but this can be shorter or longer; up to 4 weeks. So, this may be normal for her. Just keep monitoring her and if the heat lasts longer than 4 weeks she should be examined by your vet.

My dog accidentally ingested 20mg of Lexapro. He is a purebred 8yr old golden retriever and weighs about 80lbs. Should I be worried?! What should I do

Duke is 80lbs, so about 36.4kg. He ingested 0.55mg/kg of Lexapro. With doses as low as 0.3mg/kg, you can see incoordination and lethargy, although there is typically no toxic damage to organs. To be safe, if Duke ate the Lexapro within the past 2 hours, I would take him to your vet now to induce vomiting. If it's been longer than 2 hours, you will have to monitor him for signs of toxicity (tremors, incoordination, seizures, lethargy), and if you see any of those signs, take him to a vet right away.

My puppy is excessively drooling. She is 4 months old and is drooling to the point where her face is drenched. Her breed typically does not drool, what should I do?

Drooling can be a sign of nausea, oral pain, or toxin ingestion. Try to determine if Vanilla has eaten anything in the house or yard, including plants, medications, trash or table scraps, as this could indicate a possible toxin exposure. Otherwise, at 4 months old, Vanilla as at the height of teething behavior. Babies and toddlers commonly drool as they cut new teeth, but this behavior would be highly unusual for puppies. Consider taking Vanilla to her vet to determine if she has significant oral pain, abdominal pain consistent with nausea, or other abnormalities on physical exam.

What breed is my dog. I’m thinking mountain cur but not sure

Where we live this would be a 'Carolina dog' which is like a mountain cur. Basically both of these are mongrel dogs that are a mix of everything and they revert to the wild dog type which is medium size, almost always the color of Sadie, thin, athletic and often skiddish or shy. They are smart and long lived, having learned to survive in the wild for generations. These are the most common type of feral dog and each region has a local name for the breed. So yes Sadie is a happy beautiful Mountain Cur. Thanks for using Boop by Petco to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

I have a 2 Years old German Shepherd male dog at home...I want to buy a female dog... Can I maintain a same breed female dog or different breed....?..because during heat for female dog ,can I maintain female dog away from my male dog...waiting for your suggestions sir..suggest me to select which breed dog for my home...

Hi! Yes, you can maintain a female dog of the same breed. If they are both intact and you do not want them to breed then it is important to keep them separate when she is in heat. This would be the same even if it is a different breed. Have a good day!

My dog has a lump on the side of his paw pad - very round but seems to have gotten bigger recently and deeper? He's had it around 6 months but as he's people reactive the vet has never been able to examine it properly even muzzled and said it should be ok if it doesn't grow - it has grown. It doesn't look like a corn and is on the side and appears to be growing into the webbing, it's still just smaller than a pea - he is a medium sized, mixed breed, 3 year old, very well in himself m.

Thanks for using Boop by Petco! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is often differentiated by a test called a fine needle aspirate (FNA) which is a pain free, inexpensive and easy procedure which in most cases will help reach a diagnosis. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!

My 8 month old, all black German Shepherd, has a belly button hernia. Should I get it repaired before I breed her??

Hello, it depends if it is non reducible vs reducible. If it’s non reducible it may be an umbilical remnant and that should be fine. If it is reducible, the hernia could get bigger with breeding and she should have it repaired before breeding. Hope this helps and best of luck