House Of Tips

healthiest dog food

When searching for quality dog food treats it is vital that you read the label and have the knowledge to understand and interpret the information you find. When reading the label, look for the first fat or oil that is listed. All items placed above the first fat source are considered to be the main ingredients along with the first fat source. The other items shown on the label are typically added to the dog food for flavor, as preservatives, to aid in the processing of the food or for health benefits such as minerals or vitamins.

It is important that you check the ingredients for their nutritional value. However, due to the names the manufacturers use for food items it can be somewhat difficult to analyze the usefulness of the food substances. It is difficult to know what quality grade of food items they are placing in the foods as well as the quantity of the ingredients.

Surf Manufacturer’s Websites

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) does not allow dog food manufacturers to place information on the labels regarding the quality of the food substances. It is important to read the information that is available on the websites of the various pet food companies and carefully read the information they provide about the quality of the ingredients they use in their products.

Protein

Since protein is the most important item in your pets diet, it would be imperative that you serve your dog only quality sources of protein. Quality dog foods usually have a meat meal listed as the first ingredient on the label or a meat with the second ingredient being a meat meal substance. Meat by-products are not high quality protein sources. If the label mentions a specific type of meat meal, such as chicken meal this type of protein source is not inferior to whole meats. Avoid products that do not mention the specific animal the meat source comes from.

Regarding fats look for chicken fat, herring oil canola oil, sunflower oil, flax oil and other fat sources with specific names. See if the quality fats such as Omega three and Omega six are on the label. Avoid dog foods that contain nonspecific items such as animal fat, poultry fat, vegetable oil and other nonspecific fat sources.

Look for fresh vegetables or whole grains which may also be labeled as ground or meal. Avoid products that are filled with too much grain fragments and flour. Also the healthiest dog food are typically preserved with natural substances such as vitamins. When looking for quality food products that will keep your dog healthy make sure you examine the label and read information provided at the websites of the dog food manufacturers.

Early diagnosis of disease is an important part of the overall goldfish care. If you can’t readily identify a goldfish disease see your local vet, or pet store.

Fish absorb oxygen to live and they give off carbon dioxide as a waste product. Plants under the influence of daylight do the opposite so that what is poison to one gives life to the other. Therefore, the addition of plants to your aquarium will assist in keeping your goldfish healthy and free from disease.

Preventing disease is always easier than curing it, so by keeping your aquarium clean, feeding your fish properly, avoiding wide temperature fluctuations and performing partial water changes as necessary you will go a long way to keeping your fish healthy. However, no matter how well you maintain your tank, from time to time one or more of your goldfish may become ill or display signs of stress.

Some of the more common goldfish diseases are discussed in this article.

Anchor worms will appear as a 1/4 to 3/8 inch piece of string with a forked tail. Large anchor worms can easily be seen. They appear as clear, brownish-red, or greenish-white strings. Once the anchor worms have buried themselves into the flesh of the fish open sores may appear on the skin. The anchor worms may be visible in the sores. Frequently this parasite is introduced into the fish tank from adding live food to the tank, or from aquarium plants, especially those taken from rivers or creeks. Anchor worms attach themselves beneath the scales of the fish where they bury their anchor-shaped head under the skin causing ulceration and distress.

Anchor worms are highly contagious and should be treated immediately. Your local pet store can supply an appropriate treatment for anchor worm, usually in the form of a gyrase inhibitor that can be added to the tank water. This should be effective in killing the parasites within three to four days.

Swimbladder disease should be suspected whenever a fish appears to have difficulty stabilizing itself in the tank. It is not uncommon in goldfish although fancy varieties appear more susceptible to this disease. It can be genetic in origin or caused by a variety of other factors including improper or inadequate diet, bacterial infection or even poor quality aquarium water.

Apart from improving the water condition if that is necessary, some fish keepers suggest feeding your goldfish thawed out frozen peas. Feeding the fish with sinking food instead of floating food can minimize the intake of air. It may also be worthwhile moving your sick goldfish to a smaller shallow tank while you treat it. This may reduce the stress on the fish. Swimbladder disease can often occur quite suddenly in previously healthy fish.

Dropsy isn’t a specific goldfish disease, but appears as a condition where the fish’s abdomen becomes swollen due to a concentration of fluids in the body tissues or cavities. The abdominal swelling often creates a pinecone effect causing the scales to protrude from the bod. The cause of the swelling could be any of several conditions including cancer, internal parasites or bacterial infection, cancer, internal parasites. Depending on the source of the condition dropsy may be contagious. There are no known successful treatments for dropsy and the condition usually proves fatal.

If the fish has not been fighting, torn or frayed fins are usually indications of tail or fin rot. This is a bacterial infection that first presents as a whitish edge on the fins, before the fins begin to rot away. It is easily treated with antibiotics available from your local pet store. Make sure that the medication states that it treats fin or tail rot. In some cases a secondary fungal infection can occur. In this case, treat the fin rot before dealing with the fungal problem.

Fungus is generally a secondary infection. A fish with a sore or an open wound caused through injury or disease may suffer from a lack of mucous around the area of the wound. This open wound can often attract a secondary fungus infection. Look for patches of grey or white fuzzy puffs attached to the skin. There are several treatments available for fungal infections from the pet store. Fungus responds well to quick treatment.

Perhaps the most common goldfish parasitic disease is ick. It is frequently present in freshwater fish tanks and will infect fish in poor general health or those that have suffered recent infection. Ick is characterized by small white dots that look like sprinkled salt on the body. The fish may try to scratch the infected areas on the wall of the tank which can cause further damage. Cloudy eyes and rapid breathing can also be signs of ick. See you pet store for ick treatment. Badly infected fish should be moved to a quarantine tank for treatment but it is important to treat the main aquarium as well to ensure that the parasite has been removed.

Goldfish are quite hardy fish but there are still many diseases that they can suffer from. If you want your goldfish to live a long and healthy life you must ensure that you manage the aquarium properly and treat sick goldfish immediately that any symptoms appear.

There is a comprehensive and instantly downloadable e-book covering the entire topic of treating goldfish diseases that will help you identify and treat symptoms.

Early diagnosis of disease is an important part of the overall goldfish care. If you can’t readily identify a goldfish disease see your local vet, or pet store.

Fish absorb oxygen to live and they give off carbon dioxide as a waste product. Plants under the influence of daylight do the opposite so that what is poison to one gives life to the other. So adding plants to your aquarium will assist in keeping your goldfish healthy and disease free.

Preventing disease is always easier than curing it, so by keeping your aquarium clean, feeding your fish properly, avoiding wide temperature fluctuations and performing partial water changes as necessary you will go a long way to keeping your fish healthy. However, no matter how well you maintain your tank, from time to time one or more of your goldfish may become ill or display signs of stress.

Some of the more common goldfish diseases are discussed in this article.

Anchor worms appear as a 1/4 to 3/8 inch piece of string with a forked tail. Large anchor worms can easily be seen. They appear as clear, brownish-red, or greenish-white strings. Once the anchor worms have buried themselves into the flesh of the fish open sores may appear on the skin. The anchor worms may be visible in the sores. Frequently this parasite is introduced into the fish tank from adding live food to the tank, or from aquarium plants, especially those taken from rivers or creeks. Anchor worms attach themselves beneath the scales of the fish where they bury their anchor-shaped head under the skin causing ulceration and distress.

Anchor worms are highly contagious and should be treated immediately. Your local pet store can supply an appropriate treatment for anchor worm, usually in the form of a gyrase inhibitor that can be added to the tank water. This should be effective in killing the parasites within three to four days.

Swimbladder disease should be suspected whenever a fish appears to have difficulty stabilizing itself in the tank. It is not uncommon in goldfish although fancy varieties appear more susceptible to this disease. It can be genetic in origin or caused by a variety of other factors including improper or inadequate diet, bacterial infection or even poor quality aquarium water.

Apart from improving the water condition if that is necessary, some fish keepers suggest feeding your goldfish thawed out frozen peas. It is also worth feeding the fish with sinking food instead of floating food to minimize the intake of air. It may also be worthwhile moving your sick goldfish to a smaller shallow tank while you treat it. This may lessen the stress on the fish. Swimbladder disease often occurs quite suddenly in previously healthy fish.

Dropsy is not a specific goldfish disease, but appears as a condition where the fish’s abdomen becomes swollen due to a concentration of fluids in the body tissues or cavities. The abdominal swelling can create a pinecone effect where the fishís scales protrude from the body. The cause of the swelling could be any of several conditions including cancer, internal parasites or bacterial infection, cancer, internal parasites. Depending on the source of the condition dropsy may be contagious. There are no known successful treatments for dropsy and the condition generally proves fatal.

Frayed or torn fins are usually indications of fin or tail rot if the fish has not been fighting. This is a bacterial infection that first appears as a whitish edge on the fins, before the fins begin to rot away. It is easily treated with antibiotics available from your pet store. Ensure the medication states that it treats fin or tail rot. In some cases a secondary fungal infection may occur. In this case, treat the fin rot before dealing with the fungal problem.

Fungus is usually a secondary infection. A fish with a sore or an open wound caused through injury or disease may suffer from a lack of mucous around the area of the wound. Open wounds like this can often attract a secondary fungal infection. Look for patches of grey or white fuzzy puffs attached to the skin. There are several treatments available for fungal infections from the pet store. Fungus will respond well to quick treatment.

Perhaps the most common parasitic disease in goldfish is ick. It is frequently present in freshwater fish tanks and will infect fish in poor general health or those that have suffered recent infection. Ick is characterized by small white dots that look like sprinkled salt on the body. The fish may try to scratch the infected areas on the wall of the tank which can cause further damage. Cloudy eyes and rapid breathing can also be signs of ick. See your pet store for ick treatment. Badly infected fish should be moved to a hospital or quarantine tank for treatment but it is important to also treat the main aquarium, ensuring that the parasite has been removed.

Goldfish are quite hardy fish but there are still many diseases that they can suffer from. If you want your goldfish to live a long and healthy life you must ensure that you manage the aquarium properly and treat sick goldfish immediately that any symptoms appear.

There is a comprehensive and instantly downloadable e-book covering the entire topic of treating goldfish diseases that will help you identify and treat symptoms.

The International Wildlife Museum (Tucson) is a beautiful natural history museum dedicated to fostering public knowledge and understanding for the world’s interesting wildlife. Started in 1988, the museum includes over 400 kinds of animals—insects to prehistoric mammals—discovered around the world.

The museum features wildlife in natural surrounding, wildlife movies, interactive computers, guided interpretive tours, and hands-on exhibits.

Group tour description:

Guided excursions are available for ages 6 and up. Guided tours may be customized to meet the needs of a class cours.

Other resources:

Pre-tour activity packets are available for all scheduled classes. Regularly shown animal life videos are free and accessible to all. Reserved videos are available to guided tour groups only.

The museum holds weeklong summer programs for youth ages 5-11. Natural heritage lectures and family events are provided by the museum during the year. Wildlife courses and activity guides, movies, and artifacts are also available on loan. Contact Jennifer Stoddard at 629-0100, ext. 311.

Outreach opportunities

Programs emphasizes the natural history of wildlife across the country exhibiting live animals and artifacts. Programs can be taught at your school or incorporated into a field trip to the museum. For a list of ideas and additional information call Jennifer Stoddard, Education Specialist (520) 629-0100, ext. 311.

Parking:

Plentiful, for cars, buses, and RVs

Hours of operation:

Weekdays, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Weekends, 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Admission fees:

$7.00 Adults
$5.50 Seniors (62 & over) and Students (w/ID)
$2.50 Children (4-12)
Free for ages 3 and under when accompanied by a parent.

School rates:
$2.00 per student for self-guided tours.
$2.50 per student for IWM-guided tours.
One free adult for every 10 students (required); additional adults are $5.50 each ($6.00 for guided tours).

Membership: Yes

Handicapped access: Yes

Lunch facilities:  Group lunch discount or bring your own sack lunches

Gift shop:  Yes; Teachers may pre-order inexpensive gift shop bags by calling 618-3568.

Curriculum relevance: Life Sciences, Biology

Contact person:  Kristine Massey, (520) 629-0100, ext. 336

Arranging a Group Visit: Reservations are required at least one week in advance.  For more information on Arizona attractions, checkout Tucson vacation.

International Wildlife Museum
4800 W. Gates Pass Road
Tucson, AZ  85745
(520) 629-0100 ext. 336 or 311
(520) 618-3561 Fax