INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Start by removing the affected fish from the tank and placing him in a separate tank with clean, fresh unchlorinated water. You will also need to remove the other fish in the tank to a separate container with clean, fresh unchlorinated water. Use a different net to remove the other fish as fish rot can be spread through shared nets. Do not place the affected fish in the same container as the other fish as this can cause the fin rot to spread. You will then need to drain the tank of all the water in the sink. Take out all the tank accessories as well as the gravel in the tank. Give the tank a good wash with hot water. Do not use soap when you clean the tank. Use paper towels to get into the crevices of the tank and make sure it has been cleaned thoroughly. Soak the tank accessories in hot water for five to ten minutes. If you have live plants, soak them in lukewarm water. You can then take them out of the water and let them air dry. Wash the gravel with warm water and hoover it with a small vacuum to get rid of any dirt or debris. Once you have washed the tank thoroughly and let it air dry, you can place the gravel and the tank accessories back into the tank. If your tank is uncycled, do a 100% water change using dechlorinated or conditioned water. Make sure the water is at 80-82 degrees F (26-27 degrees C). If your tank is cycled, meaning there is an established colony of beneficial bacteria built up on the submerged surfaces of the tank (accumulated mainly through fish living in the tank and excreting nitrogen), you can do a 50% water change; subsequent smaller proportion water changes are recommended. If your tank has a water filter, you should take a bucket of the fresh tank water and wash the filter with the water. Once the filter is cleaned of any gunk or dirt, you can place it in the tank. Do not use tap water to clean the filter as this can contaminate the filter. Before you put your fish back in the tank, you should use a pH test kit to ensure the water quality is good. The pH should be around 7-8 and the ammonia, zero nitrites and nitrates should be no higher than 40 ppm. Once you have confirmed the water is suitable for your fish, you can slowly add the fish back into the tank, including the fish with fin rot. You may then add antibiotics or antifungal medication to the tank water to help kill the fin rot. The combination of a clean tank and medication should help your fish to get rid of the fin rot.

SUMMARY: Take the affected fish out of the tank. Wash the tank and all the tank accessories. Do a 100% water change. Check the pH of the tank water.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Place a colander into a sink and dump all your seeds into it. Run cool water over the colander and move it around in a circle so that it covers all of the seeds. Afterward, place the colander down and mix the seeds around with your hands as the tap runs to expose their entire surface to water. Remove any excess pumpkin flesh that you find stuck to the seeds. Don't worry if the seeds feel slimythis doesn't mean they aren't clean!

SUMMARY: Rinse the seeds in a colander with cool water.

INPUT ARTICLE: Article: During a physical exam, the veterinarian will examine the cat to look for signs of ill health that could cause vomiting, and also feel the abdomen for masses or blockages. The following steps discuss the various aspects of a physical exam. Your vet will lift your cat's lip to look at the color of the gums. These should be pink, much like our own gums. Pallor (very pale pink or even white) gums indicate anemia, and a yellow stain suggests jaundice. These give the clinician clues as to where to look to identify the problem. A useful way to assess if the cat's circulation is coping, or if the cat is in a state of shock because of fluid loss, is the capillary refill time. This is the amount of time it takes for the gum to become pink again after the blood is pressed out of it. A normal capillary refill time is under 2two seconds, and usually, the refill is too brisk to count. A refill of more than two seconds is delayed. To measure the capillary refill time lift the lip and press a fingertip firmly to the gum, such that the gum goes pale or white. Release the finger and watch closely to see how many seconds it takes for the gum to become pink again. Lift the scruff away from the shoulders and then let it go. The skin should return to its normal position instantaneously. Dehydration decreases the skin's elasticity which means that it returns slowly when released. Severe dehydration results in "tenting" which is when the skin remains in a peak, rather than sliding back down. In the case of a vomiting cat, this may indicate that the cat is losing more fluid than she is taking in. This finding indicates a cat in need of urgent replacement fluid, such as being put on an intravenous drip. Intravenous fluids are given via a catheter which is placed in the vein in the cat's front leg. A giving set and bag of saline are attached to the catheter and the fluids drip directly into the bloodstream. Typically it takes 24 to 48 hours to slowly correct an underlying fluid deficit, during which time the cat will need to be hospitalized. Although this sounds like a strange thing to do when investigating vomiting, there is an underlying connection. Conditions such as hyperthyroidism (an overactive thyroid gland) can cause vomiting and is also associated with a racing heart. A resting heart rate of 180 beats per minute is abnormal, and the vet will feel the cat's throat area to see if an obviously enlarged thyroid is palpable. A cat's temperature should be below 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit), and if it is above this, it is an indication of fever. A vomiting cat with a fever may be suffering from an infection. To do an abdominal palpation, the veterinarian uses his fingertips to gently feel the cat's abdomen. He or she is checking that the gut, kidneys, bladder, spleen, and liver feel like they are a normal size and shape, and are not painful. Organ enlargement can indicate infection, inflammation, cancer, or a blockage to outflow from that organ. He or she will also feel for any abnormal formations. If your cat is not unduly ill, not running a fever, is well hydrated and keeping most of her food down, the vet may suggest getting her up to date with preventative treatments such as worming. A heavy worm burden can cause a physical obstruction in the bowel, or irritate the stomach lining and cause vomiting. The treatment for hairballs includes a gentle liquid paraffin based laxative that you put on your cat's paw. One such typical product is Lax-a-paste, of which you put about an inch onto the cat's paw twice a day for two to three days. The idea is that this seeps in through your cat's paw and gently lubricates any hairballs that are rattling around in your cat's stomach and causing inflammation, and helps them to either be passed out in the feces or vomited up.

SUMMARY:
Schedule a physical exam for your cat. Know that your vet will check your cat's mucous membranes. Look at the capillary refill time. Check hydration status. Know that your cat's heart rate will be checked. Understand that the cat's temperature will be tested. Understand what an abdominal palpation is. Update your cat's worming medications if the physical exam does not help you determine what is wrong with your cat. Treat your cat for hairballs.