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Posts Tagged ‘repair’

postheadericon Here’s a scenario for you to think about

Here’s a scenario for you to think about.  Your child is out in the back yard, running about with your 1-year old dog, when unexpectedly, you hear that dog yelp in pain.  Wasting no time, you head out the door and observe that the dog appears to have an injured hind leg, holding it aloft as it trots along on the other three.  As if by magic, the dog starts running again on all fours like normal, appearing that nothing had been wrong in the first place.

To add to this scenario, it dawns on you that you have noticed this behavior becoming more and more frequent so now you are concerned enough that you wonder if you should call your veterinarian and make an appointment.  Stop wondering and make the call.  Your cherished pooch is most likely the victim of a luxated patella, or more simply, a lipped   kneecap (or trick knee).

This discomforting malady is hereditary and causes the kneecap to move out of its normal position (dislocates), typically shifting towards the inside of the animals leg. Additionally, it normally occurs in both of the back legs but to a more severe degree in one than the other.  When the dogs kneecap is positioned normally, it sits within a deep groove where it slides down and up in a controlled manner.

As this groove gets more and more out of shape or becomes increasingly shallower, the kneecap begins to slip out of its normal position more frequently.  The leg then locks up, causing the foot to be elevated off the ground.  As a result, the dog cries out from the discomfort that results.  Typically, the condition is more common in the smaller breeds of canines than the medium-sized or larger ones.  The result of the conditions onset is immediate lameness and pain.

In less severe cases, the kneecap slides freely in and out of position voluntarily, but as the condition becomes increasingly more severe, the dislocation can become permanent requiring a vet to either pop the kneecap back into place or, in the most severe cases, correct the condition surgically.  Also, as the condition worsens, the knee capsule itself is injured and the dog appears to be bowlegged.

As we mentioned above, the condition doesn’t just happen overnight, although the initial onset of it would make the owner of the animal speculate as such. Luxated patella is an inherited condition and is most likely present when the puppy is born.  Fortunately, the condition is not crippling even in its most severe stages.  The worst case scenario is that it will have to be surgically repaired and your dog should be able to live a happy and normal life afterwards.

As a final cautionary note, assuming that this condition is inherent to the breed of dog and then neglecting to take action is a huge mistake with unpleasant consequences.  In younger dogs, not  taking care of this oftentimes results in torn ligaments or more severe damage to the knee.  In older canines, neglecting the condition has been known to lead to diseases in the bones and the joints as well as causing arthritis.  So please, don’t gamble with your dogs well-being get the condition corrected immediately.

postheadericon Canister filters are renowned to be the most efficient fish tank filters around today

Canister filters are renowned to be the most efficient fish tank filters around today.  It is true that they will cost a lot initially but if you can afford to install one, they will save you a whole lot in terms of time spent maintaining them and of course money.  But for people who have already installed a canister filter in their aquarium, what now comes to mind is whether they should then install two filters and what are the benefits of this extra filtration to the aquatic life?

Actually, this is a matter of preference that most fish breeders cannot agree on whether it is a good idea or not to have two canister filters in one tank.  That question has been argued about since canister filters were invented.

Rather than taking a side, I will instead talk about what happens when you have two canister filters in one aquarium and it will be up to you to decide which you choose.

The Benefits Of Having Two Canister Filters.

The obvious reason for most supporters of two filters is backup.  That is to say that you will have a spare filter running in case one of them needs repair, thus ensuring that the water in your fish tank remains filtered.  This reason becomes even more critical for those who live a distance from the nearest aquarium store and cannot get hold of spare parts fast enough.

Another reason is the size of the fish tank itself.  People who like more than one filter say that if the aquarium is too big, one filter will not be enough to cleanse the entire tank as there will be blind spots where the water will not be drawn  into the filter.  Having two canister filters with their inlet positioned at opposite ends of the tank will ensure that there are no blind spots.

What’s The Downside Of Using Two Canister Filters

The main issue about having multiple canister filters is water movement.  The movement of water in the aquarium affects the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide.  The faster the rate at which water moves, the faster the exchange will be thus reducing the amount of CO2 in the tank.  But isn’t less CO2 better?  Well, not if you also have aquatic plant life.  Plants take in CO2 and expell O2.  By doing so, plants actually help maintain a healthy balance of CO2/O2 levels in the water.  Having insufficent carbon dioxide levels will stunt the plants growth and cause them to lose their lustre.

Also, excessive filtering will not only filter out the waste materials but also the nutrients that plants are very dependant on.  it is actually true that in a tank with plants, it is the plants that provide a netter and more efficient biological filtration than the beneficial bacteria.

And lastly, and this is especially important for fish that naturally come from a slow moving environment, too much water movements will actually be bad for the health of your fish.  Too much movement places unnecessary stress on them as well as actually stunt their ability to breed.  So these are the pros and cons of having more than one canister filter in a single aquarium.

If you do plan to install an additional filter, just remember to reduce their suction rates to counter balance the disadvantages.