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melev

Saving a Puffer Fish with surgery

Rating: 13 votes, 5.00 average.
3 Comments
by
melev
, 12-13-2012 at 09:32 PM (6758 Views)
So this story really touched my heart when it broke recently on Facebook. Brian Bunne Broughten of Advanced Aquarium Service in Minnesota had a client whose pet "Bubba" needed emergency care. The fish had ingested a clam, and the shell was trapped within Bubba's digestive system intact and still hinged. The fish grew lethargic, stopped eating and also no longer expel waste for too long.

The first step was to get the fish x-rayed to see what was going on.
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Dr Kizer of Lexington Pet Clinic performed the surgery.
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Once the issue was determined, the fish was sedated and water was run over its gills to allow it to breathe while not thrashing about. Here's a link to the video of the surgery:
http://www.facebook.com/v/4404871512942

Once the area was deemed cleared of any other obstructions, he got stitches.
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And for the two hour drive home, he was able to swim in a temporary container.
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Bubba, the dogface puffer fish, is now back in an aquarium and we hope he'll make a full recovery. His appetite hasn't returned yet, but that could be an effect of the anesthesia.
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The surgery cost less than $500 for this 15 year old pet. A number of people have gone the extra mile to save Bubba.

To follow the latest about Bubba, like this page:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Advanc...e/157504915771

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Updated 12-14-2012 at 01:39 AM by melev

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Comments

  1. melev's Avatar
    Sadly, I just learned that Bubba didn't make it after all. How unfortunate considering the level of care that was administered to him.
  2. Paul B's Avatar
    That is interesting, I did that surgery on a figure 8 puffer but it didn't swallow a clam, it had a large tumor growing inside it's gut and he also stopped eating. The fish was a little over an inch long. After the surgery that I did in a few minutes being I didn't put the fish to sleep, I had to force feed him for a week, then he got up from the bottom and resumed his normal routine. He lived another 8 or 12 years (I forget as it was 35 years ago)
  3. Scubaman's Avatar
    This is really interesting as I didn't know people provided this level of care for ornamental fish. I've heard stories of surgery for large animals but never home aquarium pets. Thanks for sharing.