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Can Fish Have Surgery?

Can you have surgery on your fish? The answer is an emphatic Yes!

Veterinarians perform surgery on fish for many of the same reasons they perform surgeries on other species, along with some that are unique to fish. A few of these are removal of external and internal masses, repair of skin lacerations, removal of a severely damaged eye (enucleation), and swim bladder repair for buoyancy problems. All it takes is a fish that develops a condition that can be repaired surgically, an owner who cares enough to get the highest level if it is in the fish’s best interest (sometimes euthanasia is the most humane option) and a veterinarian willing and equipped to perform surgery on some very interesting patients.

The decision to proceed with surgery may be motivated by the economic value of the patient, rarity of the species involved, or the owner’s emotional attachment to the fish.

How Is It Done?

Surgery depends first on administering anesthesia to eliminate pain and keep the fish still. Anesthetic is delivered to a fish in the water. Then the fish is removed from the water because performing surgery is difficult in water and can result in contamination of the surgical site. For brief surgeries (e.g., abscess care) lasting less than five minutes, pumping water over the gills is not necessary. For longer surgeries (surgeries lasting more than two hours have been performed with successful recovery), the fish’s skin must be kept moist. Water containing anesthetic is pumped over the gills to keep the fish oxygenated and anesthetized.

Special Techniques

Once the necessary life-support system is in place, general surgery techniques are similar to surgery in mammals, birds and reptiles. One difference is the skin. Fish skin is very sensitive and contains a protective layer of mucus. Many species have scales. Small scales like those on trout have little effect on the incision, but thick, heavy scales must be removed along the incision line or the scalpel blade will not make a smooth cut, or may not cut at all. The skin and scales of some fish like sharks is very tough – a surgeon goes through a lot of scalpel blades during a shark surgery.

The mucus layer should be disrupted as little as possible because it protects the fish’s skin from infections. Therefore, a full surgical scrub preparation of the incision site, as is performed in other species, cannot be performed on fish. Surgical incisions of fish are closed with suture. External sutures should be removed from the skin once it heals.

Specific Surgical Procedures

Lacerations are often inflicted by predatory birds. Provision of protective cover within the pond, steep sides to discourage wading birds, exclusion nets and lawn sprinklers triggered by motion sensors have all been used to reduce the possibility of bird strikes in koi ponds.

If the swim bladder is the cause of the problem, excess gas can be removed by a needle and syringe for a short-term correction but, often, a surgical reduction in the swim bladder is required. The swim bladder is made up of very fragile tissue, making swim bladder reduction a very delicate surgery. Negative buoyancy (sinking) may result after the surgery, but fish can adapt to this condition by resting on the bottom of the tank and swimming up for food, although a non-abrasive surface may be required to prevent damage to the skin of the belly.

Fish Post-Op

Depending on the water temperature, fish skin may heal more slowly than mammal skin, and sutures may be removed by your veterinarian from 10 to 30 days following surgery. If the fish cannot be retrieved for suture removal (those, for instance, in ponds), an absorbable suture may be used. These, however, are more likely to incite an inflammatory reaction and be expelled as foreign bodies than to be actually absorbed.

Following surgery, your fish will likely not be interested in feeding immediately. Gradually re-introduce food (less than usual) the day after surgery, and increase until its full appetite returns. Observe the suture line for signs of inflammation (redness) and secondary infection with water molds (Saprolegnia). Follow your veterinarian’s instructions regarding post-surgical antibiotic, antifungal, antiparasitic, and osmotic (salt) treatments if these are needed.