Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Chronic regurgitation in green moray eel treated with metoclopramide
By Meegan, Jenny et al.·Published in Journal of zoo and wildlife medicine : official publication of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians·2012·Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Endoscopic evaluation and biopsy collection of the gastrointestinal tract in the green moray eel (Gymnothorax funebris): application in a case of chronic regurgitation with gastric mucus gland hyperplasia.
Plain-English summary
A green moray eel was brought in for chronic regurgitation, which means it was frequently bringing up food. The veterinarian used a flexible endoscope to look inside the eel's gastrointestinal tract and found abnormal growths in the stomach and an ulcer in the intestine. Biopsies showed issues like hyperplasia (overgrowth) of the gastric mucus glands and a mild intestinal infection. The eel was treated with medications that helped reduce the regurgitation, and it responded well to the treatment. Unfortunately, the eel later died from unrelated issues, but the endoscopy was helpful in diagnosing its initial problems.
People also search for: green moray eel regurgitation treatment · eel gastrointestinal problems · endoscopy in fish
Abstract
A green moray eel (Gymnothorax funebris) was evaluated for chronic regurgitation. By using flexible endoscopy, the gastrointestinal tract was evaluated and revealed multifocal proliferative gastric masses and an intestinal ulcer. Biopsy specimens revealed gastric mucus gland hyperplasia, intestinal nematodiasis, and mild enteritis. Esophagoscopy and gastroscopy were performed by using a larger endoscope (length, 200 cm). A smaller endoscope (length, 100 cm) facilitated entering the intestinal tract in normograde or retrograde directions. A control eel was also evaluated, and no gross or histologic abnormalities were detected. The case eel was treated with metoclopramide and fenbendazole, responded well to therapy, and regurgitation decreased. A year later, the animal died of unrelated causes. Necropsy revealed coelomic gastric adhesions. The gastric proliferative lesions were associated with degeneration and necrosis of gastric pit mucosa without significant inflammation; etiology was unknown. Gastrointestinal endoscopy proved a useful diagnostic tool for evaluation and biopsy collection in this eel species.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23082527/